At the Scouting Combine, the NFL worked on devising a “hybrid kickoff.” The work continues on refining the proposal in advance of the league meetings that will happen later this month.
The Competition Committee, we’re told, is scheduled to discuss it again this week. For now, here are the full specifics as to the proposal.
The ball will be kicked from the kicking team’s 35. Ten members of the kicking team will line up on the receiving team’s 40. At least six members of the receiving team must be lined up on the receiving team’s 35. At least three more must align between the receiving team’s 35 and 30. One or two players may be lined up in the landing zone, between the goal line and the receiving team’s 20.
The play begins when the kick is caught or it strikes the ground in the landing zone, between the goal line and the 20. If the ball doesn’t make it to the 20, the receiving team gets the ball on its own 40. If it enters the end zone on the fly, the receiving team gets the ball on its own 35. If the ball hits the ground in the landing zone and rolls into the end zone, the receiving team gets the ball on its own 20. If the ball goes out of bounds, the receiving team gets possession on its own 40.
There can be no returns from the end zone.
After a safety, the same process unfolds, with everything backed up by 15 yards. After a safety, a kick (with a tee) or a punt can be used.
The proposal has not been finalized as to the enforcement of penalties that occur before the kick.
For an onside kick, again, the surprise option disappears. The onside kick can happen only in the fourth quarter, when the team that just scored is trailing. The ball must strike a player or the ground between the kicking team’s 35 and the receiving team’s 40. The proposed alignment of the receiving team has not been finalized.
Again, 24 votes will be needed to pass any change to the current rules, which will revert to pre-2023 (no fair catch between the 25 and the goal line) because last year’s tweak was a one-year experiment.
The goal, as we see it, is to make the kick return exciting again while eliminating high-speed collisions involving two players who are running at each other. That’s when serious neck injuries (or worse) can happen, as the player dips his helmet before impact and massive forces concentrate on the cervical spine.
Although the hybrid kickoff kills the surprise onside kick (which is bad), it brings back the kickoff return (which is good).
Will at least 24 owners approve the change? Time will tell.
