NFL's New Kickoff Rule Changes Explained in Madden 25 Gameplay Video Before HoF Game
August 1, 2024
Fans who still have questions about the NFL's new kickoff rules got a special demonstration of how it will work with some help from EA Sports.
The NFL released a video featuring Madden NFL 25 gameplay breaking down the dynamic kickoff rule that will be used for the first time on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame Game between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans.
NFL @NFLThe new Dynamic Kickoff rule is going into action tonight at the <a href="https://twitter.com/ProFootballHOF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ProFootballHOF</a> Game.<br><br>Before you see it, get a full breakdown of the new play, the coaches who helped shape the rules and how it was integrated into <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Madden25?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Madden25</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/EAMaddenNFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EAMaddenNFL</a> <a href="https://t.co/gkRXePPpN4">pic.twitter.com/gkRXePPpN4</a>
Owners voted to approve the new rule in March after the league saw a record-low 22 percent of kickoffs returned during the 2023 season.
The new kickoff is modeled off the version that was used in the XFL. The difference in return rates between the two leagues was staggering.
The NFL isn't anticipating a 97 percent return rate this season, but special teams coaches throughout the league estimate the rate could be between 50 to 60 percent in 2024 in a study from the NFL Football Operations data and analytics .
Other notable data from the study indicates drives are expected to start closer to the 30-yard line, as opposed to the 25-yard line on a touchback. It also found that 30 percent of drives during the 2023 XFL season started on or beyond the 31-yard line.
By comparison, 88 percent of drives after kickoffs during the 2023 NFL season started between the 21-30-yard lines.
Kickoff return rates have generally been around 36 to 42 percent since 2015. Owners approved a rule change in 2016 that moved touchbacks up five yards from the 20 to the 25-yard line. The league allowed for fair catches on kickoffs to be placed at the 25-yard line last season.
Those changes were made in an attempt to combat the risk of injuries on high-impact plays. The new dynamic kickoff rule will in theory limit harder hits that can cause injuries because players won't be able to get as much of a running start before going after the ball-carrier.
The Bears and Texans will kickoff the 2024 season on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
