Report: NFL Likely to Change Touchback Rules for Punts, Fair Catches on Kickoffs

The NFL is likely to start play at the 25-yard line after fair catches on kickoffs next season, according to The Washington Post's Mark Maske.

This rule change, alongside a proposal to put the ball in play at the 25-yard line instead of the 20-yard line after touchbacks on punts, is a new safety measure proposed by the NFL Competition Committee for discussion at the ongoing Annual League Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.

The NFL has debated changing the rules for kickoffs and punts for years because of "a disproportionate number of injuries occurring on special teams," according to Pro Football Talk's Charean Williams.

According to NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Stills and executive vice president Jeff Miller (h/t the Associated Press, via NFL.com), one in six concussions happen on special teams. Meanwhile, 30 percent of major knee injuries and 29 percent of other lower-body injuries occur on kick teams, and injuries on punts have risen 50 percent over the past two seasons.

Current NFL kickoff rules start the ball at the location of the fair catch, although a touchback sends the ball the to 25-yard line. Under the new rule, every catch could be treated like a touchback, similar to the rule the NCAA adopted in 2018.

NFL executive Troy Vincent said Friday that the new rule would reduce injuries about "20 to 25 percent", according to the Associated Press.

"It may not be perfect. I think it will warrant some good discussion on the floor," Vincent said. "The one thing that we all agreed upon was you can't leave that play as it is, not with the injury rates at what we saw. You can't leave it as is."

The other new rule would move the play up to the 25-yard line after touchbacks, which could potentially "incentivize people to go for it on the fourth down more" and decrease the number of punts, said Competition Committee chairman Rich McKay, according to the AP.

These proposals, alongside other rule changes put forth by the committee and individual teams, will be voted on by the league's 32 owners during this weekend's meetings. Any proposal must receive 75 percent of the vote, or approval from 24 owners, to pass.