NFL Considering New Rules For Onside Kicks, Eliminating 'Surprise' Onside Kicks
The NFL has a kickoff problem. Specifically, kickoffs have been deemed "too dangerous," but the league doesn't want to eliminate them entirely. Part of the reason for that is there is only one method for a trailing team to get the ball back after a late score: the onside kick.
Kickoff touchdowns and punt return touchdowns – as well as turnovers and big returns on those plays – are some of the most exciting plays in the sport. However, research suggests that the players collide at higher speeds on kick returns, so the NFL has done everything to reduce the number of returns.
As is becoming the slogan of modern American society: safety first.
The league is toying with the idea of changing its normal kickoff entirely, considering adoption of the XFL kickoff. That's a possibility, but it feels very unlikely for the NFL to go that drastic.
However, one area that the league has always been hesitant to make changes is the way a trailing team can retain possession after a score late in a game.
Tennessee Titans kicker Nick Folk attempts an onside kick as Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk looks on during the fourth quarter an NFL football game.
(Florida Times-Union/USA TODAY Network)
The XFL adopted one of the most popular suggestions: let a team keep its offense on the field and try to convert something like a 4th and 15-type play to either keep possession or lose it.
Again, this feels too drastic for the NFL. However, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported that special teams coordinators from around the league got together and created a proposal to revamp the onside kick.
What would onside kicks look like in the NFL if the proposal is accepted?
The most important aspect of the proposal is that it would only "allow teams to attempt an onside kick only when trailing in the fourth quarter and require them to declare in advance," according to Pelissero.
"If the kickoff team declares they're attempting an onside kick, they potentially could be allowed to utilize an unbalanced (6x4) formation to raise odds of a recovery," the report adds.
This is an interesting wrinkle. Currently, teams have to have equal numbers of players on each side of the ball during a kick-off and players cannot start moving until after the ball is kicked.
The new proposal eliminates "surprise" onside kicks, but those are nearly gone anyway. There were only two in the NFL last season since players can't get a running start prior to the ball being kicked.
The league faces a major problem regarding onside kicks. Only 5% of onside kicks last year resulted in recoveries for the kicking team. That's too low and eliminates the kind of drama the league wants to see late in close games.
While the NFL doesn't want to implement something like a 50-50 chance of recovery, the goal has to be to get closer to something like 20% recovery.
Will this proposal accomplish that? No one knows. But the NFL needs to try something different and they know it.