The NFL kickoff as we know it is gone. With the NFL ushering in an entirely new way to kick off and return kicks, things are going to look distinctly different across the league this season.
With the new change in place, the NFL is hoping it promotes safety and more explosive plays. Dallas Cowboys kick returner KaVontae Turpin is excited about the latter and hopes he can be a game-changer under the new rules.
KaVontae Turpin Eager To Make An Impact On Special Teams
From USFL All-Pro to NFL special team star, Turpin’s road to becoming a Cowboys playmaker was scenic. However, it led to him being named to a Pro Bowl in his first season with Dallas, as he was one of the league’s best returners that season.
That year, Turpin finished with 21 kickoff returns, 508 yards, and a long of 63 while averaging 24.2 yards a return. That was in the old system, and with the new rules ready to kick off this season, Turpin has a chance to be even more special back there — and he knows it.
“It’s going to be a great weapon for us, especially with me back there. I feel like I have fun back there,” Turpin told a group of media members on Wednesday.
“(I hope teams) give me a chance. The first three games, I feel I’m going to have a chance. But if I break one or two, I feel like they’re just going to kick it in the end zone and rely on their defense to stop our offense.”
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He is currently battling for the Cowboys’ WR3 role after finishing last season with 12 receptions, 127 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. Turpin hopes to show his value as a true receiving threat in addition to his special-teams abilities.
However, he knows that whether he is out wide as a receiver or back on a kickoff or punt return, he has a chance to be a game-breaker.
How Does The NFL’s New Hybrid Kickoff Work?
Everything you thought you knew about the kickoff from years past is officially over now. In order to bring some excitement back to kickoffs, and the chance for more points to be scored, the NFL turned to the XFL and the system they were using. Here are the details and changes of the NFL’s new hybrid kickoff rule:
- The kick begins at the 35-yard line.
- The other 10 members, besides the kicker, will line up at the returning team’s 40-yard line.
- At a minimum, nine members of the receiving team will line up five yards away at the 35-yard line as they get ready to receive the ball.
- Two returners will line up in the “landing zone” (between the 20-yard line and the goal line).
- Only the kicker and returners can move before the ball hits the ground or the returner within the landing zone.
- If the ball lands in the end zone, the offense’s drive will begin at the 30-yard line.
- Any kick that hits the landing zone must be returned.
- If the ball lands inside the 20-yard line and rolls into the end zone, it must be returned or downed (which results in the ball being placed at the 20-yard line).
- If a kick fails to reach the landing zone or goes out of bounds, the receiving team takes possession at its 40-yard line.
- No fair catches are allowed.
The vastly different kicking structure’s entire premise is to reduce damaging collisions between players while elevating the chance for a big play.
The hybrid kickoff worked in the XFL, with returns on 97% of kickoffs during the 2023 season setting up what will be a far greater special-teams impact on a game than ever before.
NFL Officiating Rules Analyst Walt Anderson discusses the new Dynamic Kickoff rule that we'll see in action for the first time tonight at the @ProFootballHOF Game. @gmfb
To learn more about the new rule, please visit: https://t.co/Zu06WLF2iO pic.twitter.com/mkBQ542J0b
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork)
Another big change is what this means for onside kicks. They are only permitted in the fourth quarter now, and teams must declare their intentions to attempt one before the play begins.
It will be a big change for everyone involved; however, it has the potential to benefit teams that prioritize all three phases of the game.
With players like Turpin and other playmakers around the league getting more chances, the NFL is ensuring that fans keep their eyes peeled on the game at all times.
