Will the NFL’s New Dynamic Kick Return Make Kickoffs Exciting Again?
There Have Been Divided Opinions Among Fans About the New NFL Kickoff Return Rules, but the Numbers Speak for Themselves
Polemic Changes
The 2024 NFL preseason is mercifully behind us after Sunday night’s final game. The next kickoff is for real when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens next Thursday night.
But one of the new things to watch this year is the major change to the kickoff. It went into effect this preseason as you likely saw the dynamic kickoffs with the players aligned in the “setup zone” and the ball having to reach the “landing zone” or else you could get the ball at the 30 as a touchback should it land in the end zone. If you missed this NFL news or need clarification, watch the video here:
The @NFL‘s new Dynamic Kickoff rules ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/To1IraS4Hr
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 9, 2024
Why did they make this change, what did it look like in the 2024 preseason, and how might it affect real NFL games this season?
Why Change NFL Kickoffs Again?
NFL rumors have long cited the kickoff as the most dangerous play in the game with a higher risk for concussions. In the name of player safety, the NFL move kickoffs to the 35-yard line in the 2011 season, which soon resulted in more than half of kicks going for touchbacks after it was 16.4% in 2010.
Instead of teams averaging more than 60 kick returns per season, they were soon down to the low 30s. Then in 2023, it was just 18.3 returnable kicks per team as the touchback rate soared to 73.0%.
Who would Chris Long like to see return dynamic kickoffs in 2024?@InsideTheNFL premieres August 30th 9pm ET on @TheCW@JOEL9ONE | @Realrclark25 pic.twitter.com/PU3h1Y6qBE
— NFL (@NFL) August 23, 2024
The kickoff, while safer, was becoming an irrelevant play with a predictable outcome. To spice things up while making collisions safer, they introduced the dynamic kickoff concept for 2024.
Have Kickoffs Been Better in the 2024 NFL Preseason?
We should note that preseason kickoffs already tend to be returned at a higher rate than in the regular season since special teamers want another way to prove they belong on the team. But the early data on dynamic kickoffs from 2024 suggests this has made an impact already.
- 2024 preseason: 26.4% touchback rate, 26.0 yards per return.
- 2023 preseason: 43.9% touchback rate, 21.9 yards per return.
- 2022 preseason: 48.8% touchback rate, 23.9 yards per return.
- 2021 preseason: 38.9% touchback rate, 22.7 yards per return.
The same numbers for the last three regular seasons:
- 2023 regular season: 73.0% touchback rate, 23.0 yards per return.
- 2022 regular season: 59.7% touchback rate, 22.8 yards per return.
- 2021 regular season: 57.5% touchback rate, 22.2 yards per return.
It’s early, but the 26.0 average from the 2024 preseason would be the highest in a season in NFL history. The number was helped by a 93-yard return by San Francisco’s Isaac Guerendo – still 25.8 without it.
Isaac Guerendo takes the kickoff back 93 yards!
It’s longest dynamic kickoff return of the preseason.
📺: #SFvsLV on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/qNWHGNtYZ8— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2024
Imagine what the numbers could be when players play their starters, and you see Cordarrelle Patterson’s stats on kick returns for Pittsburgh.
Kick Return GAWD Cordarrelle Patterson pic.twitter.com/3Z9KWWV2OG
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) November 20, 2022
What Impact Will This Have on the 2024 NFL Season?
If we can go on the preseason data, teams could average over 50 kick returns this season, making it a prominent play again. If the higher average return also continues, you’ll see offenses start with a better average field position, which could lead to more points scored.
More @JustinqReid kickoffs coming with the new Dynamic Kickoff rules in 2024? 🤔 (via @greenlight)
To learn more about the new rule, visit: https://t.co/oGMxCOfoEr pic.twitter.com/kKfrfr0TFi
— NFL (@NFL) July 30, 2024
Remember, the under has been profitable in three straight NFL seasons as scoring and yards have decreased each year. Maybe the dynamic kickoff is a key to more points this year.
