ORLANDO – Some people fear the unknown. Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell embraces it, which helps explain why he was so gung-ho about the new kickoff rules the NFL adopted at its annual meeting Tuesday.
“It gives us a chance to play special teams and with everything reduced, it takes away the impact,” Campbell said. “And then it’s just about the unknown, which is awesome. Let’s coach it up. It can’t be any different – that much different than what it was in the old kickoff rule that we had. So I’m fired up, I’m ready.”
NFL teams still will kickoff from their own 35-yard line, but beginning next season, the coverage unit will line up at the receiving team’s 40-yard line. Return teams must align at least nine men in the setup zone between the 30- and 35-yard lines, with up to two returners in the landing zone between the goal line and 20-yard line.
The radical new rules, which are similar to XFL kickoff rules and were approved by a vote of 29-3 for the 2024 season only, are designed to promote more returns and remove some violent collisions from the game by reducing the speed of the play.
Touchbacks now will be marked at the 30-yard line, fair catches are not allowed in the field of play and no one other than the kicker and return men can move until the ball is fielded or hits the ground.
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