NFL owners approve slight change to kickoffs in 2025
NFL owners approve slight change to kickoffs in 2025 Touchbacks will now come out to the 35-yard line instead of the 30 in an attempt to increase the number of returns.
The so-called dynamic kickoff the NFL used in 2024 will be back in 2025 but with a slight change.
According to multiple reports, first by NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, the league approved one change to the kickoff and will discuss other changes later.
What changes?
Last season, when a kickoff landed in or was caught in the end zone, or if it was kicked out the end zone, it was a touchback brought to the 30-yard line.
The competition proposed changing it to the 35-yard line. That was approved.
With last season's kickoff changes, the return rate increased to about 33%. According to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, the league hopes to get the return rate up to 60-70%.
When the new kickoff rules were proposed last year, kicks into or out of the end zone would have given the ball to the receiving team at the 35, but it was amended to the 30.
The Arizona Cardinals opted often for just touchbacks. Their kicks resulted in touchbacks 81.6% of the time, meaning the return rate of less than 19% was lower than the league average.
We will see if they choose to do things differently in 2025.
Two proposed changes were left alone and not voted on. Under last season's rules, a team could only attempt an onside kick in the fourth quarter when trailing. It was proposed that it could be done anytime with some formation modifications. The owners decided to discuss that further in May.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
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