The NFL competition committee is recommending making the dynamic kickoff rule permanent and moving touchbacks to the 35-yard line in hopes of generating even more returns.
The competition committee released several potential rule changes for 2025 on Wednesday, including an expansion of instant replay that will be considered next week at the league meetings in Palm Beach, Florida. Any rule change must be approved by 24 out of 32 team owners.
Teams submitted several proposals last week that also could be voted on at the league meetings, including banning the “tush push” and changing playoff seeding rules.
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Owners approved a major change to the kickoff last year on a one-year trial basis and the committee recommended another change to increase the rate of returns without increasing the risk of injuries. The league had 332 additional returns last season with the rate increasing from a record-low 21.8% in 2023 to 32.8% last season.
[MORE: Tush push ban among 8 proposals ahead of league meetings]
The committee hopes that moving the touchback on kicks that reach the end zone on the fly from the 30 to the 35 will incentivize kicking teams to opt for shorter kicks that lead to more returns.
The committee also proposed allowing teams to declare their intention for an onside kick at any point in the game when they are trailing, instead of only in the fourth quarter.
The committee proposed a few other tweaks to how players on the return team can align before the kick, but the basics will remain the same with the kicker lining up at his own 35, the 10 coverage players at the 40, and at least nine blockers lined up in the “setup zone” between the 30- and 35-yard line and up to two returners in the landing zone inside the 20.
Any kick that reaches the end zone in the air can be returned, or the receiving team can opt for a touchback, which now will be at the 35.
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Only the kicker and two returners are allowed to move until the ball hits the ground or is touched by a returner inside the 20.
According to the NFL, there were 59 returns of at least 40 yards last season, the most in the league since 2016, and seven TD returns. The concussion rate fell 43% from the previous three years and there were the fewest lower-extremity strains on kick return plays since 2018.
The committee also proposed an expansion of instant replay to allow replay assist to consult on-field officials to overrule 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 that a foul didn’t occur. Replay would also be able to overturn a roughing the kicker or running into the kicker penalty if video replay showed the defender made contact with the ball.
The committee also proposed allowing two players to be designated to return from injured reserve if they are placed on IR when rosters are reduced to 53, granting playoff teams two more return from IR spots in the postseason, and using point differential as the third tiebreaker on waiver claims.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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