Bill Cowher Mourns The Loss Of The Onside Kick Under New NFL Kickoff Rules
The NFL implemented a series of new kickoff rules ahead of the 2024 season. And Bill Cowher isn't totally on board.
Specifically, the Hall of Fame coach lamented the loss of the surprise onside kick — a tactic his Pittsburgh Steelers successfully deployed against the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX.
"One thing I don't like about it is that we're trying to take away the onside kick," Cowher told CBS Sports. "As a guy who used an onside kick in the Super Bowl, it made me very sad when I saw that happen. I still think that's an exciting play."
Under the new kickoff rules, the onside kick can't be used the first three quarters of the game. Once the fourth quarter begins, the team trailing — and the trailing team only — has the opportunity to declare an onside kick to the officials. And since the play will require an entirely different formation, everyone from the opposing team to the hot dog vendors will know it's coming.
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A successful onside kick is rare, anyway. In 2023 only 5.2% were recovered by the kicking team. But until now, the possibility was always there.
"I understand the numbers are low. But on an onside kick the numbers should be low," Cowher said. "It's a unique play. It's a hard play. It's a strategical part of the game. It slows down the front line.
"I've done it a lot as a special teams coach. It's a fun play and a strategical play. That's why I always fought for the onside kick as part of the competition committee when I was on it. If anybody thought of taking it away, I brought up my play in the Super Bowl, but unfortunately I'm not in the league anymore so I didn't get the chance this time."
Trailing by 10 points with 11:20 left in Super Bowl XXX, Cowher called a surprise onside kick with Norm Johnson kicking and Deon Figures recovering. It worked and led to a Steelers touchdown to cut Dallas' lead to three points midway through the fourth quarter.
The Cowboys ultimately went on to win, 27-17, but Cowher's strategic call kept his team in the game.
Bill Cowher is one of the few coaches that converted a successful onside kick in the Super Bowl.
(Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
"It's the surprise onsides kick to me," Cowher said. "To be able to do this in the third quarter, the front line starts to get back and loosen up a little bit. Or you can put one in that little dead area and it hits the ground. Those are the things that are exciting.
"Is it gonna be successful? Probably not? That's the risk and reward. Sometimes you don't have to be successful to make a point. Don't leave early because we're gonna try it."
RIP onside kick. We'll miss you. But Coach Cowher will miss you most.