ORLANDO, Fla. — Kickoff returns are returning to the NFL.
Staff house owners on Tuesday accepted a brand new rule that may take what basically had turn out to be “a useless play” and make it an integral a part of the sport once more, an individual aware of the choice instructed The Related Press. The particular person spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity as a result of the league hasn’t introduced the change.
The foremost overhaul to particular groups — which has been within the works for years — takes parts of the kickoff guidelines used within the XFL and tweaks them to be used within the NFL starting in 2024. The rule might be in play for one season on a trial foundation after which be topic to renewal in 2025.
For the standard kickoff, the ball could be kicked from the 35-yard line with the ten kick protection gamers lined up on the opposing 40, with 5 on all sides of the sector.
The return staff would have at the least 9 blockers lined up within the “arrange zone” between the 30- and 35-yard line, with at the least seven of these gamers touching the 35. There could be as much as two returners allowed contained in the 20.
Solely the kicker and two returners could be allowed to maneuver till the ball hits the bottom or was touched by a returner contained in the 20.
Any kick that reaches the tip zone within the air might be returned, or the receiving staff can go for a touchback and possession on the 30. Any kick that reaches the tip zone within the air and goes out of bounds or out of the tip zone additionally would end in a touchback on the 30.
If a ball hits a returner or the bottom earlier than the tip zone and goes into the tip zone, a touchback could be on the 20 or the play may very well be returned. Any kick obtained within the discipline of play must be returned.
Below present guidelines, any touchback — or if a returner requires a good catch within the discipline of play — ends in the receiving staff getting the ball at its 25.
“That is our probability to maintain particular groups within the recreation,” NFL Competitors Committee chairman Wealthy McKay mentioned Monday, calling the present kickoff now a useless play. “Particular groups has been part of the sport ceaselessly. And, in the event you lose the kickoff, in our thoughts, you actually just about eradicated particular groups and put it on a punt play.”
The proposal wanted 24 of 32 votes to go.
