Star Tribune · Feb 9, 2017
Touchback change did little for touchbacks, but it further limited Vikings' return edge
Cordarrelle Patterson, the league’s top kick returner, has a fairly straightforward rationale for wanting the NFL to stop messing withthe play.
“Some players, they live off special teams,” Patterson said. “Some players only will play special teams their whole entire career in the NFL.”
The edge gained by teams with good kick return gameswas further minimized by the one-year trial of the touchback at the 25-yard line last season, even as touchbacks only increased by about two percent.
