NFL Rule Change - Fair Catch

[sb41champs]

Per NFL.com:

 

 

NFL owners voted on Tuesday to approve a resolution that allows players to fair catch on kickoffs with the resulting possession beginning at the team's own 25-yard line.

The new rule specifies that the fair catch off a free kick (safety or kickoff) must occur behind the team's 25-yard line in order for the ball to be placed at the 25.

 

The rule change will be for one year only, with the league citing "player safety" as a reason for its proposal.

 

"The kickoff play for us has been a play that has had a lot of changes for us over the years, all really driven by health and safety," Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL's competition committee, told NFL Network's Judy Battista. "The concussion rate on the play has gone up. It's gone up because the ball is being returned more by kicks that are being hung inside the 5-yard line. College made this rule change in maybe 2018 or 2019. We looked at their data and said, you know what, this is the right thing to do now."

 

McKay and NFL executive Jeff Miller said Tuesday that their modeling says the kickoff return rate will decrease from 38% to 31% and the concussion rate will drop 15% due to the approved proposal.

 

"We needed to do something," McKay added. "We just can't sit there and ignore that data."

[gspdx]

If this is the plan and the direction it seems kickoffs are doomed.  Might as well place the ball at the 25 and just forget about kickoffs.

 

I always enjoyed them, but everything changes over time.

[crazycolt1]

So the NFL has decided to take away one of the most exciting plays in football? Sad day for pure football fans.

[King Colt]

PHILADELPHIA — More than $500 million in claims were approved as of Monday under the NFL's concussion settlement, nearly a decade earlier than league officials estimated they would reach that amount.

Claims administrators in the settlement released an updated report on the concussion settlement information website saying $502,465,098 had been approved in less than two years of the settlement. The original actuarial estimates from the NFL estimated a little more than $400 million would be paid out in the first decade.

Attorneys for the retired players adjusted their estimates on the total payout of expected claims earlier this month, saying the settlement would likely reach $1.4 billion — almost a half billion more than the NFL originally estimated.

"We encourage all eligible former players to immediately sign up for a baseline assessment, and they can take comfort in knowing that compensation will be available for more than 60 years if they develop a qualifying condition," said Christopher Seeger, co-lead class counsel for the former NFL players. "The fact that $500 million in claims have been approved in less than two years proves that this settlement is fulfilling its promise to former NFL players and their families."

Almost 2,000 claims have been filed in less than two years, according to the update filed Monday. Hundreds more of the nearly 20,500 retired players signed up to be prequalified to file claims than were expected, outpacing all previous projections.

As of Monday, the claims administrator said 7,343 medical appointments to assess neurological baselines had been made and more than 6,000 had been attended.

 

https://www.bing.com/search?q=how+many+concussion+lawsuits+have+been+placed+against+the+nFL&cvid=e3ed3974ede44c35a670a38310cdf6bd&aqs=edge..69i57.38209j0j9&FORM=ANAB01&P

[CoachLite]

6 hours ago, sb41champs said:

Per NFL.com:

 

 

NFL owners voted on Tuesday to approve a resolution that allows players to fair catch on kickoffs with the resulting possession beginning at the team's own 25-yard line.

The new rule specifies that the fair catch off a free kick (safety or kickoff) must occur behind the team's 25-yard line in order for the ball to be placed at the 25.

 

The rule change will be for one year only, with the league citing "player safety" as a reason for its proposal.

 

"The kickoff play for us has been a play that has had a lot of changes for us over the years, all really driven by health and safety," Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL's competition committee, told NFL Network's Judy Battista. "The concussion rate on the play has gone up. It's gone up because the ball is being returned more by kicks that are being hung inside the 5-yard line. College made this rule change in maybe 2018 or 2019. We looked at their data and said, you know what, this is the right thing to do now."

 

McKay and NFL executive Jeff Miller said Tuesday that their modeling says the kickoff return rate will decrease from 38% to 31% and the concussion rate will drop 15% due to the approved proposal.

 

"We needed to do something," McKay added. "We just can't sit there and ignore that data."

Just change what used to be football into "Fairies Tap", and replace both grass and synthetic turf with bubble wrap. That should make the game safer, too.

[sb41champs]

18 hours ago, King Colt said:

PHILADELPHIA — More than $500 million in claims were approved as of Monday under the NFL's concussion settlement, nearly a decade earlier than league officials estimated they would reach that amount.

Claims administrators in the settlement released an updated report on the concussion settlement information website saying $502,465,098 had been approved in less than two years of the settlement. The original actuarial estimates from the NFL estimated a little more than $400 million would be paid out in the first decade.

Attorneys for the retired players adjusted their estimates on the total payout of expected claims earlier this month, saying the settlement would likely reach $1.4 billion — almost a half billion more than the NFL originally estimated.

"We encourage all eligible former players to immediately sign up for a baseline assessment, and they can take comfort in knowing that compensation will be available for more than 60 years if they develop a qualifying condition," said Christopher Seeger, co-lead class counsel for the former NFL players. "The fact that $500 million in claims have been approved in less than two years proves that this settlement is fulfilling its promise to former NFL players and their families."

Almost 2,000 claims have been filed in less than two years, according to the update filed Monday. Hundreds more of the nearly 20,500 retired players signed up to be prequalified to file claims than were expected, outpacing all previous projections.

As of Monday, the claims administrator said 7,343 medical appointments to assess neurological baselines had been made and more than 6,000 had been attended.

 

https://www.bing.com/search?q=how+many+concussion+lawsuits+have+been+placed+against+the+nFL&cvid=e3ed3974ede44c35a670a38310cdf6bd&aqs=edge..69i57.38209j0j9&FORM=ANAB01&P

Thank you for sharing this valuable information.

 

It is my hope that the families of some of the all-time greats like Junior Seau - Bob Kuechenberg - Mike Webster - Nick Buoniconti - and - more are financially compensated.

 

Unfortunately - this settlement came far too late to save any of them.

[crazycolt1]

10 hours ago, sb41champs said:

Thank you for sharing this valuable information.

 

It is my hope that the families of some of the all-time greats like Junior Seau - Bob Kuechenberg - Mike Webster - Nick Buoniconti - and - more are financially compensated.

 

Unfortunately - this settlement came far too late to save any of them.

Unfortunately a settlement would not have saved any of these men. It has now become a lawyers pay day. 

[sb41champs]

18 hours ago, crazycolt1 said:

Unfortunately a settlement would not have saved any of these men. It has now become a lawyers pay day. 

True that.  I misstated.

 

But - it would have helped them get better medical treatment for their traumatic brain injuries so they didn't suffer as much.

 

The settlement for the families will help them move forward after the tragedy of their loved one's disability and deaths.

[w87r]

I actually think that , while it may decrease the KO return percentages a little, I think it could lead to more exciting returns.

 

 

Most KO returners are going to feel like they can get the ball past the 25yd line if they start their return in the field of play.

 

Now saying that, I also feel that the kickoff teams might let off the gas a little bit sometimes because they feel the other team will just be calling a fair catch.

 

 

I don't think it will change too much, pro returners aren't college guys. They return KOs from 6-8yds deep sometimes. Now from the 5yd line. Most are returning it.

[teganslaw]

Cowboys WR and kick returner KaVontae Turpin says that he isn't fair catching anything. College has those rules, and he never did that in college games. Maybe other players feel the same way, but aren't saying anything. There might not be many fair catches if players don't like it. 

[Chrisaaron1023]

On 5/23/2023 at 2:55 PM, gspdx said:

If this is the plan and the direction it seems kickoffs are doomed.  Might as well place the ball at the 25 and just forget about kickoffs.

 

I always enjoyed them, but everything changes over time.

I actually think if they want to eliminate kickoffs.. move the starting FP back to the 20... those 5 make a big difference 

[gspdx]

8 minutes ago, Chrisaaron1023 said:

I actually think if they want to eliminate kickoffs.. move the starting FP back to the 20... those 5 make a big difference 

 

That would work.

 

[gspdx]

One of my favorite kickoff plays - but this is the reason for changing kickoffs.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0_rXN5itlg

 

[Superman]

It seems like the point is to make kickoff plays so inconsequential that they can come back and say 'less than 1% of kickoffs is returned past the 25, let's just get rid of this play.' And if that's the case, just get rid of it now. Make the case that it's the most dangerous play in the game, and not worth the statistically rare but exciting big return, and eliminate the play altogether.

 

At the same time, approve the proposal for a 4th and 15 to replace an onside kick, and you can actually recoup some of that excitement. Maybe more... there would probably immediately be as many 4th and 15 tries as there are big kick returns. And that would probably influence decision making at the end of games -- more 4th down attempts, more 2 point attempts, just generally more aggressive decisions to try to put games away, because a more legitimate alternative to the onside kick makes it easier for a trailing team to get the ball back. 

[John Waylon]

So if all the coaches and players are against this the way they say they are, they’re going to just ignore it and never call for a fair catch on a kickoff, right?

I guess we’ll find out who is really against it and who isn’t in a few months. 
 

I’m guessing once some balls are in the air we’re gonna see a lot less opposition than we’ve heard. 

[Myles]

On 5/31/2023 at 1:58 PM, Superman said:

It seems like the point is to make kickoff plays so inconsequential that they can come back and say 'less than 1% of kickoffs is returned past the 25, let's just get rid of this play.' And if that's the case, just get rid of it now. Make the case that it's the most dangerous play in the game, and not worth the statistically rare but exciting big return, and eliminate the play altogether.

 

At the same time, approve the proposal for a 4th and 15 to replace an onside kick, and you can actually recoup some of that excitement. Maybe more... there would probably immediately be as many 4th and 15 tries as there are big kick returns. And that would probably influence decision making at the end of games -- more 4th down attempts, more 2 point attempts, just generally more aggressive decisions to try to put games away, because a more legitimate alternative to the onside kick makes it easier for a trailing team to get the ball back. 

I think it should be more like 4th and 25 but would still be against it.  It strongly favors a passing team.  A team that relies on the run much more would suffer.

[Superman]

On 6/3/2023 at 6:23 PM, Myles said:

I think it should be more like 4th and 25 but would still be against it.  It strongly favors a passing team.  A team that relies on the run much more would suffer.

 

Doesn't pro football in general strongly favor teams that are good in the passing game?

[coltsva]

I'm not a fan of the 4th & 15. Seems too gimmicky & unfair to a team that has worked for the entire game to get a two score )or more) lead. 

 

I'll throw out this solution (I probably should have worded that better) 

Stop the clock after each play when under a minute left in the game.

Prevents the kneel down/victory formation.

Forces the team with the lead & possession to continue to play the game the way it's played for the previous 59 minutes, or in other words, keep trying for first downs. 

With 1 minute left, stopping the clock after each play would be 10 plays (average). It won't be much different if the trailing team has the ball, but it will be if the leading team has the ball. It would force them to get a couple of first downs or punt the ball. 

 

 

 

 

[w87r]

I saw that the Patriots have been practicing squib kicks to force returns.

 

I imagine some other teams will implement that as well.

[Myles]

On 6/12/2023 at 12:11 PM, Superman said:

 

Doesn't pro football in general strongly favor teams that are good in the passing game?

Of course, but I am against rules that only favor a passing team.  Say a team has a poor pass offense but has the best rushing attack in the league.   They are 10-6 and playing for a playoff spot.  Even if, as a team, they rushed for over 5 yards a carry throughout the season, 4th and 15 is still a passing down.   A running team would probably like their odds of an onside kick much more.

[Superman]

1 minute ago, Myles said:

Of course, but I am against rules that only favor a passing team.  Say a team has a poor pass offense but has the best rushing attack in the league.   They are 10-6 and playing for a playoff spot.  Even if, as a team, they rushed for over 5 yards a carry throughout the season, 4th and 15 is still a passing down.   A running team would probably like their odds of an onside kick much more.

 

I think an option would be acceptable. Onside kick isn't as dangerous as a full kickoff. So if a running team really would prefer an onside to 4th and 15, they can have that choice.

 

But I think the bolded is wild. Since the onside kick rule was changed in 2020, teams recover onside kicks attempts at 6.7%. Since 2013, teams convert 4th and 15 attempts 21.9%.

 

https://www.fanduel.com/theduel/posts/history-of-onside-kicks-in-the-super-bowl-recent-attempts-successes-stats-01gr4a49de0r#:~:text=Onside Kick Success Rate by Year&text=Check out the last 10,56 attempts recovered (16.1%)

 

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-fourth-down-conversion-chart-rate-by-distance/vofkeub6xwms6imajxqkfipp