President Donald Trump has voiced his disapproval of the NFL’s new changes to the kickoff rule.
If it were up to him, it would’ve never gotten approved at all last year.
The new “dynamic kickoff” rule, intended to encourage teams to return more kickoffs, came into effect in 2024. Players from the kicking team now lined up on the opposition’s 40-yard line rather than behind the kicker.
The NFL decided to put them together to minimize full-speed collisions.
The rule features a “landing zone” for every kickoff as two returners are positioned within the Landing Zone, and they are the only people, aside from the kicker, who can move before the ball lands.
The rule change has been controversial among some fans, including Donald Trump.
Trump criticized the NFL for getting rid of its old rules.
“I don’t know what they’re doing with the kickoff return in the NFL. And I don’t want to get involved in controversy, of course, but it looks so bad,” Trump said in November. And I noticed that they hadn’t done that in college, and they shouldn’t do it. And I think the NFL should go back. And maybe it is a little bit more dangerous, but I doubt that it’s any more dangerous. It’s football. I think they made a terrible mistake in doing that.”
That rule change was certainly on his mind during the lead-up to Super Bowl 59 between the Chiefs and Eagles.
Donald Trump thought the dynamic kickoff was dangerous for football.
“Two great Quarterbacks in this game. Also, an unbelievable running back, and the absolute best tight end in football (Ever!). Incredible coaching,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new Kickoff’ deal,’ which actually makes football more dangerous, they would be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor.”
In the first year of the Dynamic Kickoff, returns rose from 21.8 percent in 2023 to 32.8 percent in 2024.
What Will Donald Trump Think of The New Proposal?
Donald Trump (Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)
More changes could be coming to the NFL’s kickoff in 2025.
According to Mark Maske of the Washington Post, the league’s competition committee is expected to approve a rule that will bring touchbacks to the 35-yard line.
That is a five-yard move, as previous touchbacks came out to the 30-yard line.
There were 332 more returns in 2024 than there were in 2023.
We shall see what Trump has to say about it if it is approved and showcased in 2025.
