NFL owners pass rule to place ball at 25 following fair catches on kickoffs

[conner01]

My preference is to not try to catch it if you're fielding it close to the goal line.
That said, how about 5 yds further than where you fair catch it - with a maximum of the 20 yard line for ball placement.

A kick off is a live ball unless they changed that too.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Wonder how kick return specialists feel about the new rule? There will be those with contract incentives to return kicks for x amount of yards and/or points. Obeying the rule explicitly will cut into those incentives.

This does not exist.

 

[conner01]

This is seriously messed up. It's no longer tackle football. Might as well turn it into flag football.

That’s a bit dramatic but player safety is important to the league and should be

 

[conner01]

This does not exist.

I doubt many guys have incentives for KR yards

 

[Pantone282C]

Virtual football in the future. That, or bubble suits.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

My preference is to not try to catch it if you're fielding it close to the goal line.
That said, how about 5 yds further than where you fair catch it - with a maximum of the 20 yard line for ball placement.

Honestly, I like what the CFL does where any kick that goes into the endzone and isn't returned is a single or a rouge. If they're going to do this, then they should award a point to the kicking team for forcing a fair catch. That might make teams think twice before calling fair catch on a kickoff.

 

[Cowboys5217]

That’s a bit dramatic but player safety is important to the league and should be

Players know the risks. They are informed and can choose to not participate in a dangerous occupation.

It is getting ridiculous at this point. Either ban the sport or let guys choose to take the risks as informed adults.

There are lots of jobs and activities that aren't safe. Should we outlaw skydiving? People sometimes get killed doing that. How about bicycle riding? People get head injuries doing that.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

This is seriously messed up. It's no longer tackle football. Might as well turn it into flag football.

Or, like South Park predicted about a decade ago, why don't we just turn the NFL into the NSL. National Sarcastaball League

 

[nalam]

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-owners-pass-rule-to-place-ball-25-yard-line-fair-catch-kickoff#:~:text=Around the NFL-,NFL owners pass rule to place ball at 25-yard,following fair catches on kickoffs&text=NFL owners voted on Tuesday,team's own 25-yard line.

Just thought I'd share what just came through.

So no more directional kicking needed to pin in their 20 yard line , kick to EZ then, well isn’t it already the case ? Ok , this doesn’t apply to punting .

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Sidenote, for those wondering, this is an average play right after the ref bounces the ball off the ground to start an Aussie Rules game (been getting into it lately, I like the Brisbane Lions):

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

So no more directional kicking needed to pin in their 20 yard line , kick to EZ then, well isn’t it already the case ? Ok , this doesn’t apply to punting .

It's only for kickoffs.

 

[Toro9]

Probably won't see many players doing it but I guess it's good for safety on a high short kick, should the kicking team feel a need to do that.

 

[DUO_CORE]

Next year, every team will get a Superbowl trophy and rings and the conclusion of the season.

 

[Toro9]

Fair enough, I mean, if they are going to do something like that, then have the ball at the 15 for a fair catch.

I like this better.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I like this better.

Yup, either that or award a point to the kicking team for forcing a fair catch on a kickoff. See how teams like being down 1-0 to start a game.

 

[America's Cowboy]

That’s a bit dramatic but player safety is important to the league and should be

So calling a fair catch at the 5 or 10 yard line gets you the ball at the 25? That's so ridiculous. Seriously, just get rid of tackle football.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

That’s a bit dramatic but player safety is important to the league and should be

If they cared about player safety they'd get rid of Thursday Football.

 

[BigStar]

Why not go with the 20 yard line again if they want this fair catch?

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

If they cared about player safety they'd get rid of Thursday Football.

Not to mention they approved flexing TNF games from weeks 13-17.

 

[Creeper]

This rule does not make the game of football better IMO.