Proposed kickoff rule moves touchbacks from the 30 to the 35

The dynamic kickoff was adopted in 2024 as a one-year experiment. This year, the proposal from the Competition Committee calls for a permanent change.

And the proposed tweaks include, as expected, moving the touchback point from the receiving team’s 30 to its 35.

That will surely result in more returns if it’s passed, since it will eliminate the temptation to bang the ball out of the end zone and concede the 30. Giving up another five yards will be, in most circumstances, too much to surrender. (There still will be situations where it makes sense, such as when the team that just scored has a two-score lead late in the game.)

The proposal does not move the point of the kickoff from the kicking team’s 35. Also, for kicks that strike the field in the landing zone, make it to the end zone, and aren’t returned, the touchback point remains the receiving team’s 20. The starting point for kicks that go out of bounds or fail to make it to the front of the landing zone (at the receiving team’s 20) remain the receiving team’s 40 (technically, 25 yards from the kickoff point).

Because last year’s dynamic kickoff was passed as a one-year experiment, the rules revert to 2023 unless and until at least 24 owners vote for something else.