NFL News & Notes

[Bengals1]

Not really thrilled with this. Thoughts....?

Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero
NFL owners approved the resolution putting the ball on the 25-yard line following a fair catch on a kickoff, I’m told.
Special teams coordinators unanimously opposed the change, but it’s happening.

I'm good with it. Similar rule in college football, right? Guys are welcome to run the ball back if they want to, but it allows the team to take it at the 25. Kickoffs are one of the plays with the biggest chances of serious injuries, so I think it's fine to give teams the option. Is there something I'm missing here? Not sure why special teams coaches were unanimously against it.

For a variety of reasons. First, it removes a large part of a Special Teams play, the run back. Also, punt and kick returns are often cited as some of the most exciting plays in football. This removes more of that.

Many players on a team are there largely because they're good at Special Teams play. That usually translates to being good at running down the field and tackling somebody. This lessons certain players usefulness to their team. It may eventually even cost some players their jobs.

The reason the NFL has been trying to kill the punt and kick-off return is because studies show these plays in particular cause more concussions than any other. The leagues fear of lawsuits derived from concussions and other head injuries has led them to try to eliminate the punt and kick return in one way or another for several years now.

But the coaches and especially the fans love them. So the battle goes on...

[Exile]

Not really thrilled with this. Thoughts....?

Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero
NFL owners approved the resolution putting the ball on the 25-yard line following a fair catch on a kickoff, I’m told.
Special teams coordinators unanimously opposed the change, but it’s happening.

I'm good with it. Similar rule in college football, right? Guys are welcome to run the ball back if they want to, but it allows the team to take it at the 25. Kickoffs are one of the plays with the biggest chances of serious injuries, so I think it's fine to give teams the option. Is there something I'm missing here? Not sure why special teams coaches were unanimously against it.

For a variety of reasons. First, it removes a large part of a Special Teams play, the run back. Also, punt and kick returns are often cited as some of the most exciting plays in football. This removes more of that.

Many players on a team are there largely because they're good at Special Teams play. That usually translates to being good at running down the field and tackling somebody. This lessons certain players usefulness to their team. It may eventually even cost some players their jobs.

The reason the NFL has been trying to kill the punt and kick-off return is because studies show these plays in particular cause more concussions than any other. The leagues fear of lawsuits derived from concussions and other head injuries has led them to try to eliminate the punt and kick return in one way or another for several years now.

But the coaches and especially the fans love them. So the battle goes on...

Sure, but no one's actually stopping them from running it back. It just gives them the option to avoid that runback on more plays. If it's a big sky kick that's deep but not that deep and you're going to be lucky to get it to the 25 anyway, or it's nasty weather where you worry about your guy fumbling, you can just take the fair catch. Especially if you don't have a dynamic returner. Take the yards, avoid some injury risk, and start your drive. But if you feel like your returner and/or your special teams unit has an advantage over theirs, by all means, run it out every time.

[Bengals1]

Sure, but no one's actually stopping them from running it back. It just gives them the option to avoid that runback on more plays. If it's a big sky kick that's deep but not that deep and you're going to be lucky to get it to the 25 anyway, or it's nasty weather where you worry about your guy fumbling, you can just take the fair catch. Especially if you don't have a dynamic returner. Take the yards, avoid some injury risk, and start your drive. But if you feel like your returner and/or your special teams unit has an advantage over theirs, by all means, run it out every time.

I understand but its just another rule that fundamentally changes the game. They're slowly but surely removing the kicking element from the game. Don't be surprised if they move to just make touchdowns 7 points in order to eliminate the extra point. And then they'll eliminate the kick off entirely spotting the ball at the 25 after each score etc...

Pretty soon you won't recognize the game of football within the NFL any more....

[MeatHeadbengal]

Sure, but no one's actually stopping them from running it back. It just gives them the option to avoid that runback on more plays. If it's a big sky kick that's deep but not that deep and you're going to be lucky to get it to the 25 anyway, or it's nasty weather where you worry about your guy fumbling, you can just take the fair catch. Especially if you don't have a dynamic returner. Take the yards, avoid some injury risk, and start your drive. But if you feel like your returner and/or your special teams unit has an advantage over theirs, by all means, run it out every time.

I understand but its just another rule that fundamentally changes the game. They're slowly but surely removing the kicking element from the game. Don't be surprised if they move to just make touchdowns 7 points in order to eliminate the extra point. And then they'll eliminate the kick off entirely spotting the ball at the 25 after each score etc...

Pretty soon you won't recognize the game of football within the NFL any more....

I think you are taking this just a bit too far. They moved the kick out to make it more relevant, not to get rid of it.

[Bengals1]

I think you are taking this just a bit too far. They moved the kick out to make it more relevant, not to get rid of it.

Not this season but it's coming. Mark my words...

[MeatHeadbengal]

I think you are taking this just a bit too far. They moved the kick out to make it more relevant, not to get rid of it.

Not this season but it's coming. Mark my words...

They will not take out the extra point and I'll take that bet any day of the week.

With that said I agree with you I really don't recognize the game today vs the days I played and that wasn't that long ago.

[Bengals1]

They will not take out the extra point and I'll take that bet any day of the week.

With that said I agree with you I really don't recognize the game today vs the days I played and that wasn't that long ago.

I understand. Remember the playoff game back in 2014, Dallas vs Green Bay when they took that pivotal play away from Dez Bryant? Yeah, 100+ years of pro football and they still don't know what a legal catch is. My God.

And I'll take that bet on the elimination of the extra point. I say within 10 years. Or I owe you a coke.

[Bengals1]

I hate that it's a Steeler that's got my back but here we are:

Steelers’ Danny Smith: Special teams is easy to attack in the name of player safety.
Posted by Michael David Smith on June 19, 2023

Steelers special teams coach Danny Smith, like his colleagues around the NFL, believes that he wasn’t listened to when the league adopted its new rule to promote fair catches on kickoffs.

“I’m for making the game safer. It’s just that special teams is an easy place to attack for some reason. They’ll move on,” Smith said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “You say your piece and hope it’s heard.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell pushed for the new rule that puts the ball on the 25-yard line after fair catches on kickoffs because the league believes the kickoff is the sport’s most dangerous play. Smith believes the ability to kick off and return a kick off is fundamental to the sport of football and shouldn’t be legislated out of the game.

“People diminish that until you’re in a critical game in the AFC North, in the weather and the ball is in play,” Smith said. “Early in the season, not so much. In indoor games, they might give you one [to return]. . . . But in the division we play in, in the weather we play in, you’re going to have to return some balls. Your job is to get field position for the offense, so you better have one.”

Smith believes that the owners ultimately felt like they had to make a show of doing something for player safety.

“If you footed the bill for concussions, would you make a change to show that you’ve made a change?” Smith said. “It doesn’t surprise me.”

[Bengals1]

Sidelines Sports Network™ @Sidelines_SN
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the tragic passing of former NFL QB & Arkansas great, Ryan Mallet, who tragically drowned today in Florida. Prayers for his family.

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