NFL Owners Vote To Move Kickoffs To 35-Yard Line

The NFL Owners meetings concluded yesterday with the owners passing a vote to move kickoffs from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line citing the need to increase player safety. The reception of the rule change by coaches, players and former players has ranged from somewhat negative to "what the f*ck is wrong with them". The rule change will be significant as the number of touchbacks is likely to skyrocket and will greatly encumber many kick returners who rely on kickoffs to earn their keep.

The owners have stated that the move was made to reduce the dangerous head-on collisions that take place during kickoffs as they have been under scrutiny the last few years because of a growing understanding of concussions and their dangerous after effects. The is the second kickoff alteration the owners have made in the name of safety, they reduced the legal size of a blocking wedge to 2 men several years ago.

The many negative responses have cited the fact the most consistently exciting play in football is being taken away. There is merit to this argument as we will likely see a large increase in touchbacks next year as well a likely increased use of of the "mortar-kick" where the kicker attempts to kick the ball higher for more hang time which will be more effective will 5 more yards to work with. This move has seen the most success when used to stop the best returners in the game (the Philadelphia Eagles were the first team to successfully neutralize Devin Hester using this technique).

I will also be interested to see what happens in the college game as the NCAA moved kickoffs back from the 35 to the 30 a few years ago and now for the first time will have a longer kickoff distance than the pros. I really disagree with this move and believe that it unnecessary to make a drastic rule change to increase player safety. I think the most important thing that the league can do now is to encourage better education throughout all levels of football in order to teach better tackling technique to reduce head injuries. I believe the heavy fines the NFL began implementing last year will soon begin to bear fruit in terms of instigating a fundamental shift in they way players attack the ball-carrier.

P.S. Thank god they didn't mess around with punt returns