The Kansas City Chiefs’ first preseason game of 2024 is over. They lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-13 on Saturday, but not without some confusion about the new kickoff rules.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid discussed the unusual safety last Saturday during his post-practice press conference on Monday.
“We’re on top of the kickoff and the (new kickoff) rule – it’s a little different than last year, so the ball normally goes in the endzone (and) it’s a dead ball, and that’s not how it is this year,” Reid explained. “(The ball) goes in and comes back out (and) you can’t scoop it back in, obviously. Again, they’re (the league) still looking at all of this, so we’ll see where it goes from here.
“I think it was good for the officials to see it(and) I think it was good for us to see it. We understood the part of it where if it (the ball) goes in, it’s still alive. Again, that’s similar to the sideline where you can be outside (of the lines) and reach back in – that part got clarified; it’s not like that, so that’s a live ball.”
Interesting play on the kickoff here as Mecole Hardman is called for a safety pic.twitter.com/yafhw8izb5
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) August 11, 2024
During the play, Mecole Hardman and Deneric Prince were back to receive. The latter let the ball sail over his head, assuming a touchback, but it dropped in the end zone and bounced out to the 1-yard line. Hardman then ran into the end zone, kneeled down, and grabbed the ball, resulting in a safety after the game referees deliberated.
“(Number) 34 (Deneric Prince) should have taken it and gone,” said Reid. “Then, Mecole (Hardman) was trying to make it right, but what Mecole should have done was picked it up and gone, but listen, that’s not his – that’s our responsibility for making sure that it’s clarified.”
Reid took responsibility for the mishap, but it is preseason and the best time to make and fix mistakes.