Field Gulls · Aug 21, 2024
NFL could still tweak kickoff rule before regular season starts
We’re two weeks into NFL preseason, which also means we have two weeks of preliminary data on the league’s modified kickoff rule. The current kickoff is designed to encourage more returns with new formations that should theoretically reduce the number of injuries on kick returns.
While there’s no injury data as of yet, returns are way up compared to previous preseasons and the last regular season.
From The Athletic:
In a media briefing focused on health and safety Monday, the NFL announced that the kickoff return rate through two weeks of the preseason is about 78 percent. In 2023, the kickoff return rate during the regular season was just 21.8 percent according to TruMedia.
