Everything you need to know about the NFL’s new kickoff rule

Embed from Getty Images

During the owners meetings in March, NFL owners passed a major overhaul of the kickoff rules for the 2024 season. The Competition Committee proposed these changes in an effort to increase the safety of kickoffs and reduce the number of full-speed collisions during those types of plays. It is also an effort by the league to increase the number of kickoff returns, as recent rule changes have eliminated most returns in favor of touchbacks. The new kickoffs will look very similar to those of the XFL during its final seasons before merging with the USFL.

While similar to the XFL format, the new NFL kickoff rules — which they are calling the “dynamic kickoff” — differ in a few ways.

This was the most discussed part of the on-field officiating clinics by far, because the only video examples are from the XFL and most of the other changes are in replay. This gives the special teams coordinators a unique opportunity to shine having this blank slate. But one officiating source said teams were told not to “get cute” and try to find a loophole to exploit. “If this doesn’t work,” our source said, “I think this will be the end of the kickoff in the NFL.”

The ball will continue to be kicked from the kicking team’s 35-yard line, while safety kicks will continue to be kicked from the kicking team’s 20-yard line. Except for onside kicks, only the kicker will be at that yard line.

The remaining 10 kicking team players with one foot on the receiving team’s 40-yard line. Kicking team players may not move until the ball has either touched a player or the ground in either the “landing zone” (inside the 20-yard line) or the end zone. The kicker can move after kicking the ball, but cannot cross the 50-yard line until the ball has either touched a player or the ground in either the landing zone or the end zone.

The area of the field between the receiving team’s 30 and 35-yard line will be designated as the “setup zone” where at least nine receiving team players are positioned. At least seven of those players must have a foot on the receiving team’s 35-yard line (receiving team restraining line). Any players not on the restraining line must be lined up outside the hash marks. All players inside the setup zone may not move until the ball has either touched a player or the ground in either the landing zone or the end zone. There can be no more than two deep returners who must line up outside the landing zone and can move at any time during the kick.

Any kick that hits the ground short of the landing zone will be penalized like a kickoff out of bounds where the receiving team can either take the ball on their own 40-yard line, 25 yards in advance of the kick, or 30 yards in advance of the kick on safety kicks. The ball will be blown dead as soon as it hits the ground short of the landing zone. Receiving players in the setup zone can deflect/knock a low kick down if they keep their feet on the ground. If that deflection prevents the ball from reaching the landing zone or the end zone, the kick will be penalized as a kick that did not reach the landing zone or end zone.

Unusual touchback rule

Any kicked ball that hits the ground or is muffed in the landing zone and goes into the end zone must either be returned or downed by the receiving team. If the ball is downed, it will be a touchback for the receiving team, with the ball spotted on the 20-yard line. Any kicked ball that reaches the end zone on the fly and is downed or kicked out of the back of the end zone will be a touchback to the 30-yard line.

Kickoff formations

The kicking team was previously required to have a balanced formation with 5 players on either side of the ball. That is no longer a requirement, except for onside kicks. There is a 2-2-2 formation requirement: 2 players each in the lanes outside of the numbers, 2 each in the lanes between the numbers and the hashmarks, and 2 players inside the hashmarks; all 10 must line up with their foot on their restraining line.

The receiving team restrictions are a little more unusual. They must have a 1-1-1 formation, with only 1 player required in those five lanes described. There will typically be 2 players in the setup zone not on the 35-yard line, and those players cannot be inside the hashmarks. The receiving team must at least have 3 players on either side of the hashmarks, which includes the deep players as well.

If one of the deep receivers lines up in the setup zone, that extra player must be placed on the 35-yard line. There are no more than 2 players off the line inside that 5-yard deep setup zone.

No surprise onside kicks

At the beginning of the 4th quarter, the trailing team has the option to notify the officials of their desire to perform an onside kick. All of the previously existing kickoff rules would apply. The only difference is if the onside kick goes untouched beyond 25 yards, the kicking team will be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct and the receiving team will start their drive on the kicking team’s 20-yard line.

Other considerations

Any penalties that carry over to kickoffs will not change the locations of the setup zone, the landing zone, or the alignment of players. Only the spot of the kick will change. Penalties on scoring plays will not have the option of being enforced on the kickoff, only the extra-point attempt.

No fair catches or fair catch signals will be allowed. Play will be whistled dead once the ball is caught if a fair catch signal is given, and an invalid fair catch signal penalty would be imposed.

If wind causes the ball to fall off the tee twice, a kicking stick or a 12th player may be used to secure the ball in place. If a 12th player is used, that player must leave the field immediately after the kick is away. The 12th player must be an active uniformed player.

As stated previously, a safety kick will be kicked off from the 20-yard line. The kicker will now have the option to use a tee. The setup and landing zones will not change. Safety kicks can be kicked onside, but it is subject to all the new rules for onside kicks.

Ben Austro contributed to this report.