The NFL introduced a completely revamped kickoff play at the start of the 2024 season, and it sounds like another significant change will be implemented for next year.
According to Mark Maske of the Washington Post, NFL executives and members of the league’s competition committee are considering a change where the ball would be spotted at the 35-yard line rather than the 30 on a touchback for a kickoff into the end zone that is not returned. The goal would be to discourage the kicking team from kicking the ball through the end zone to avoid a return.
As Maske notes, roughly 29 percent of kickoffs have been returned through the first four weeks of the season. While that is an increase from the 17 percent that were returned through the first four weeks a year ago, the goal with the new rule was to increase returns to more than 50 percent.
It appears that those who designed the new kickoff format underestimate the willingness of the kicking team to allow their opponent to begin a drive at the 30-yard line. The hope is that moving that to the 35-yard line will discourage teams from simply kicking the ball through the end zone.
Under the new kickoff rules, which were modeled after the XFL’s format, any ball that lands inside the “landing zone,” which is defined as the area between the receiving team’s 20-yard line and the goal line, must be returned. If the ball is kicked short of the landing zone or out of bounds, the receiving team is awarded possession at their own 40-yard line.
When the new kickoff rules were initially proposed, a touchback through the end zone was supposed to give the receiving team possession at the 35. That was changed to the 30 due to a lack of votes. In order for the rule to be changed to the 35, at least 24 owners would have to approve it.
With the new kickoff format being such a radical change, there are expected to be some tweaks in the coming years. A touchback at the 35-yard line might not be the only one we see in 2025.
