Steelers 'Had Some Reservations' About NFL Changing Rules to XFL-Style Kickoffs

Even though the Pittsburgh Steelers weren't totally sold on the NFL competition committee's proposal to change the kickoff rules, they decided to go along with it when the owners voted for it.

Steelers president Art Rooney II told reporters from the annual league meetings in Florida they "had some reservations" because it's such "a dramatic change" to how things have been done.

The owners voted by a 29-3 margin to approve the change for an XFL-style kickoff. Teams kicking off will have 10 non-kickers lined up at the opposing team's 40-yard line. The receiving team will line up at least seven players in the "set up zone" between their own 30- and 35-yard lines, with a maximum of two players lined up in the landing zone.

The 10 players on the kicking team can't move until the receiving team touches the ball, it hits the ground, or goes into the end zone. If a kickoff is downed in the end zone by the opposing team, the ball will be placed at the receiving team's 20-yard line.

If a kickoff is downed by the receiving team in the end zone or goes out of the back of the end zone, the ball will be placed at the receiving team's 30-yard line. Kickoffs that fall short of the landing zone will be treated like one that goes out of bounds, with the receiving team getting possession at their own 40-yard line.

Rooney said the Steelers ultimately decided to vote for the measure "after it was a foregone conclusion that it was going to pass," though he did note "there was not a lot of enthusiasm" when the rule was originally proposed.

Per CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders were the three teams that voted against changing the kickoff rule.

Rule changes must be approved with a 75-percent majority from NFL owners (24 votes). The kickoff was one of six in-game rule changes successfully approved at the league meetings.

Despite their initial reservations about the kickoff change, the Steelers acted quickly to add a player whose skill set seems perfectly suited to taking advantage of the new opportunities it creates for returns.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Steelers agreed to a deal with Cordarrelle Patterson. The 33-year-old spent the past three seasons with now-Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Arthur Smith when he was the head coach for the Atlanta Falcons.