NFL Considering “Minor Tweaks” to New Kickoff Rule

The preseason hasn’t started yet, but the National Football League is kicking around the idea of making changes to its yet-to-be-used kickoff rules.

In advance of training camps starting up, the NFL is considering some slight adjustments to the newly-implemented kickoff rule in order to make play safer. The rule change essentially makes the kickoff more like a punt and makes certain blocks that were legal into a penalty.

The tweaks are being considered after discussions held at an annual officiating clinic over the weekend. Some referees said during the clinic that they felt the rule changes would be difficult to administrate on a consistent basis.

In a statement released to ESPN about more possible changes, NFL spokesman Michael Signora said: “The NFL officiating and football operations staff, with competition committee approval, may make some minor tweaks to the language to further clarify the rule. If so, that information would be circulated to all clubs and the rule book updated accordingly.”

If the tweaks are made, it will only further complicate a rule change that former NFL referee Terry McAulay has called “the biggest change I’ve ever seen.”

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Evan Bleier

Evan is a senior editor with InsideHook who earned a master’s degree in journalism from NYU and has called Brooklyn home since 2006. A fan of Boston sports, Nashville hot chicken and Kentucky bourbon, Evan has had his work published in publications including “Maxim,” Bleacher Report and “The Daily Mail.”