No one, including the referees, seems to be fully familiar with the NFL’s new kickoff rules for this season.
This was evident in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 26-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in their warm-up game on Saturday night in Florida.
Just before halftime, after scoring a touchdown, the Jaguars kicked the ball back to the Chiefs. The ball initially bounced just inside the end zone before rolling back into play. After letting it fall to the ground and come to a stop, Chiefs returner Mecole Hardman grabbed the ball and brought it back to the end zone, where he took a knee.
Originally, the play was ruled a touchback by the referees – which would have been correct under the old rules. But under the NFL’s new kickoff rules, which completely changed the play, that is no longer the case. During a timeout, while the referees were getting ready, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson ran out to contest the decision.
As it turned out, he was right. The play was called back and the Jaguars were awarded a safety, putting them ahead 20-10 at halftime.
“The ball landed in the end zone and is still a live ball by the rules,” Pederson said, via ESPN. “Last year that would have been down, it would have been dead and the ball would have come out to the 25 or whatever it was last year. Now the ball is live, so the ball was in the end zone, came out to the half-yard line. The returner was in the end zone but pulled the ball back into the end zone when he got on his knees.
“So safety. That’s the rule.”
The NFL is implementing new rules for kickoffs this season, and the game looks completely different. The kicking team will still kick the ball from its own 35-yard line, but the kicking team’s players will start at the opponent’s 40-yard line and will not be allowed to move until the ball either touches the ground or a player in the “landing zone,” which is defined as the area between the goal line and the 20-yard line.
The changes were made to make the play safer without completely eliminating it from the game, and to try to keep kickoffs relevant. Last season, only about 22% of kickoffs were actually returned — the lowest rate in NFL history.
Although this is a pretty big mistake that could lead to problems later, Chiefs coach Andy Reid wasn’t too bothered by it. After all, it was their first preseason game and the first time with the new rules.
“Usually, if the ball goes into the end zone and you touch it there, it’s a dead ball,” he said, via ESPN. “We’ll clean it up and see what they come up with.”
The Chiefs, who just won their second consecutive Super Bowl, will open their season on September 5 against the Baltimore Ravens. The Jaguars, who missed the playoffs last season after finishing 9-8, will open the year on September 8 against the Miami Dolphins.
