NFL reportedly planning major changes to kickoffs
The NFL’s ongoing efforts to make kickoffs safer will reportedly result in some significant changes.
NFL.com’s Judy Battista reported Wednesday that a number of changes brought up in the player safety meeting will likely be adopted, including the end of the two-man wedge and the elimination of a running start for the kicking team.
Takeaways from the player safety meeting on kickoffs: changes coming, likely eliminating the 2-man wedge, no running start for the kicking team, only 3 players allowed deep.
— Judy Battista (@judybattista) May 2, 2018
Competition Committee still has to finish writing the kicking rule, but intention is for it to be done in time for owners to vote on it later this month, to implement in 2018 season.
— Judy Battista (@judybattista) May 2, 2018
This seems to be the compromise option for now. Kickoffs will remain, at least for now, as some players called for. In general, a reduction of injuries is the goal here, and we’ll see if these changes have any impact in that regard.