The NFL preseason is officially underway with the Hall of Fame Game. Most notably, the league’s new kickoff rule has been implemented on the field, and the NFL world is reacting after getting their first look at the updated format. What has everyone been saying?
NFL World Reacts to NFL’s New Kickoff Rule In Action
Under the NFL’s new kickoff rule, kickoff returns are supposed to be safer and more prevalent. Teams will line up with one foot on the receiving team’s 40-yard line and the receiving team will line up with nine players inside the setup zone, a five-yard area from the 35- to the 30-yard line.
Additionally, there are now two returners and no one can move until the ball has hit the ground or been caught by a player in the landing zone or end zone.
“The new kickoff format is… interesting,” said Betr on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The new kickoff format is… interesting pic.twitter.com/oOQnmjQ2DV
— betr (@betr) August 2, 2024
In just the first half, there were six kickoffs and the average return was 20 yards with the average field position being the 25 and a half. There were plenty of big hits, but not many big returns.
Watching the collisions on this new NFL Kickoff pic.twitter.com/guRfycmoab
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) August 2, 2024
For many, the new hybrid kickoff is a positive.
“The new kickoff is good,” said Danny Heifetz of the Ringer on X.
The new kickoff is good
— Danny Heifetz (@Danny_Heifetz) August 2, 2024
For others, though, they see strategy in the kickoff.
“Feel like most special teams coordinators will hide their more creative approaches to the new kickoff during the preseason,” said Mina Kimes of ESPN.
Feel like most special teams coordinators will hide their more creative approaches to the new kickoff during the preseason
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) August 2, 2024
However, there’s still a lot of skepticism on the new format, with some taking a wait-and-see approach and others wanting the old version back.
“The new kickoff is going to look fake for the rest for our lives,” said Kevin Clark of ESPN and Omaha Productions. “We are gonna have to remind ourselves we are still doing that on every kickoff we see until we pass on. It won’t do. I’m sorry to say we need to just go back to touchbacks.”
The new kickoff is going to look fake for the rest of our lives. We are gonna have to remind ourselves we are still doing that on every kickoff we see until we pass on. It won't do. I'm sorry to say we need to just go back to touchbacks.
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) August 2, 2024
“New kickoff has been interesting through 2 attempts,” said The GOAT House on X. “At first it looks like the return man is going to have a great opportunity to get a big return but they haven’t got anywhere yet. Not a ton of time for blockers to create lanes, returner just running into a wall. Need to see more.”
New kickoff has been interesting through 2 attempts. At first it looks like the return man is going to have a great opportunity to get a big return but they haven’t got anywhere yet. Not a ton of time for blockers to create lanes, returner just running into a wall. Need to see…
— The GOAT House (@GoatHouseNFL) August 2, 2024
Ultimately, it’s still a wait-and-see situation with the NFL’s new kickoff rule, which is currently only a one-year change, with the option to become permanent if it gets approved next offseason. When the NFL regular season kicks off in September, we’ll get to see all the strategies that teams have planned, plus all of the top returners in the NFL giving it a shot.