As most NFL fans know, it’s illegal for any team to put 12 players on the field for any play during a game. However, for the 2024 season, there will actually be one situation where the league will allow teams to have an extra man on the field.
The New Kickoff Rule
- Introduction: The addition of a 12th man is part of the new kickoff rule being implemented this year. NFL referee John Hussey explained this new wrinkle during a visit to the Chiefs’ training camp in Kansas City.
- Windy Game Exception: Teams can use an extra player as a holder for kickoffs during windy games where the ball won’t stay on the tee. This 12th man cannot participate in the play after holding the ball for the kicker. “They can’t do anything,” Hussey clarified, via Fox4KC.com.
Setup and Mechanics
- Kicker and Team Positioning: The return team will set up with the kicker at his own 35-yard line, while his 10 teammates line up 25 yards away at the return team’s 40-yard line. Every member of the coverage team must have one foot on the 40-yard line until the ball is fielded or hits the ground in the landing zone. The kicker cannot cross the 50 until the ball is in play, allowing the 12th man/holder ample time to get off the field.
- Implementation and Uncertainty: Approved in March, the new rule leaves many unknowns. Some teams, like the Chiefs, are considering using a position player as a kicker, while others may stick with their regular kickers.
Key Changes in the Rule
- Returner’s Position: If a returner touches the ball with one foot outside the landing zone, the ball is considered out of bounds. Under the old rule, if a player touched the football while part of his body was out of bounds, the ball was considered out of bounds, and the return team got the ball at the 40-yard line.
- Landing Zone: Starting at the return team’s 20-yard line, if a returner touches the ball with one foot on the 20.5-yard line, the ball is out of bounds, and the return team gets the ball at the 40.
Complexity and Expectations
- Detailed Rulebook: The NFL needed 9.5 pages to explain the new rule, highlighting its complexity.
- Uncertain Outcomes: Officials, including Hussey, are unsure how teams will adapt. “Are they going to kick a line drive? Are they going to pooch the ball into the 20? Are they going to keep two receivers back? Move a 10th person up? There’s a lot we don’t know,” Hussey said, via ESPN.com.
Trial Run and Future Decisions
- Hall of Fame Game: The rule will debut during the Bears vs. Texans Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio.
- One-Year Trial: The new kickoff rule is on a one-year trial basis. If teams dislike it, the NFL can discard it after the 2024 season. If it proves popular, it could become a permanent fixture starting in 2025.
The NFL’s new kickoff rule introduces an interesting twist with the addition of a 12th man for specific situations. As the season unfolds, it will be fascinating to see how teams and officials adapt to this change.