NFL Rumors: Hybrid Kickoff Rule Change Proposal Tweaked; Vote Possible on Monday

There might be more clarity by Monday regarding what kickoffs will look like for the 2024 NFL season.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the league's competition committee met Sunday and tweaked the proposed hybrid kickoff rule. The tweak would put the ball on the 30-yard line instead of the 35-yard line if a touchback goes into the end zone on a fly.

"The change provides kicking teams a less punitive option if they don't want to take a chance on a long return," Rapoport noted. "The adjusted rule proposal will be presented to owners for a possible vote Monday morning."

This comes after the hybrid kickoff proposal generated headlines this past week.

Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network shared a visual explanation on Wednesday:

As Kevin Seifert of ESPN pointed out, the proposal would lead to kickoffs that resemble the XFL's kickoffs from the 2020 and 2023 campaigns in an effort to increase the number of actual returns while also decreasing injuries by minimizing high-speed collisions.

If the proposal passes with approval from at least 24 of the 32 team owners, kickers would still kick from the 35-yard line with the other 10 players on his team starting at the opposing 40-yard line. One or two returners can be in the "landing zone" from the goal line to the 20-yard line, while the other players of the return team would be in the "setup zone" between the 30- and 35-yard lines.

Only the kicker and returners can move until the ball hits the ground or is touched.

What's more, there can no longer be surprise onside kicks since teams will have to inform officials if they plan on running one.

It wasn't that long ago that kickoffs were a major part of the game with players such as Devin Hester and Dante Hall swinging games with their speed and agility. However, efforts to reduce injuries on kickoffs by moving where the ball is kicked from and where the ball is placed after a touchback largely reduced the number of actual returns.

Seifert noted the return rate of 21.7 percent in 2023 was the lowest in NFL history, although league officials said the rate of concussions per kickoff was approximately the same.

If this rule goes into place, there may be more exciting returns with fewer injuries per kickoff.