As the NFL adopted a new rule at the owners meetings Wednesday governing touchbacks intended to cut back on injuries on arguably one of the most dangerous plays in football, the change sparked debate about how it will impact strategy and roster decisions.
Approving a competition committee proposal, the NFL moved the spot following touchback to the 25-yard line from the 20 as an experiment for next season. It will be voted on again in a year on whether the change will become permanent. Several NFL coaches lobbied against the change, competition committee chairman Rich McKay acknowledged.

Kickers to get creative
Once one of the most electrifying plays in the game, kickoff returns have been curtailed over the years as the NFL moved the kickoff start from the 30-yard line to the 35.
“This isn’t good news for the returner,” Texans kicker Nick Novak said. “They want to do their job and try to score touchdowns and create a huge momentum swing. It’s exciting for me. I know I’ll have more touchbacks and kicks inside the 20. That’s the mindset kickers are going to have.
“It’s really based on what the team values and kicks can be strategic. The touchback percentage will go way up this year.”
Will kickoff returners become relatively obsolete if teams are content to take the extra five yards of field position at the 25 rather than attempt a return? Or will teams kick it high and short in hopes of pinning down returns inside the 25?
“The emphasis for most teams has always been to try to get a touchback, and I think the kick return teams will be told to stay in because the scoring percentage for an offense from the 25 is a little bit better than scoring from the 20,” Novak said. “Kickers will get more creative. I feel like my strength has been getting the ball into the corner. I’m not a coach, but I’ve been kicking for a long time and I think it’s a great option to get it inside the 25 and get a coverage team that can tackle him inside the 20.
“You will still have aggressive special-teams coaches, but when you catch it five yards deep in the end zone and can down it and have a 25-yard return that’s a pretty good return.”

Injuries dictate strategy
The concern about devastating injuries, including former Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand suffering paralysis on a tackle on a kickoff in 2010 and Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett suffering a career-ending spine injury while making a tackle on a kickoff against the New York Giants in 2007, has prompted the changes to kickoffs.
“In the beginning of the NFL season, I think it will be fine before there are a lot of injuries,” said former Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings special-teams coach Gary Zauner, now a private coach for specialists based in Arizona. “Later in the season when guys get hurt and you have some starters covering kicks on special teams, I think that’s when that approach will change and people will be kicking it out of the end zone again.
“In football, everything is predicated by field position. I think the teams will say, ‘Let’s kick it high and short’ because I don’t think you want great returners getting the ball. They’ve been just kicking it deep and you could put anybody on the kickoff team.
“I think it’s going to be a lot to think about.”