Earlier this week Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL’s Competition Committee, announced several rule change proposals for the NFL entering into the 2011-12 season (if there is a 2011-12 season). One of those proposals was moving the kickoff from the 30 to the 35-yard line and touchbacks from the 20 to the 25-yard line.
Roger Goodell Says Players Agree With Kickoff Rule Change Proposal
As a fan, I was disappointed to hear this proposal. The kickoff return (for a touchdown) is one of the most exciting plays that can happen in a game and this rule change would decrease the likelihood of seeing that.
SB Nation interviewed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday and asked him about the proposal. Why would the NFL do something that would potentially make the game less exciting?
“As you know, the major focus we have when our competition committee meets and looks at our rules is player health and safety. We also meet with our players and our players have indicated to us that this is one of those that they think we need to address from a safety standpoint.”
So this is something the players also brought up and feel may need to be changed. This puts a bit of a different spin on it because it may not necessarily be another case of the No Fun League interjecting another rule change.
A kickoff in the NFL is one of the more dangerous plays because you have big, strong and fast players running full speed and colliding into each other. It makes sense that they would want to do something to make it safer, especially in light of all the information available regarding concussions and their effect on a players career.
If this rule change goes through, logic says we would seen a decrease in the number of kickoffs returned for a touchdown.
Something tells me Devin Hester wasn’t the one that brought this up.
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