Bill Belichick shares how new kickoff rule will affect NFL roster construction
Former NFL head coach Bill Belichick said on “The Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday that the new NFL kickoff rule could affect how teams construct their rosters.
With the running portion of kickoffs essentially taken out of the play, Belichick believes that players with more size could be utilized as opposed to those known for their speed.
“I think that there’s more opportunity for players to play on special teams than there have been in the past couple of years because literally 90% of the kickoffs are going out of the end zone,” Belichick said. “So, I think that might affect the bottom part of the roster. And I would say with the new kickoff rules because there’s really no running involved, the kicking team’s already down there, the return team’s already set up, that there will be more of an emphasis on size players in the return game than speed.
“Where a lot of teams would cover with six or seven DB, wide receiver types with their kickoff unit and play with the same type of players on the kickoff return. Couple corners, couple wide receivers on the frontline that could run and get back and set up. Well now, there’s no need for that. You just need guys who can play at the point of attack, shed blocks and defend their space because of the new alignment. So, I think it’ll increase the size of the players that are on the field. And I do think that because everybody is spread across the field that if these returners — if they get a little space, they’re gone. Because it’s just gonna be a lot harder to overlap than what it was in the past.”
NFL owners approve new hybrid kickoff rule developed by XFL on trial basis
NFL owners approved the Hybrid Kickoff rule last month, which the league hopes will yield fewer injuries and more returns. The NFL reported its lowest return rate in history this past season. The XFL initially adopted the Hybrid Kickoff rule.
The kicker stands alone. He will set up the ball at his own 35-yard line. Once he kicks the ball, he can’t cross midfield until the returnman catches the ball, the ball hits the dirt, or it gets to the end zone. Meanwhile, the remaining 10 players on the kick team will line up at the receiving team’s 40. There must be five lined up to each side. Each player must have one toe on the 40 before the play can start.
As for the receiving team, most of them will be five yards away from the kick team. Seven players will line up at the 35-yard line. Two more players can be in the so called set up zone, but they will line up outside the hashmarks. The receiving team also can field two returnmen. If a team only uses one, the other guy can be in the setup zone between the 30 and 35.
In addition, NFL owners approved to tweak the rules for an onside kick. These kicks can now only happen in the fourth quarter. The head coach must let officials know an onside kick is about to happen.