The NFL made some drastic rule changes as they look ahead towards the 2025 regular season. While some of the rule changes were needed, such as the new “hawkeye” system, there are some things that leave fans with many questions.
The NFL has once again changed the kickoff rules, but instead of changing the kickoff format back to its former glory, they did something completely different. Touchbacks on kickoffs will now take place at the 35-yard line.
This new rule was implemented to help eliminate touchbacks. The idea is that kickers will have less incentive to kick the ball into the endzone. The ball being placed at the 35-yard line will already put the defense at a disadvantage.
The reason for that is because the offense will now only have 65 yards to travel down the field instead of 70. An interesting rule change to limit kicking abilities, but it definitely raises some questions.
Instead of changing the spot, why not just move the kickers back a few yards. It seems to be counterintuitive to place the ball at the 35-yard line, which hurts the defense.
It seems to make more sense to move back the kickers so the ball doesn’t even have a chance to reach the endzone. Moving the ball at the 35-yard line only hurts the defense and doesn’t punish any of the special teams.
If anything, this gives the receiving teams more of an incentive to get touchbacks and fair catches on kickoffs. Moving the kickers back makes it that much harder to kick the ball into the endzone.
Moving the spot to the 35-yard line seems a bit counterintuitive as the special teams coaches will now likely do their best to get their kick returners to get as many touchbacks as they can and that’ll hurt kickoff returns.
Another thing worth noting is that this diminishes and undermines the skill and talent of kickers who meticulously kick the ball in certain spots on the field during kickoffs.
Kickers will now have to adjust their kicking power which could throw them out of rhythm and may have an affect on them during field goals.
By moving the kickers back, then they would have no chance to reach the end zone and you guarantee a kickoff return every single time.
Moving the ball to the 35-yard line is definitely one step forward and two steps backwards because touchbacks are still a possibility, especially in high altitude stadiums such as Empower Field at Mile High.
Moving the kicker back to a yard-line where it would be physically impossible for a kicker to reach the end zone will force a kickoff return every single time.
Keeping the dynamic kickoff and putting the kickers at the 15-yard line will create returns and it won’t punish the defense. It seems like every rule change the NFL makes has a direct effect on NFL defenses who constantly have to adjust every season, especially after rule changes.
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