NFL Says Kickoff Return Rate Spiked 11% in 2024 After Rule Change to New Format

The NFL's new Dynamic Kickoff resulted in 332 more kickoff returns in 2024 than 2023, an 11.0 percent increase.

The NFL Football Operations department relayed that news on Thursday. The 2024 kickoff return rate was 32.8 percent, a clear rise from 21.8 percent the year prior.

There were also 59 "big play returns," defined as returns of 40 or more yards. That was the most in the NFL since 2016.

The league set out this offseason to address the lowest kickoff return rate in league history and also decrease the injury rate on those plays.

The NFL took a page out of the XFL playbook and made some additional tweaks for the new kickoff. Seven kickoff touchdowns were scored this year (one on an onside kick).

The New York Giants' Ihmir Smith-Marsette and the Cincinnati Bengals' Charlie Jones tied for the longest touchdown kickoff return this year at 100 yards apiece.

In addition, injury rates on these kickoff returns have dropped, per NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller on Dec. 11 (h/t Pro Football Talk).

"On Wednesday, NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller provided an update on the injury numbers. While speaking to reporters at Wednesday's league meetings, Miller said that concussions and overall injuries are down across the board this season and that the injury rate on kickoffs has dropped to the point that it resembles the rate on plays from scrimmage."

The Dynamic Kickoff was put in place for the 2024 season by a 29-3 owners vote, but given the reported success of the change, one can surmise that it could very well be back in 2025 and beyond.