NFL modifies kickoff for more safety and more returns
NFL sets new, safer kickoffs with touchbacks at the 35-yard line; Trump rejects it, saying it "ruins" football.
Photo of Fredrick Lee in Unsplash
The NFL has made official for the 2025 season a permanent rule that alters the kickoff format with the goal of reducing serious injuries and encouraging more return plays.
Among the main changes:
- The touchback (when the ball enters the end zone or goes over without being returned) now places the ball on the 35-yard line instead of the 30..
- A special formation is maintained in dynamic kickoffs: the kicker starts the play alone at his 35-yard line, while the rest of the kicking team positions themselves well ahead, at the receiving team's 40-yard line, unable to move until the ball is in play.
- One of the goals is to have more returns and fewer violent hits like those that occurred when players from both teams faced each other at high speeds.
Donald Trump lashed out at the NFL's new rule
President Donald Trump harshly criticized this new rule. In posts on his social media platform, Truth Social, he called it "ridiculous," "effeminate," and "sissy football," saying it's "not what football is really about." He also stated that he believes the rule goes against the spirit of the game, questioning the rapid change and stating that it looks "horrible."
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