Report: Broncos’ Sean Payton makes eye-opening tweak suggestion for new kickoff rules
Following the recent adoption of the XFL’s kickoff style, there’s been a lot of scrutiny over the NFL’s revised kickoff rules introduced this offseason. Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has expressed concerns about these changes potentially missing their mark. Payton believes that the new rules might encourage returners to advance the ball further, which could lead teams to revert to touchbacks, counteracting the NFL’s intention behind the new rule.
According to the Denver Post, Payton voiced his worry that if analytics show returners consistently starting drives beyond the 30-yard line, teams might end up kicking for touchbacks again. “If the analytics show that the average drive start is beyond the 30, touchbacks will return,” Payton remarked. “We’d end up right back where we started, which is exactly what we want to avoid.”
To address this, Payton suggests a modification to the kickoff rule: if the ball is kicked out of the end zone, the receiving team should start at the 35-yard line instead of the 30-yard line.
“I’m not comfortable with the idea of giving them the ball at the 35 for a touchback,” Payton said. “Maybe in the fourth quarter with a significant lead, but with the current setup, the 30-yard line makes sense if returns are routinely past it. There could be times when, with a comfortable lead, I’d prefer the touchback situation.”
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Interestingly, Payton’s proposed change to the kickoff rule—where a touchback would start at the 35-yard line—was originally part of the NFL’s proposal for the new kickoff rules. However, just two days before the owners voted, the proposal was altered to set the touchback at the 30-yard line.
The revised kickoff rule made its debut on Thursday during the Hall of Fame Game between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans. Out of eight kickoffs, only one resulted in a touchback, with Cairo Santos kicking the ball out of the end zone for a Texans touchback. Under the new rule, the Texans started at their 30-yard line, but Payton’s proposal would have placed them at the 35-yard line.
Payton commented, “When we get to Week 1, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were additional tweaks or changes.” He is among several NFL coaches who believe further adjustments to the rule could be on the horizon, and it wouldn’t be surprising if such changes occur.