NFL/Kickoff Option To Catch The Ball And Not Run At 25 Yards Is Not A Recipe

This week, NFL owners voted to approve a year-long experiment with rules that would allow kickoff referees to choose fair catches at the 25-yard line. While it reduces the chance of injury from a high-speed collision, it also somewhat loses the spirit of American football's every yard of aggression. I don't think this tendency to attack is a long-term solution.

According to NFL officials, there were 20 concussions on kickoffs last season. But the league now estimates that under the new rules, concussions will be 15 percent less likely and catch rates will drop from 38 percent to 31 percent.

So far, the main beneficiaries of the new rule have been safety on special teams with some backups and better offensive positioning. However, this detracts from the excitement of the game, as counterattacks are the best chance to gain yards in the shortest amount of time.

However, the same policies that benefit the offense also put more pressure and burden on the defense. The league continues to improve the status and superiority of offensive units in the era of the big pass, making the offense more interesting. As a fan of the defensive unit, I'm a little lopsided. Of course, this rule experiment also diminishes the value of special teams and kickers. Quick packaging on special teams and the ability of kickers to get the ball into a position that is attractive to repunters may reduce the number of good field goals that are intercepted.

I think the XFL kickoff rules are fairly simple in terms of avoiding high speed collisions and protecting players. The kicker kicks the ball at 30 yards, but the kicker's teammate stands at 35 yards and the receiver opens the way at 30 yards. It's a good compromise that avoids collisions, but still keeps the rewards of openness exciting. But it's too easy to get past 25 yards, so if both teams can go back a bit, this could be a viable option.