NFL Could Do Away With Kickoffs Entirely

The NFL Competition Committee is taking more steps to eliminate concussions in pro football, including the possible elimination of kickoffs.

At this week’s owners meetings, Packers owner Mark Murphy quoted statistics from the league’s medical department. The numbers show that concussions are five times more likely to occur during kickoffs than in any other play.

This is despite a temporary rule change (made permanent at this meeting) that brought touchbacks to the 25 yard line. Mark Murphy said that if concussion injuries continue during kickoffs, the competition committee will recommend it’s removal in the future.

“We’ve reduced the number of returns,” He said. “But we haven’t really done anything to make the play safer.”

It is unlikely that kickoffs will be removed for the 2018 season. However, the league will bring together head coaches and special-teams coordinators to discuss it “in the next few weeks”.

“If you don’t make changes to make it safer, we’re going to do away with it. It’s that serious. It’s by far the most dangerous play in the game,” said Murphy.

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A month after Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills issued a call to action over 291 concussions in 2017, things are starting to move.

On Tuesday, team owners approved an unexpected new rule. The new rule threatens ejection for any player who lowers his helmet to initiate physical contact.

The rule moving touchbacks to the 25 yard line has resulted in fewer returns. However, that is not where the damage is being done.

“The other thing that’s kind of frustrating,” said Murphy, “is there were concussions on touchbacks. So even though there’s no return, [the committee is] looking at what kind of things you can do to make sure people were aware that there’s not even a return. You see this, too: One player lets up, the player covering lets up, and one of the blockers comes over and, you know. That creates problems when you’ve got one player going half-speed and the other one full speed.”