Shortly after the NFL owners voted in favor of overhauling the kickoff rules for the 2024 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers went out and signed one of the best return specialists in the history of the game in Cordarrelle Patterson. Prior to the signing, Mike Tomlin spoke to the media and said that the pending rule change would have an effect on the importance of the play, and in turn change teams’ approach to roster construction surrounding their special teams units.
The new rule will give the coverage team less of a running start in an effort to eliminate large collisions that pose a safety risk to players.