Bill Cowher upset about this part of new kickoff rule, hopes NFL reverses course in future

NEW YORK — The changes to the kickoff have revolutionized the NFL, bringing the return back to professional football. Even with all the radical changes coming to the kickoff, one part of the kickoff is fading into irrelevance. 

“One thing I don’t like about it is that we’re trying to take away the onside kick,” CBS Sports The NFL Today analyst Bill Cowher told CBS Sports last month. “As a guy who used an onside kick in the Super Bowl, it made me very sad when I saw that happen. 

“I still think that’s an exciting play.”

Per the new kickoff rules, the onside kick cannot be used the first three quarters of the game. Once the fourth quarter begins, only the team trailing has the opportunity to declare an onside kick to the officials. The surprise onside kick is no more, with the receiving team knowing it’s coming at a certain point in the game. 

Only 5.2% of onside kicks were recovered in 2023, and there were just two surprise onside kicks due to run-ups being banned by the league. 

“I understand the numbers are low. But on an onside kick the numbers should be low,” Cowher said. “It’s a unique play. It’s a hard play. It’s a strategical part of the game. It slows down the front line. 

“I’ve done it a lot as a special teams coach. It’s a fun play and a strategical play. That’s why I always fought for the onside kick as part of the competition committee when I was on it. If anybody thought of taking it away, I brought up my play in the Super Bowl, but unfortunately I’m not in the league anymore so I didn’t get the chance this time.”

Cowher is one of the few coaches that converted a successful onside kick in the Super Bowl. Trailing by 10 points with 11:20 left in Super Bowl XXX, Cowher called a surprise onside kick with Norm Johnson kicking and Deon Figures recovering, leading to a  Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown to cut the deficit to three points midway through the fourth quarter.

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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/bill-cowher-upset-about-this-part-of-new-kickoff-rule-hopes-nfl-reverses-course-in-future/

Author : Jeff Kerr

Publish date : 2024-08-31 20:53:12

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