ORLANDO, Fla. — John Fassel stepped out of the Ritz-Carlton ballroom with a pencil behind his ear, as at all times. The Dallas Cowboys’ particular groups coordinator was invited to his first league conferences with a particular duty this yr: to current the brand new kickoff proposal to all 32 NFL house owners for the primary time.
Fassel and New Orleans Saints particular groups coordinator Darren Rizzi spent Sunday afternoon doing their greatest to persuade possession that the kickoff play has been a non-factor and that its revival is of the utmost significance for the NFL. The duo is effectively practiced by now at explaining the brand new kickoff — to their particular groups friends throughout the NFL, to the competitors committee — however this was their first time in a room with NFL possession.
The proposal goals to extend kickoff returns and scale back harm by eliminating the working begin of the kickoff group and by incentivizing kickers to drop kicks right into a touchdown zone, which extends from the purpose line to the 20-yard line. Any kick that drops within the touchdown zone should be returned. If it bounces into the tip zone from the touchdown zone, it should be returned or downed, and any kick that falls in need of the touchdown zone shall be handled like an out-of-bounds kickoff and positioned on the receiving group’s 40-yard line. Any kick that lands in the long run zone or goes out of the again of the tip zone is a touchback and positioned on the 30-yard line.
Competitors committee chairman Wealthy McKay stated that in 2010 there have been 416 touchbacks and 45,000 return yards. This season, there have been 1,970 touchbacks and simply 13,000 return yards.
Fassel stated gamers and followers are losing interest, and there’s plenty of put on and tear on particular groups gamers from all of the working and little payoff.
Fassel stated the house owners will vote on the brand new kickoff proposal Monday, and he doesn’t know which approach it would go. He awoke feeling good about it, however on the finish of the conferences at 5 p.m., he wasn’t as assured.
“I really feel prefer it’s leaning in the direction of sure however teetering,” Fassel informed The Athletic. “It’s sort of entering into waves. Like, you are feeling nice. Like, ‘Ahh, it’s gonna go!’ After which I really feel like there’s chilly ft.”
In what may sweeten the proposal for some house owners who’re resistant to alter, NFL Community reported that the competitors committee unanimously determined Monday to alter a part of the unique kickoff proposal. The unique proposal had touchbacks popping out to the receiving group’s 35-yard line, and with the change authorized Sunday, touchbacks that go into the tip zone on the fly will come out to the 30-yard line as an alternative, a way more digestible area place.
That also may not be the ultimate model of the brand new kickoff that passes Monday, if one does. Fassel stated they mentioned a number of adjustments to the proposal within the assembly.
“Issues may continually change,” Fassel stated. “It might be so simple as the kicker — do we’ve the kicker on the 30 or the 35? Is the touchdown zone going to twenty or going to 25? Can we put a kickoff group on the 40? Little, incremental adjustments, however all these issues have an effect on return proportion, drive begins.”
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Fassel didn’t must work arduous to persuade Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones.
“He loves it,” Fassel stated. “He’s slightly little bit of a — not an older-school mindset, however he desires the play to be extra of an element than it was this previous yr. It was only a non-factor. Considered one of each 5 obtained returned. It’s like 20 %. And that’s simply not ok.”
And Jones’ Cowboys have been on the forefront of NFL groups getting ready for a brand new kickoff. Fassel has been a fan of the play for the reason that XFL debuted a model of it in 2021, and he even had his particular groups unit practising the play twice throughout OTAs final yr and twice throughout coaching camp.
“Simply within the anticipation that if it goes this manner, I’d be educated from a coach’s perspective to speak about it in these conferences,” Fassel stated.
Fassel stated house owners didn’t ask questions throughout his presentation; it was extra the overall managers and coaches within the room. Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who has a particular groups background, requested a number of scheme-specific questions on blocking.
Fassel stated it’s time to tear off the Band-Support and transfer ahead with a brand new play that he thinks shall be adopted in all ranges of soccer after the NFL.
Throughout McKay’s information convention earlier than the league conferences, he reviewed a regarding development for the NFL: Scoring has been down since 2020, when the scoring common per recreation was 49 factors. It dropped to 45 factors in 2021, 43.7 factors in 2022 and 43.5 factors in 2023.
“The kickoff proposal this yr will influence scoring, it would influence area place by no less than 3 to five yards,” McKay stated.
And if there’s one factor that makes Fassel really feel higher about his favourite rule’s probabilities?
“Homeowners need extra scoring,” he stated.
(Prime photograph: Luke Hales / Getty Pictures)