NFL’s new dynamic kickoff is still a great unknown, but expected to stay as is for 2024 season

The NFL’s new dynamic kickoff made its regular season debut this week, and the early results weren’t much different from a year ago that required the change. But even though the rule changes passed with an owner vote back in March, seeing it today still wasn’t a guarantee. 

Multiple sources tell CBS Sports that the league had a secret ripcord it could pull on the dynamic kickoff late into the preseason. This eject button wasn’t publicized, and obviously the league and team owners didn’t feel the need to press the red button, but the option was there to go back to the old kickoff after a preseason tryout.

The reasoning, according to sources, was a fear of an increased injury rate and/or a less entertaining play. 

The Super Bowl was the tipping point for the league when all 13 kickoffs went for touchbacks. Kickoff returns had fallen to a league-low 22 percent in the 2023 season — down from 38 percent in 2022. Commissioner Roger Goodell charged football operations and special teams coaches around the league to create an exciting alternative kickoff that could bring the foot back into the game.

The league also wanted to reduce the injury rate on the kickoff. Though kickoff injuries were down last year, league officials have said that was only because returns were down. The injury rate itself remained about the same — nearly four times the rate of a standard scrimmage play.

But what if the injury rate didn’t decrease as it did in the preseason? What if, instead of concussions, the league saw more lower-body and season-ending injuries based off the lateral movement between opponents? Sources say the league had to hedge its bets based off that.

Another reason was the fear coaches simply wouldn’t play ball, and they would kick it through the back of the end zone for a touchback for a drive start at the 30-yard line. If the preseason didn’t yield enough data — and if the “dynamic”…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfls-new-dynamic-kickoff-is-still-a-great-unknown-but-expected-to-stay-as-is-for-2024-season/

Author : Jonathan Jones

Publish date : 2024-09-07 15:01:47

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