The Death of the Kickoff Return

[Brand J]

80.9% of kickoffs this year have resulted in a touchback. I do hope they go the XFL route to allow returners a chance to shine. Devin Hester, Dante Hall, Brian Mitchell, Josh Cribbs, and so many others would be obsolete today. 
 

The Endangered NFL kickoff

[RoyBatty is alive]

No kickoff returns are not dead.  The Texans had an upfield blocker go all the way for a TD in a kickoff last Sunday.  The NFL will continue to tweak it until it is outlawed and deemed too dangerous.  I would suggest they start by putting a ball kicked out of or downed in the endzone back to the 20, 25 is too generous imo.

[Bangarang]

Get rid of kickoffs and eliminate punting. No more extra points either. 

[pocoboy]

They should just say it: "It's not the injuries, it's that the injuries are usually to scrubs to whom we don't want to owe long term disability."

Edited September 26, 2023 by pocoboy

[Big Turk]

22 minutes ago, JayBaller10 said:

80.9% of kickoffs this year have resulted in a touchback. I do hope they go the XFL route to allow returners a chance to shine. Devin Hester, Dante Hall, Brian Mitchell, Josh Cribbs, and so many others would be obsolete today. 
 

The Endangered NFL kickoff

 

It's far less "death" than I thought with the new rule in place with a fair catch to the 25.  Yesterday was the first time I have seen this used...I am sure it has happened in other games that I haven't been watching, but by comparison, I have probably seen close to 20 kickoff returns in those games I watched.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Big Turk

[Prospector]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjddXjcIR24

 

Unless you are a fullback, lol

[Mr. WEO]

10 minutes ago, JayBaller10 said:

80.9% of kickoffs this year have resulted in a touchback. I do hope they go the XFL route to allow returners a chance to shine. Devin Hester, Dante Hall, Brian Mitchell, Josh Cribbs, and so many others would be obsolete today. 
 

The Endangered NFL kickoff

 

It wouldn't make sense to adapt the XFL method if the NFL's goal is to keep the return rate low.

 

A team with good coverage would never kick a touchback--a well placed kick to within 5 yards of the goal line has less than a 50/50 chance of getting past the 25 yard line.  Returners are obviously being told not to field these kicks.

[RoyBatty is alive]

Kickers are just too strong now.  Maybe start kicking off from the 25, that will eliminate a whole lot of touchbacks.

[Big Turk]

10 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

It wouldn't make sense to adapt the XFL method if the NFL's goal is to keep the return rate low.

 

A team with good coverage would never kick a touchback--a well placed kick to within 5 yards of the goal line has less than a 50/50 chance of getting past the 25 yard line.  Returners are obviously being told not to field these kicks.

 

Which games are these? Every game I have watched, and it's been a lot, has seen players returning these kicks instead of calling for a fair catch, except the one last night where he fair caught a kick at the 12.

10 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

Kickers are just too strong now.  Maybe start kicking off from the 25, that will eliminate a whole lot of touchbacks.

 

The NFL doesn't want to eliminate touchbacks, they want to eliminate KO Returns. That would be the opposite of what they are hoping to accomplish.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Big Turk

[RoyBatty is alive]

4 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Which games are these? Every game I have watched, and it's been a lot, has seen players returning these kicks instead of calling for a fair catch, except the one last night where he fair caught a kick at the 12.

 

The NFL doesn't want to eliminate touchbacks, they want to eliminate KO Returns. That would be the opposite of what they are hoping to accomplish.

I know that and is exactly why I wrote "until it is outlawed and deemed too dangerous".

[Mr. WEO]

7 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Which games are these? Every game I have watched, and it's been a lot, has seen players returning these kicks instead of calling for a fair catch, except the one last night where he fair caught a kick at the 12.

 

The NFL doesn't want to eliminate touchbacks, they want to eliminate KO Returns. That would be the opposite of what they are hoping to accomplish.

 

Not every touchback is kicked out of the endzone.  kicks that are a few yards back of the goal line are let go and those a few yards short of the goal line are allowed to bounce in. 

[BigAl2526]

For whatever reason, the league doesn't want a lot of kickoff returns.  They won't do anything that is likely to increase the number of returns.

Edited September 26, 2023 by BigAl2526

[Big Turk]

5 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Not every touchback is kicked out of the endzone.  kicks that are a few yards back of the goal line are let go and those a few yards short of the goal line are allowed to bounce in. 

 

Yeah, that is true, but those are also still returned at a decent rate as well. The fair catch called in the field of play when teams kick it short resulting in a TB has not been used very often in the games I have watched.

[Brand J]

 

1 hour ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

No kickoff returns are not dead.  The Texans had an upfield blocker go all the way for a TD in a kickoff last Sunday.  The NFL will continue to tweak it until it is outlawed and deemed too dangerous.  I would suggest they start by putting a ball kicked out of or downed in the endzone back to the 20, 25 is too generous imo.

Almost every kickoff is a touchback now, 4/5 of them to be exact. That is death compared to earlier numbers, where just a few years ago 3/5 got returned. I’m not even comparing it to the 90s where 9/10 were returned. Remember the two TD returns Hines had last year that ignited the team? Yeah, those sort of exciting plays are being legislated out of the game, which is exactly what the NFL wants.

Edited September 26, 2023 by JayBaller10

[LabattBlue]

At this point dump the kickoffs completely, and to replace an onside kick, go with the one play must gain 15 yards from own 30.  

Edited September 26, 2023 by LabattBlue

[Brand J]

Just now, LabattBlue said:

At this point dump the kickoffs completely, and to replace an inside kick, go with the one play must gain 15 yards from own 30.  

I’m not for dumping the kickoff return because it has shown its value to the game. Fully with you on the onside kick. A 4th and 15 from the 35 yard line would be great, but I can see the opposing view.

[Brand J]

1 hour ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

It wouldn't make sense to adapt the XFL method if the NFL's goal is to keep the return rate low.

 

A team with good coverage would never kick a touchback--a well placed kick to within 5 yards of the goal line has less than a 50/50 chance of getting past the 25 yard line.  Returners are obviously being told not to field these kicks.

It’s less about keeping the return rate low and more about high speed collisions. The XFL model, with players on both sides 5 yards apart, lessens the overall concussion concerns. They’re not running 30-40 yards and blasting a guy at full speed.

[Bferra13]

I'm fine with how it is now. I initially thought it would be dead, but surprisingly I've seen more returns than I thought I would have already. Mostly from idiots who can't themselves to not take a knee when they should, but hey it's better than nothin.

[Dafan]

I wish they'd just get ride of the penalty for kicking off out off bounds.  If a kicker can put it out on the 5 yard line...let it stand that way.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Eliminate kickoffs. All they are now is an extra commercial break. Maybe that’s why the NFL keeps them around.

 

The XFL kickoff would bring excitement.