NFL’s project that its kickoff return rate will increase between 60% and 70% if the owners approve a rule change, which touches the 35-yard line, the competition committee chairman Rich McKake said on Wednesday.
The proposal is among several rules and the Baylav proposal owners considered the next week in their annual meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. At least 24 votes of owners are required for approval.
The rate increased from 21.8% to 32.8% in the previous season in 2023, the first look at the coaches of special teams and the kickoff structure designed by the NFL office. The touchback was seen on the 30-yard line last year, and the average return was 27.6 yards.
More coaches should be motivated to emphasize short kickoffs than having a big difference between touchback spots and average returns that should return instead of accepting the touchback, said Macke said.
“I think they are going up to a great extent due to that yard difference,” McKake said.
The owners approved the Dynamic Kickoff Rules last year for one season. The competition committee has proposed to make the change permanent with several changes. In addition to the touchback spot, the committee proposed some mild alignment twicex and also suggested that the requirement be abolished that only the fourth quarter can only be kicks.
The structure of the previous season reduced which rate on the kickoff to 43%, but given the increase in the total number of returns in total.
This means that if the return rate increases as expected, the kickoff on the kickoff may increase. Jeff Miller, Executive Vice President of Communications, Public Affairs and Policy of NFL, emphasized that the convention rate is expected to remain the same. And if enlarged returns lead to better field position and more scoring, punishment – NFL plays with the highest treaty rate – may decrease.
“So, as we add plays on kickoffs, we can end … a decrease in some injuries due to low punishment,” Miller said. “So, we put all that in the mixture when we take a look at changing the kickoff play.”
Meanwhile, the committee has proposed to continue adding responsibilities in its Replay Assist program. If approved, the on-site replay officer will be allowed to reverse the reverse flag, which are thrown for the hit for the playersless players, as well as a fowl for roughing/running to the facemask, horse collar, tripping and kicker.
Those replay officers, however, will not be allowed to add a flag when a clear dishonesty is unheard. Macke said that in those situations in the previous season, there was no support to authorize that step despite a series of high-profile Mrs.
McKay said, “The idea was that (Replay Booth) is being worked (Replay Booth) changes a lot and removes the decision that we give to the authorities on the field and they will need adequateness of rules.” “So, I think everyone is universal in saying that we want the play to work on the field, but we want to be able to help in the replays when a dishonest objective element is clearly missed and cures it.”
Troy Vincent, Executive Vice President of NFL of football operations, said that allowing the flag from a person of the field would be problematic amid the jump of gambling by allowing the flag from a person.
“We talk about allowing the game to play on the field and a phantom dishonesty, a flag, is thrown,” said Vincent. “Just imagine that you are just thinking about it, ‘Where did he come from?” It only makes all kinds of speculation.
The committee allowed two players to be nominated to return from the injured reserve, if they are placed on IR. When the rosters are reduced to 53, the playoff teams provide two more returns from the IR spot in Postsen, and as the third tiebreaker on the wave claims using point differential.
The owners will also consider a series of rules proposals from the teams, which NFL released to the public last week. They include a proposal of Green Bay Packers, which is essentially to ban Tush Push Short-Yardage Play that Philadelphia Eagles has used major success in recent years. Eagles have proposed to add five minutes to the regular-season overtime, and it is necessary that each team gets one possession, while Detroit Lions proposed a new playoff seeding system that insisted on the team records rather than the division champion.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
