When NFL owners on Tuesday passed a rule allowing teams to launch a drive at the 25-yard line when signaling a fair catch on a kickoff, the league was aware a backlash was coming.
“It’s never easy for special teams coaches. They trained it a certain way. They think they have an advantage, so they won’t be happy with changes like that,” said Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL NFL Network’s Competitions Committee.
“But the changes had to be made because we have the data in our heads that says they should be made.”
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Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles watch Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers on May 11, 2023 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
And backlash ensued: Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Philadelphia Eagles attacking player Jason Kelce break the rule on the New Heights podcast.
The Packers All-Pro returner rejects the NFL’s new kickoff rule
“I think that’s absolutely stupid,” said Travis Kelce. “I don’t think it makes the game safer. I think it makes it more boring and takes a lot of excitement out of the opening game. This is awesome.”
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“We’re getting closer and closer to eliminating special teams,” added Jason Kelce. “The only thing left now is the punt. When is someone not going to catch it fairly and take the ball on the 25? Unless it’s just a really bad kick, right?”
According to ESPN, the rule was passed with player safety in mind as the number of kickoff concussions has risen over the past two seasons.
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Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates onstage with the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
“The data very clearly shows the higher injury rate at this game,” said commissioner Roger Goodell. “We’ve been talking about this for several years. We haven’t made much progress on this piece. This was a step we felt was appropriate to address this. But we still have a lot to do to make it happen.” “We will continue to develop in the future. Can we continue to play this game in an exciting, but more importantly, safe way?”
The Kelce brothers’ reaction to the new rule came a day after Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said he viewed the kickoff rule as a path to “flag football.”
Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs answers reporters’ questions during a media conference February 7, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Jason Allen/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
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“My thing is, where does it stop, right?” Reid told NFL Network. “We’re starting to take figures and we’ll see how it goes. But you don’t want to take away too many pieces or you’ll be playing flag football.”
The new regulation applies for at least one year.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report
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