The NFL competition committee is suggesting that the dynamic kickoff rule become permanent and that touchbacks be moved to the 35-yard line to encourage more returns.
On Wednesday, the committee shared several possible rule changes for 2025, which will be discussed next week at the league meetings in Palm Beach, Florida. Any rule change must be approved by 24 out of 32 team owners.
Last week, teams submitted several proposals that could be voted on at the league meetings, such as banning the “tush push” and changing the playoff seeding rules.
Last year, owners approved a major change to the kickoff for a one-year trial, and now the committee is recommending another change to increase the number of returns while reducing the risk of injuries. The league saw 332 additional returns last season, raising the return rate from a record-low 21.8% in 2023 to 32.8% last season.
The committee believes that moving the touchback on kicks that reach the end zone from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line will encourage teams to kick shorter, more return-friendly kicks. They predict that this could double the rate of returns.
“We think that’s a lot of motivation for people to kick the ball in play and get returns back in the game,” said NFL Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay.
The committee is also suggesting that teams be allowed to declare their intention for an onside kick at any point in the game when they are behind, instead of just in the fourth quarter.
They also proposed a small change in the onside kick formation to slightly improve the recovery rate. There was no interest from teams or the committee in changing the onside kick to a fourth-and-long play, as had been considered in the past. League executive Troy Vincent called it too “gimmicky.”
The committee suggested a few small changes to how players on the return team can line up before the kick, but the basic setup will stay the same. The kicker will line up at their own 35-yard line, 10 coverage players will be at the 40-yard line, and at least nine blockers will line up in the “setup zone” between the 30- and 35-yard lines.
Kansas City Chiefs players celebrate in the 1st halfThere will be up to two returners in the landing zone inside the 20-yard line
Any kick that reaches the end zone in the air can be returned, or the receiving team can choose a touchback, which will now be at the 35-yard line.
Only the kicker and two returners can move until the ball touches the ground or is caught by a returner inside the 20-yard line.
The NFL reported 59 returns of at least 40 yards last season, the most since 2016, with seven touchdowns. The concussion rate dropped 43% from the previous three years, and there were fewer lower-extremity strains on kick return plays than since 2018.
“We ended up with an injury rate very much like a play from scrimmage,” said NFL executive Jeff Miller. “That’s what the goal was. If the rule is passed and we do end up with more returns, we would presume, without any evidence to the contrary, that the injury rate will stay similar to a run or pass play.”
Miller also mentioned that the potential for more returns would likely lower the chance of injury compared to punts, which have a higher injury rate than any other play, due to improved field position under the new rule.
The committee suggested expanding instant replay to allow replay assist to help on-field officials overturn objective calls such as facemask penalties, whether there was forcible contact to the head or neck area, horse-collar tackles, or tripping, if there was “clear and obvious” evidence a foul didn’t happen.
Replay could also overturn roughing the kicker or running into the kicker penalties if video showed the defender made contact with the ball.
Replay assist could only reverse a call if it was incorrect, but Vincent and McKay said there was no support for replay assist calling penalties, even though it was discussed.
“We know there’s going to be mistakes, there’s going to be human errors,” Vincent said. “Let’s fix some of those things that we can fix. But to put a flag on the field was a non-starter.”
The committee also suggested allowing two players to return from injured reserve if they are placed on IR when rosters are reduced to 53. This would give playoff teams two additional spots for returning players in the postseason. The committee also proposed using point differential as the third tiebreaker for waiver claims.
