![New kickoff]()
Football is back!! Kind of. The NFL's Hall of Fame game is like the warm-up of the preseason. Like a pre-preseason game. But hey, close enough. Here's the point: The most compelling aspect of an otherwise "meh" exhibition matchup between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans was the new NFL kickoff rules.
I kind of forgot about 'em. And yes, they're cooler than a touchback almost every time. However, it's also a high-speed collision situation that's liable to drive up injuries. It also just looks plain weird in action:
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1819164454736519409
Although I'm conflicted, this is probably a good way to spice up the game on special teams a little. ESPN put together an explainer with odd-looking digital models that are at least more fun than reading boring rulebook syntax.
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1819165477299487143
There's no real consensus on Elon Musk's X/Twitter re: the new kickoff rules. This might divide our country even more than current events!
https://twitter.com/ByMikeMitchell/status/1819164973500977263
https://twitter.com/JacobyFC/status/1819164521727988004
https://twitter.com/The33rdTeamFB/status/1819164569421410667
https://twitter.com/bykevinclark/status/1819169055678369816
https://twitter.com/BGauvin23/status/1819165230569574487
https://twitter.com/robertodigital_/status/1819165705914536315
https://twitter.com/geoffschwartz/status/1819164171943977244
https://twitter.com/BCxptures/status/1819168905379623185
https://twitter.com/AlGoody421/status/1819165663740809468
https://twitter.com/omsportsburner/status/1819167238231867885
https://twitter.com/yosephpaulos/status/1819164429407474141
Teams could get legitimately creative with who they put back there, as this format could really make the kickoff coverage and return teams so much more important. Don't laugh, but even some dual-threat quarterbacks could be in the mix for touches as return men. Pittsburgh Steelers QB Justin Fields was the
butt of a joke in a Madden trailer. The ad depicted Fields back on the kickoff return team after it was reported that the Steelers had mulled the possibility.
Now that Russell Wilson has been nursing a calf injury during training camp, Fields is taking reps with the No. 1 offense and apparently looking decent. What was Russ' job and not meant to be a competition might now get weird and become one. So any Fields as kick returner intentions should be on the backburner in Pittsburgh for now.
OK I'll admit, dropping QBs back deep to return feels like a stretch for me. But hey, my guy Anthony Richardson is floating the possibility at practice with cameras rolling.
https://twitter.com/Colts/status/1818628698226274711
Like this
really could get weird, everyone. Anyone not tuning in for tonight's standalone Bears-Texans game is in for a rude awakening next week when their brains are discombobulated by this surreal special teams experiment the NFL is doing. Invoking the league's alternative acronym, I feel like these new kickoff rules might be Not For Long. Whatever. Let's get weird and see what happens.
