From The Athletic Article:
"As a refresher, teams will still kick off from their own 35-yard line, with 10 coverage players standing on the receiving team’s 40-yard line until the kick lands or is recovered by the return team. The receiving team must have nine players in the setup zone, which extends from its own 30- to 35-yard line, and they also can’t move until the kick either lands or is recovered. The receiving team also has a maximum of two players who can line up in the landing zone, which spans from the goal line to the 20."
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Running backs Isaac Guerendo (San Francisco 49ers’ fourth-round pick), Tyrone Tracy Jr. (New York Giants’ fifth-round pick), Dylan Laube (Las Vegas Raiders’ sixth-round pick) and Keilan Robinson (Jacksonville Jaguars fifth-round pick) are examples of draft picks who also bring with them kick return upside."
If you are kicking off I would say best strategy is kicking it out of the back of the end zone or, if you don't have the leg, a knuckling squib kick. Anything in the air even slightly into the end zone will be brought out.
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Hang time is a non-issue if everyone has to stay in their zone until the ball lands or caught. Line drive with spin to make it hard to field cleanly? Directional of course, so you can concentrate on half the field. Got a kicker who can line it to an uncovered spot, one bounce into the end zone (ball placed at the 20 instead of the 30 for traditional touchback)?
If you are kicking off I would say best strategy is kicking it out of the back of the end zone or, if you don't have the leg, a knuckling squib kick. Anything in the air even slightly into the end zone will be brought out.
My understanding of the new rules is into the end zone on the fly, the ball is placed at the 30. But if it hits between twenty and goa line and bounces into the end zone, it’s placed at the 20.
No way they start just handing it to teams at the 30. The NFL average was 23 yards last year. This is the opposite of what the strategy should be - you want a kicker who can place in the landing zone every time.
If it hits in the landing zone (0-20 yards) than bounces out for a touchback they get it at the 20 instead of the 30 than if they just beam him out the back. Every kick that is caught in the landing zone has to be returned.
So essentially now you are aiming for right outside the endzone and then bouncing for a touchback or forcing them to field it. Otherwise you are giving them free yards.
The ball is kicked from the A35 yard line (same as current rule)
Safety kicks would be from A20 yard line (same as current rule)
ALIGNMENT
All kicking team players other than the kicker will line up with one foot on the receiving team’s B40 yard line
Kicker cannot cross the 50-yard line until ball touches the ground or player in landing zone or end zone
The 10 kicking team players cannot move until the ball hits the ground or player in the landing zone or the end zone
The receiving team will line up as follows:
Setup Zone – a 5-yard area from the B35 to the B30 yard line where at least 9 receiving team players must line up
At least 7 players with foot on the B35 yard line (restraining line) with alignment requirements (outside numbers, numbers to hashes, and inside hashes)
Players not on the restraining line must be lined up in setup zone outside the hash marks
All players in the setup zone cannot move until the kick has hit the ground or a player in the landing zone or the end zone
A maximum of 2 returners may line up in the landing zone and can move at any time prior to, or during, the kick
LANDING ZONE
Landing zone is the area between the receiving team’s goal line and its 20-yard line.
Any kick that hits short of the landing zone – treated like kickoff out of bounds and ball spotted at B40 yard line; play would be blown dead as soon as kick lands short of the landing zone
Any kick that hits in the landing zone - must be returned
Any kick that hits in the landing zone and then goes into the end zone – must be returned or downed by receiving team – if downed then touchback to B20 yard line
Kick hits in end zone, stays inbounds - returned or downed – if downed then touchback to B30 yard line
Any kick that goes out of the back of the end zone (in the air or bounces) – touchback to B30 yard line
MISCELLANEOUS
No fair catch or signal is allowed. Officials will blow the play dead
If conditions cause ball to fall off tee twice, then kicker will be allowed to use kicking stick to keep the ball in place. The closest covering official will pick up the stick immediately after the kick
Onside kick:
4th quarter begins, the team trailing has the opportunity to declare an onside kick to the officials
Current onside kickoff rules would apply. If onside kick goes beyond the setup zone untouched, kicking team penalized for UNS; return team would start the drive at the A20 yard line
Penalties:
The setup zone and landing zone will not change with any penalties that carry over to kickoffs. Alignment of 10 kickoff team players and all receiving team players would not change – only the spot of the kick would move
Penalties on scoring plays will not carry over and will be taken on the Try
Penalties on the Try may carry over, and if they do, only the placement of the kicker will change
Safety Kick:
The kick will be from the 20-yard line, and the kicker will have the option to use a tee; the setup zone and the landing zone will not change
Approved Rulings: The special teams working group will continue to work with the Officiating department to examine any necessary approved rulings and/or additional language that may be necessary to support this new rule. This language will be vetted with the clubs, circulated for comment to all the clubs, and finalized by the May meeting for the membership"
NEW NFL KICKOFF RULE - ( New Window )
Somehow, I expect somebody is gonna try to hide the ball under his jersey.
I thought this was a great innovation but there has to be a bigger penalty for kicking it out of the end zone. Maybe bring the ball out to the 40.
I’m sure after 1 season, they will either tweak this rule or get rid of it.
Video said if that happens, ball is placed on the 35 yard line, not the 25 yard line.
I assume the 9 guys on the receiving team can receive/catch the ball too?