Tag: kickoff changes

Dan Campbell ‘absolutely in favor’ of the NFL’s new kickoff format

Lions coach Dan Campbell ‘absolutely in favor’ of NFL’s new kickoff format and has already worked with ST Coordinator Dave Fipp on ideas

The NFL approved a fairly radical change to the way kickoffs and kick returns will be handled this week. During the NFL owners’ meetings in Orlando, the league effectively replaced the existing kickoff format and structure with the innovative kickoff and kick returns used by the XFL (now part of the UFL).

Effectively, the league is trying to bring back the excitement of the kick return while making it safer for players.

At his Tuesday morning press conference, Lions head coach Dan Campbell voiced strong support for the change.

“Absolutely in favor of it,” Campbell said when asked about the new kickoff. “Because it gives us a chance to play special teams.”

Campbell elaborated,

“What happened last year, felt like it took a significant amount of plays out of the game. And those were from special teams and, you know, you don’t really make it up anywhere else.”

The coach continued, focusing on the safety aspect of the new play.

“We put an emphasis on (kick return) and I believe in it. I think the argument is, ‘well, you’re bringing more plays back in so now injuries could (increase)’. Yeah, because there are more plays. But it feels like what we’ve done with it — it’s been so condensed that the impact is out of it. Doesn’t mean there won’t be an injury.”

In fact, Campbell expressed his excitement over the potential of exploiting the unknown. After noting that some are afraid of the unknown, he and special teams coordinator Dave Fipp see a big opportunity.

“Fipp and I have already been back there talking about — watching all these XFL clips and you’re looking at different body types and looking at returners and you’re look at scheme. I think the unknown is what the coaching is for. You mess with it, you tinker with it … I’m excited about it.”

The Lions haven’t had a kickoff return for a touchdown since Jamal Agnew took one to the house against the Eagles back in September of 2019. Detroit only attempted 19 returns on 83 kickoffs during the 2023 regular season. THe rule change should make that figure and percentage skyrocket in 2024.

 

The NFL’s new kickoff format: Everything you need to know

The NFL’s new kickoff format: Everything you need to know about the changes to kickoffs and kick returns adopted for the 2024 season

The NFL adopted a radical new kickoff and kick return format for the 2024 season during the annual owners’ meetings in Orlando this week. The changes effectively transform what has become a yawning procedural touchback into the exciting, potentially impactful play it was in the XFL.

In fact, the new NFL kickoff is taken straight from the XFL’s innovative twist on the special teams play.

New NFL kickoff diagram (Courtesy Eric Galko on X)

It’s going to look quite a bit different. Among the primary changes:

  • Kickoffs are now from the 35-yard line.
  • Rather than all members of the kicking team lined up at the 35, now they’re advanced to the opposing 40-yard line, or 25 yards in front of the kicker.
  • The receiving team starts out more condensed. All the players on the receiving team, with the exception of one or two designated returners, start out between their own 30- and 35-yard lines.
  • Kick returners, no more than two of them, line up anywhere behind the 30-yard line.
  • No players other than the kicker and the returners are allowed to move until the ball is either caught by the returner, lands inside the landing zone (between the 20-yard line and the goal line), or is brought out of the end zone by the returner.
  • Any kick that hits the landing zone must be returned, including if it bounces into the end zone. The returner can kneel for a touchback on kicks that bounce from the landing zone into the end zone, and that touchback goes to the 20-yard line.
  • If a kick doesn’t reach the landing zone or goes out of bounds either on the fly or via bouncing out, the receiving team gets possession at its 40-yard line.
  • If the kicked ball enters the end zone on the fly, the receiving team can either return it or kneel for a touchback that goes out to the 30-yard line.
  • No fair catches.

This is a sample kick return from the XFL, which is now merged into the new UFL, that is effectively what the NFL kickoffs will now look like.

As for onside kicks, they are now only allowed in the fourth quarter of games and must be declared to the officials before the onside kick attempt. No more surprise onside kicks.