Change to touchbacks could make kickoffs less safe, not more

Among the rule changes the NFL announced had been approved during its annual spring meetings is another intended to make kickoffs safer: The ball will now be placed at the 25-yard line on touchbacks, meant to provide returners with greater incentive to take a knee rather than try to bring the ball out.

But it’s probably a good thing the modification has only been approved for a one-year trial because it’s easy to see that the reality of the rule will be the opposite of its intention.

The minute word came that offenses could get five more yards closer to scoring a touchdown, coaches across the league likely contacted their special teams coach, and possibly their placekicker, to start working on how they’d handle kickoffs this season: squib kicks? Higher-arcing kicks? Pooch kicks?

There are lots of ways to try to get around the new rule and force opposing teams to field and try to return the ball, thus increasing the chances for players to be injured on kickoffs. Several years ago, the league voted for kickoffs to be taken from the 35-yard line instead of the 30, which increased the number of touchbacks.

Kickoff return touchdowns can be the most exciting play in the game and can provide quite the boost to teams that pull them off. For example, Knile Davis’ 106-yard return to open the Kansas City Chiefs’ wildcard game against the Houston Texans set the foundation for the Chiefs’ 30-0 rout.

But they are also among the most dangerous plays. Twenty-two men are colliding with one another at full speed, despite  other tweaks that have been made, including eliminating the running start for players on the kicking team. According to the NFL, the number of injuries suffered during kickoffs increased last season, and concussions made up a portion of that increase. It’s likely that awareness of the dangers of concussion as well as spotters whose job is to keep an eye out for players who may have suffered a brain injury are a big part of the reason for that increase, which is a good thing. 

With this rule, however, we may be moving closer to the league eliminating kickoffs altogether.