Potential Flaw in New Kickoff Rule Threatens Fairness in Football

On Friday, a potential flaw in the new kickoff rule was brought to light that could result in defenses targeting kickers during PAT attempts without facing any real consequences. This is because penalties on the PAT attempt only affect the spot of the kick, without changing the configuration of the other 21 players. Therefore, there is no downside for defenses to take extreme measures to block an extra point. After posting the story and discussing it on Friday’s PFT Live, some believe that teams will have the option to enforce a penalty on the PAT attempt after the kickoff. For instance, if roughing the kicker occurs during the PAT attempt, the kicking team could move their offense back from 30 to 15 before starting their next drive. However, according to NFL officials, there is currently no option for teams to enforce such a penalty after the kickoff.

The special teams working group will continue collaborating with officiating department members to create approved rulings and additional language that supports this new rule. This language will be reviewed by all clubs and finalized at a May meeting. While this process may help address potential flaws in this rule, it raises concerns about enforcing penalties that were not committed during that play if defenders block every PAT without fear of consequences. Moreover, giving kicking teams an option to penalize roughing of a kicker after a successful PAT could create complications if receiving teams return kicks for touchdowns.

This situation highlights how rushed implementation of rules can lead to unforeseen problems like these. The NFL needs more time and effort in developing rules that are well-thought-out and thoroughly tested before implementing them. Additionally, creating clear guidelines for enforcing penalties during PAT attempts would ensure fairness and prevent such complications from occurring again in future games.

If you have suggestions or ideas for resolving these issues or any other problem related to football rules or regulations, feel free to share them with us!