Were there any kickoff returns for touchdowns in NFL preseason with new dynamic kickoff rule?
This preseason gave us our first look at the NFL’s new dynamic kickoff, and the results are in. The verdict: more returns, better field position and more excitement.
The NFL implemented a brand new rule to what was a disappearing play in modern football over the offseason. The dynamic kickoff was meant to bring back the excitement, and ultimately the possibility of a kick return after recent rules had essentially nullified returns over the last few years.
Dynamic kickoff gaining popularity
We got our first look at the dynamic kickoff in Canton, Ohio when the Chicago Bears and the Houston Texans met in the Hall of Fame Game at the beginning of August. It was fitting because Devin Hester, who is in the Hall of Fame because of his countless kickoff and punt returns, was in attendance and give us his thoughts on the new look rule. He was asked what he thought about the new rule, but didn’t seem too convinced just yet.
That was a month ago, and we have seen countless kickoffs since then over the course of the preseason. It no longer looks as strange as it did three or four weeks ago, when we were taken a back by how different it is from our old norm.
No matter the aesthetics, the fact is, the new rule looks like it is going to greatly increase the number of returns we have, thus increasing the excitement on a play that had been quickly disappearing over the last few years. The returns aren’t the only thing affecting the game. The touchback rule that puts the ball at the 30 if the ball is kicked in the end zone, increases the chances of offensive teams scoring as opposed to getting the ball at the 20 or 25.
A look at the numbers
The goal was to protect players while increasing the number of returns. That seems to have worked out perfectly. Last year, only 23% of the kickoffs were returned but 68% of kickoffs in the preseason were returned. It’s preseason, and this is a new rule so it’s understandable if special teams coaches are trying to get a better grasp on the new play, and what the best approach is to take on the dynamic kickoff.
In the first two weeks of the preseason 78% of the kickoffs were returned, 11 of those kickoffs were taken back past the 40 yard line, which is almost double the amount in last preseason. The average starting point for a drive following a kick return was the 28.3 yard line as opposed to the 23.9 yard line last year. While there wasn’t a kickoff returned for a touchdown in the preseason, 65% of the returns have gone past the 30 yard line, while only 11.7% went past the 30 last year.
The rule change seems to have maintained the safety of the players on special teams, while bringing back a staple play of the NFL. Not only is the excitement of kickoffs back, but NFL executive vice president of the NFL has said the advanced starting position of drives may affect the amount of points scored in a game. Something the NFL will be monitoring throughout the season, “It’s something we’re going to look at for sure and monitor as we go through the regular season, if we do see continued drives starting places three to four to five yards ahead of where we were a year ago, we would expect that to translate to some number of points throughout the rest of the game,” said Miller.