The Raiders’ strategy of using a holder on kickoffs to improve hang time is no longer allowed.
The NFL has now reversed course and won’t allow holders to hold the ball on top of the tee, according to FootballZebras.com.
Raiders coach Josh McDaniels explained that the Raiders got the bright idea to have the ball placed on the top of the tee, rather than inside the tee, which puts the ball slightly higher off the ground and gives kicker Daniel Carlson the opportunity to get under the ball better and get more hang time on his kickoffs. McDaniels said the Raiders first got clarification from the NFL that a holder is allowed to hold the ball on the top of the tee, and the league confirmed that it’s legal.
“They clarified a rule a couple weeks ago, that you’re permitted to hold the ball on the top of the tee now, so we’ve got a good kicker, you can add hang time to the kick, and I think you saw Daniel use that to our advantage,” McDaniels said. “That’s the rules. They clarified it a couple weeks ago. If it helps us gain some type of advantage, we’ll try to do that.”
But after the league’s officiating department discussed the matter with the competition committee, the determination has been made that footballs can only be placed in the tee and not on the tee. Holders can still be used on kickoffs when wind might blow the ball off the tee, but not for the purpose of gaining the hang time advantage the Raiders were seeking.
