President Donald Trump’s recent comments of the NFL’s new kickoff rules have led to several discussions around the league, culminating in a blunt rebuttal from Kansas City Chiefs special-teams coordinator Dave Toub.
Trump, who attended the Washington Commanders-Detroit Lions game in Week 10 and later voiced his grievances on “The Pat McAfee Show,” said that the league’s revamped kickoff format undermines the pageantry of football.
Kansas City Chiefs Special-Teams Coordinator on Donald Trump’s Comments
Dave Toub, one of the NFL’s most respected authorities on special teams with more than two decades of coaching experience in Chicago and Kansas City, was asked about Trump’s critique.
Talking to reporters on Thursday, he dismissed the president’s remarks.
“He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at. He has no idea what’s going on with the kickoff rule. So take that for what it’s worth. And I hope he hears it.”
#Chiefs ST Coorinator Dave Toub responds to Trump criticizing the new kickoff rules.
He says, “He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at.” pic.twitter.com/tPDPEgRA4G
— Sports Radio 810 WHB (@SportsRadio810) November 20, 2025
Trump’s original comments came during a Nov. 11 appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” where he talked about the league’s decision to adopt the dynamic kickoff system permanently. According to Trump, the change diminishes the spirit of the game.
“I think it’s so terrible. I think it’s so demeaning, and I think it hurts the game. It hurts the pageantry,” Trump said. “I’ve told that to [NFL commissioner] Roger Goodell, and I don’t think it’s any safer. I mean, you still have guys crashing into each other. And it’s the opposite of the game; the ball is in the air and nobody’s moving. It’s supposed to be when the ball is in the air, when the ball is played, you’re supposed to be moving.”
The president’s objections extended beyond aesthetics. He argued that the new mechanics, where the ball is kicked from the 35-yard line and the coverage team must remain at 40 until the ball hits the ground or is touched by a returner inside the 20, undermine one of football’s most dramatic plays.
Trump lamented the loss of traditional kickoff movement, surprise onside kicks, and what he described as the “power” and “beauty” of the old system.
“Oh, so good, so good,” he said. “And now it’s so bad, so bad. It’s so unromantic. … It’s just demeaning to football. I don’t think they have a right to do that to the game.”
League officials and coaches have emphasized that the changes were designed to curb dangerous high-speed collisions while reintroducing meaningful returns to a play that had devolved into frequent touchbacks. Under the new structure, the league has reported increased return volume with fewer high-impact collisions, the core objective behind the redesign.
