Proposed kickoff changes

[RingoCStarrQB]

My caring ended when they put skirts on the QBs. LoL

[YoHoChecko]

The competition committee made a tweak to the proposed rule with teams making touchbacks that go into the end zone on the fly come out to the 30-yard line, rather than the 35.

Are the kicking team mandated to keep the ball in play then? (like 0 to 20 yard line

They aren't mandated to keep the ball in play but if the kick doesn't hit the landing zone between the receiving team's goal line and their 20-yard line they will start either on their own 30, 35 or 40-yard line.

This makes sense; 35 was too much.

[CWIMM]

It's interesting to note that the competition committee didn't vote on the proposed change in the kickoff rule at the owners meeting yesterday and aren't expected to today either. That might indicate it's not a sure thing it will pass for next season.

[NCF]

It's interesting to note that the competition committee didn't vote on the proposed change in the kickoff rule at the owners meeting yesterday and aren't expected to today either. That might indicate it's not a sure thing it will pass for next season.

[NCF]

[NCF]

Apparently the Packers were one of the three opposed.

[CWIMM]

It's interesting to note that the competition committee didn't vote on the proposed change in the kickoff rule at the owners meeting yesterday and aren't expected to today either. That might indicate it's not a sure thing it will pass for next season.

Awesome, my post obviously didn't age well

[CWIMM]

Apparently the Packers were one of the three opposed.

I'm surprised, actually a bit shocked, the Packers were one of the teams opposing the rule change.

[Yoop]

Apparently the Packers were one of the three opposed.

I'm surprised, actually a bit shocked, the Packers were one of the teams opposing the rule change.

Me too, must have been one of the aspects of it they didn't like, such as the on side kick, or landing zone requirements, maybe the reasons will be reported later.

[go pak go]

So will this change how teams view the "blockers" and what type of body makeup they should have?

Is speed more important? Less important? Will you have more "linemen" style players or is open field blocking (think H Backs and Full Back types) at an even higher premium?

Will be interesting how this is adopted by teams and the types of players they want on return and coveage kick teams. Also, the kicker now has a lot more value. No longer can just kick as hard as you can. Now you need direction. Depth. Distance. Hang Time shouldn't matter but catchability does.

[APB]

Hell, now they can make many of you happy and bring back Crosby. He can't kick it to the end zone anyway...

[CWIMM]

Me too, must have been one of the aspects of it they didn't like, such as the on side kick, or landing zone requirements, maybe the reasons will be reported later.

According to Mark Murphy the Packers would have preferred to test the new rule during the preseason before installing them for the regular season. Still doesn't make a whole lot of sense they were one of only a few teams to oppose it.

[kampmanfan4life]

I did not catch the exact numbers. But a reporter looked at the number of kickoffs and touchdowns returns last season for the NFL and XFL.

XFL had 1 touchdown and NFL had 4. The percentage wise NFL had more chance of a return being a touchdown than the XFL. So the play might be more interesting, but also result in fewer touchdowns. Interesting to see what special teams coaches do.

[Half Empty]

How many kickoffs were there in each league?

[wallyuwl]

The biggest thing I don't like is that onside kicks are only allowed in the 4th quarter.

[lupedafiasco]

I think the difference is the XFL is full of bums. All a bunch of bums from coaches to players. The NFL has legitimate playmakers to return kicks with legitimate speed the XFL can’t sniff. They’ve also got real NFL caliber coaches, unless you hire Mo Drayton, that can design and scheme better returns.

To me when I watch it if you can create any kind of gap to run through there’s no backup where as the old kicks there was always waves of players you had to make it through. It will be interesting to watch. I do like that they are trying to put the ball in play but ultimately I think the old way of kicking was better. These players are paid to get CTE. It’s part of the game. If you don’t like it get good and start.

[wallyuwl]

I think the difference is the XFL is full of bums. All a bunch of bums from coaches to players. The NFL has legitimate playmakers to return kicks with legitimate speed the XFL can’t sniff. They’ve also got real NFL caliber coaches, unless you hire Mo Drayton, that can design and scheme better returns.

To me when I watch it if you can create any kind of gap to run through there’s no backup where as the old kicks there was always waves of players you had to make it through. It will be interesting to watch. I do like that they are trying to put the ball in play but ultimately I think the old way of kicking was better. These players are paid to get CTE. It’s part of the game. If you don’t like it get good and start.

If that is the line of thinking, they are paid to get concussions, not CTE. Starters on the OL and DL are much more likely to get CTE. Concussions don't cause CTE.

[CWIMM]

I did not catch the exact numbers. But a reporter looked at the number of kickoffs and touchdowns returns last season for the NFL and XFL.

XFL had 1 touchdown and NFL had 4. The percentage wise NFL had more chance of a return being a touchdown than the XFL. So the play might be more interesting, but also result in fewer touchdowns. Interesting to see what special teams coaches do.

That's simply not true. There were a total of 2,698 kickoffs in the NFL, four of which were returned for a touchdown. So every 674.5 kickoff was returned for a TD.

In the XFL, one of 352 kickoffs was returned for a TD.

How many kickoffs were there in each league?

See numbers posted above.

I think the difference is the XFL is full of bums. All a bunch of bums from coaches to players. The NFL has legitimate playmakers to return kicks with legitimate speed the XFL can’t sniff. They’ve also got real NFL caliber coaches, unless you hire Mo Drayton, that can design and scheme better returns.

To me when I watch it if you can create any kind of gap to run through there’s no backup where as the old kicks there was always waves of players you had to make it through. It will be interesting to watch. I do like that they are trying to put the ball in play but ultimately I think the old way of kicking was better. These players are paid to get CTE. It’s part of the game. If you don’t like it get good and start.

There are significantly better opponents in the NFL as well, making it tougher to gain yards on a return as well.

[CWIMM]

Here are more detailed stats on kickoff returns from the XFL last season:

In all of 2023, the average starting field position after a kickoff was the 29.1 yard line. As mentioned before the NFL average was close to the 25 yard line last season. In addition, 88% of the drives after kickoffs started between the 21 and 30-yard line in the NFL last season, that number was down to 53% in the XFL (30% on the 31-yard line or beyond, 17% inside the 20).

Here are the average and median starting field position as well as the percentage of drives that started inside the 30 after a kickoff based on the location the ball landed in the XFL last season. The numbers from within the end zone solely includes numbers for kicks that were returned:

XFL Kickoff Return Stats.png (11.52 KiB) Viewed 475 times

[wallyuwl]

Here are more detailed stats on kickoff returns from the XFL last season:

In all of 2023, the average starting field position after a kickoff was the 29.1 yard line. As mentioned before the NFL average was close to the 25 yard line last season. In addition, 88% of the drives after kickoffs started between the 21 and 30-yard line in the NFL last season, that number was down to 53% in the XFL (30% on the 31-yard line or beyond, 17% inside the 20).

Here are the average and median starting field position as well as the percentage of drives that started inside the 30 after a kickoff based on the location the ball landed in the XFL last season. The numbers from within the end zone solely includes numbers for kicks that were returned:

XFL Kickoff Return Stats.png

If these numbers occur in the NFL the league will need to go back to drawing board.