According to Tom Pelissero, the NFL owners voted today to approve the modifications to the dynamic kickoff, specifically moving the touchback up from the 30 to the 35.
This will likely lead to more kicks being returned, as the punishment for touchbacks would be more severe.
However, the proposed changes to the onside kick were tabled until the owners meetings in May. Those changes would have tweaked the formation and allowed teams to declare an onside kick at any point in the game as opposed to just the fourth quarter while trailing.
Any rule change vote must be approved by 24 of the 32 NFL owners.
The league changed the kickoff rule last offseason in an effort to increase the return rate and lower injuries on the play. While the return rate did not improve as much as some in the league hoped, with an initial projection in the range of 80 percent, it did grow from around 22 percent to nearly 33 percent.
The play also saw a marked decrease in injuries from the previous kickoff format.
We’ll provide more information on possible rule changes as the news becomes available.
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