NFL Not Considering Rule Change for 4th-And-Long Onside Kick Alternative, Vincent Says

The NFL is reportedly not considering any alternatives to the onside kick this offseason.

NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said no NFL teams are pushing for the league to institute a fourth-and-long alternative in 2025, according to NBC Sports' Michael David Smith.

Vincent said the NFL Competition Committee also isn't interested in pursuing the rule change. Smith wrote that Vincent believes the play is seen around the NFL as "gimmicky."

The report comes one month after the UFL announced the elimination of onside kicks in favor of giving the kicking team a 4th-and-12 opportunity from its 28-yard line.

NFL team leaders have considered, and rejected, multiple past proposals to offer teams a fourth-and-long alternative to the onside kick.

Team owners discussed a fourth-and-15 option ahead of the 2020 season, but the suggestion didn't get the necessary support of at least 24 owners, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

The 2020 proposal would have allowed teams to choose to take a chance on a fourth-and-15 play from their 25-yard line rather than an onside kick at any point in the game, Wes Hodkiewicz reported for Packers.com. The rule would not apply in overtime, Pelissero noted.

The Philadelphia Eagles proposed a similar change ahead of the 2024 season. This proposal would have allowed teams to choose to attempt a fourth-and-20 play from their 20-yard line rather than the onside kick, per Smith.

When that proposal also failed, Competition Committee co-chairman Rich McKay said there would "be another date and time for that discussion," per Smith.

The Competition Committee has proposed a different change to the onside kick rule, which would allow a trailing team to opt for the kick at any time rather than only in the fourth quarter.

Onside kicks were recovered three times on 50 attempts last season, marking the lowest recovery rate (6.0 percent) since 2001, per Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press. Any changes to the rule would aim to bring the return rate up "at most" to the historic average of 13.5 percent, NFL.com's Judy Battista reported in February.