Placing the ball at the 25 yard line following a fair catch

[Jegpeg]

NFL owners voted on today 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.

As far as I can tell while unpopular the league felt they had to do it because injuries are much higher when a kick-off is returned than in other plays and college football shows that having this rule reduces the number of such plays.

Surely if the object is to reduce the number of kick-off returns the solution is to just get rid of them. Kick-offs are eliminated and instead of a punt a team on offence can give the ball away with the opposing team starting on their own 25. Alternatively the ball is kicked and the opposing team start their drive where the ball lands (or on the 25 if it lands in the end zone or oob).

In fact if the objective is to reduce injuries get rid of tackling entirely and just play flag football.

 

[renofox]

In fact if the objective is to reduce injuries get rid of tackling entirely and just play flag football.

Nailed it!

This makes kickers even less valuable. Having a good kicker who can kickoff high to the 1 yard line to force a return is no longer valuable as that strategy/skill has now been negated. Same thing with punters.

Coming next - no more rushing or OL or DL or rushing the passer. 7 players each side. C, QB, 5 WR vs. 7 DB.

Use flags so nobody gets hurt. Any contact whatsoever is a penalty.

Sounds like a great game for betas and pussiez.

 

[GGotskill]

Nailed it!

This makes kickers even less valuable. Having a good kicker who can kickoff high to the 1 yard line to force a return is no longer valuable as that strategy/skill has now been negated. Same thing with punters.

Coming next - no more rushing or OL or DL or rushing the passer. 7 players each side. C, QB, 5 WR vs. 7 DB.

Use flags so nobody gets hurt. Any contact whatsoever is a penalty.

Sounds like a great game for betas and pussiez.

Anybody that thinks this is about "safety", and not about future liability, doesn't understand what is going on here. The league/owners don't care about player safety. They care about lawsuits down the road.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

 

[BlueTalon]

They can't fair catch a ball after it's hit the ground, right?

Squib kick.

 

[WmHBonney]

Just allow kickers to boot the ball out of bounds on kick offs like punters can do. If you have a guy that can pin a team inside the 10 yard line, then good for you. Giving teams the ball at the 25 is too much with today's other rules geared towards the offense. You are literally giving them 1/4 of the playing field.