NFL Thinking of getting rid of the kickoff

[dreday]

a lot of people made careers from special teams.walk-ons, 3rd, 4th, and 5th round draft picks would be out of work. we wouldn't even know who devin hester is without it. it also takes field position away from the game.i can't believe they're even considering it.

the game is slowly becoming a game that we will not recognize in the near future.

 

[dreday]

Let's just dress 'em in tutu's

smh @ the lingerie football league having more contact than the NFL.

 

[JerryD]

I think the kick offs will get sued out of the NFL.

Everyone's filing concussion suits against the NFL ... kick offs are a primary concussion source.

Sooner or later some judge will award a ka-zillion to some group for concussions!! You can see the writing on the wall.

 

[PYRO]

I think we need a commissioner to regress back to the old ways of Football, allow contact at all times past the line of scrimmage and see some major defense again!! Defense = most exciting part about football IMO, just something about seeing Brady/Sanchez on the ground brings a smile to my face.

 

[AdamD13]

All about the $$$

1) Cuts down on concussion lawsuits

2) Along with cutback in off season workouts allow for 18 game season

3) Will allow teams to have fewer players and keep salary cap from escalating

But of course, the real reason is owners are more concerned about players long-term health over $$$

 

[JCane]

All about the $$$

1) Cuts down on concussion lawsuits

2) Along with cutback in off season workouts allow for 18 game season

3) Will allow teams to have fewer players and keep salary cap from escalating

But of course, the real reason is owners are more concerned about players long-term health over $$$

This guy gets it.

Big picture.

The NFL is absolutely considering this.

 

[Charlie Rivers]

What I would like to know is what will hppen after the coin flip? Will the team that loses the coin toss have the ball at the 20 yard line in enemy territory?

My view is that if the NFL does choose to end the kick off play, thus reducing the danger of injury, the I would not feel fine about the modifaction. I am all about hard hitting plays, and not those that put any player, friend or foe, in real danger of high risk collisions that are more likely put a player(s) in a position where such things as concusions, season ending type of plays like the outlawing of tackling the qb high near his head; not to mention the real chance of getting paralized for life!

Football is, to a degree, quite a violent sport. So assuring that players safety on the field is paramount is in real life a very good move - IMO. I mean, removing the kickoff segment of the game will not dramatical alter the game in any major way...let's get real. I think the consideration by the league to protecting players assures fair play, unlike the Saint's deplorable actions on the field. Safeguarding our players will also lesson each players overall physical health after football. I say alter/remove such plays: especially those that prevent injuries and don't drammatically alter the sport.

Would you truely mind at all if the NFL goes forth with this kickoff omition? Be honest guys. No screwing around for we are talking about safeguarding players and not changing the main, more meanigful aspects of the game as a whole.

That's view for what it's worth.

 

[JerryD]

NFL Kick Off 2015 ... Madden tie in that Players, Coaches, & Fans watch on the Big Screen!!

Team Captains ... gives ref secret offense/defense calls to plug into Madden .... & Madden Kick Off plays on the Big Screen & comes up ....

20 Yard Line ... TD ... Turn-Over ... Out of Bounds ... On-Side Kick Off Recovery .... etc. etc.

Kick Off Returner, Wedge Buster, etc. joins the Marlboro Man down at the retirement home!! :lol2:

 

[Roman529]

Watching sportscenter and they mentioned it. They are also debating about it on PTI.

According to the NFL, kickoffs are the most dangerous play in football and a high percentage of injuries occur because of kickoffs.

In my own opinion, football is naturally a game of high-speed collisions. It shouldn't even be in question whether to take kickoffs out of the game. We pay to see these guys play, and they get paid very well because of their skill and because of the risks involved. I am losing more and more respect for the NFL trying to turn this into some kind of pedestrian game.

What are your thoughts?

I don't see them ever doing away with kickoffs, and here is the main reason why. Let's say you are behind another team by 14 points with five minutes left in the game. You score a quick TD and now you want to kick an onside kick to get the ball back. If they eliminate the kickoffs, they eliminate the onside kicks. Too many people would be against this.

 

[NRA]

first thing i see this morning is NASCAR rolling out an ALL ELECTRIC pace car in hopes to entice the association of embracing electric cars on the nascar tracks. :tubes:


now someone wants the nfl to get rid of the kickoff, one of the most exciting plays in the game?

i am telling you all now, with this ultra liberal, dont spank yer kid, dont have any competition in school sports, no keeping scores, nanny state era of america, IT WONT BE LONG untill they get rid of keeping score in the nfl. it will end up a flag football type deal with NO fans in seats played on neutral sites all PAY PER VIEW. it will be big bux to get the nfl and they will revenue split right on down the line. there will still be cups and mugs and jerseys and hats, but all the nanny goody two shoes mentality that has creeped into our schools and society in general is now starting to rear its head in our national sports.

sickening!!

do i think this no kick off thing will happen anytime soon? probably not. but then i never thought i would see japanese cars in nascar either. and i sure didnt think they would be allowed to go on in their inaugural season running japanese cars after they were caught red handed CHEATING, making huge, changes to their fuel system and restrictor plate close to getting the cars out on the track. they were NOT things that could be an oops [like gordons 1,000th of an inch of the rear fender template that cost him the championship that year. re fabing your restrictor plate and re doing the mix on your fuel delivery system is not an OOPSY! its a PLANNED cheat.

strange things are happpening in our country every day [or night in a lot of cases] so waking up and finding out there is no more kick off wouldnt suprise me one bit either.

 

[FinsNCanes]

Wont happen now, don't be suprised in the next 5 years or so. The fact an owner even mentions something like that is a disgrace to the game really. Let's be honest though..football kind of sucks now. I might start watching Hockey. You won't be able to sack the QB within the next 10 years.

 

[CalDolFan10x14]

Never going to happen, if anything just for the reason Roman gave.

 

[dreday]

From Wikipedia:

"Goodell was born in Jamestown, New York,[4] the son of the late United States Senator Charles E. Goodell, a Republican from New York, and the late Jean Rice Goodell of Buffalo, New York. He graduated from Bronxville High School where, as a three-sport star in football, basketball, and baseball, he captained all three teams as a senior and was named the school's athlete of the year.[5] Injuries kept him from playing college football."

mystery solved!

 

[FinsNCanes]

I can see within like 20 years or so NFL games being played in a lot smaller arenas (think of something like Marlins stadium or even arena stadiums) with no kickoffs, no onside kicks, can't hit the WR unless he takes 4 steps which then will be considered a "football move", no fumbles, can't look at the QB. They will also incorporate a rule where if a player is drafted by a team he doesn't like he won't have to play for them because we don't want to hurt anyones feelings.

I watched the movie "Demolition Man" the other day which hadn't seen in a while (great kind of cheesy flick if hadn't seen), but it kind of made me laugh just to see how things are going and how they also potrayed things in the movie. If you swore in the movie you were ticketed, no contact sports, sugar, caffeine, anything bad for you. LOL..funny..but I could see it. Some 8th grader was suspended the other day in NC for hugging his teacher..

 

[Awsi Dooger]

The recent post was comically representative of the true NRA, and the reason that segment of society is essentially talking to itself -- sharing tales of fear -- a demographic declining in percentages and eventually influence. The clock is ticking 2% downward every 4 years on the right, although I'm certain a specific TV network never mentions that.

Fear is not an attractant, particularly because it naturally attaches to bizarre desperate exaggerated claims, ones that read very similarly to that post. The caliber of Ted Nugent a mouthpiece for the other side...I'll sign up for that forever.

This isn't the political forum but since a nonsense post like that is allowed to stand I'll comment once.

Anyway, there's no doubt the NFL is strongly considering a considerable kickoff departure from what we're accustomed to. Goodell's trend line is very clear, he makes an initial move then once it settles and is accepted he goes further. There's no chance he'll wipe his hands at the 35 yard line and say fixed. It's the reason I have to laugh every time Dee and Ross believe their stadium will return to the Super Bowl rotation. Goodell has already demonstrated a willingness to break tradition and head to mega stadiums and colder climates. But we're supposed to believe a Jetsons roof, nearer seats, and even more of a La Quinta lobby feel to the club level will wow Roger Goodell and suddenly a 25+ year old patchwork dump has returned to regular Super status. Sure.

Moving the kickoff forward again is a logical step, reducing returns while allowing a point for the onside kick. But I'm sure the league worries if you pace too far forward without taking other steps it will encourage coaches to scheme toward bloop kicks and other methods to swipe field position instead of settling for a touchback.

BTW, when starting position is tighter to your own goal line, caliber of quarterback is even more significant. Last year the average starting point after a kickoff was the 22 yard line, a 5 yard decline from previous seasons. I got a kick out of the media ignoring the kickoff rule as partial reason for the jump in passing yardage. Let me guess, if every kickoff return ends at midfield, passing yardage will go down. Amazing how that works.