All eyes in the NFL will be on the Bears when they take on the Texans in Thursday night’s Hall of Fame game, but not because folks will be hoping to get a glimpse of Caleb Williams on the sidelines, or the new-look Bears offense. Instead, every team will be dialed in to the first preseason game of the year because it’s the first look we’ll get at the league’s new kickoff rules.
Earlier this year, the league adopted the new ruleset in an effort to increase the rate of returns, while keeping the play safe. Here’s how it will work:
ALIGNMENT
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The kicker will set up at the kicking team’s 35-yard line, just like the previous kickoff rules. The other 10 players on the kicking team, however, will line up on the receiving team’s 40-yard line. The kicker cannot cross the 50 until the ball lands or is fielded. The 10 players in coverage cannot move at all until the ball hits the ground or until it is fielded.
The receiving team must have nine players in a “setup zone” between their own 35 and 30-yard lines. Seven of those players must have a foot on the 35-yard line. Players without a foot on the 35-yard line must line up outside the hashes. The team can have two players set up to receive the kick in the “landing zone,” between the goal line and the 20-yard line. The players in the setup zone cannot move until the ball hits the ground or is fielded. The returners in the landing zone can move at any time.
TOUCHBACKS
Any kick that hits in the landing zone must be returned. If a kick drops in the landing zone and trickles into the endzone, it can be returned or downed. If downed, the ball will be placed at the receiving team’s 20-yard line. A kick that hits in the end zone can be returned or downed. If downed, the ball will be placed at the receiving team’s 30-yard line. A kick that goes out the back of the end zone will be placed at the 30-yard line, too. Any kick that hits short of the landing zone will be blown dead, and the ball will be placed at the receiving team’s 40-yard line. Balls that go out of bounds are also placed at the 40-yard line.
NFL
ONSIDE KICKS
At the start of the fourth quarter, a team may declare that it is going to attempt an onside kick. Regular onside kick rules apply from there.
PENALTIES
Any penalties that may affect a kickoff will not change where players line up in the landing zone or setup zone. The only thing that changes is where the kicker lines up to kick the ball.
WINDY WEATHER
If conditions cause the ball to fall off the tee twice, the kicker may use a kick stick to hold the ball up. The kicking team does not need to have a player hold the ball.