Donald Trump has made it clear that he loves attending public sporting events. That has been highlighted this year by his attendance at the Super Bowl and the NCAA Wrestling Championships. The NFL seemingly undergoes rule changes nearly every off-season.
However, one rule they are thinking about implementing doesn’t make much sense to the President of the United States.
“I Don’t Know What They’re Doing” Donald Trump Rips The NFL (Report)
In 2024, the new “dynamic kickoff rule” was implemented to encourage teams to return kickoffs more often. Instead of behind the kicker, players from the kicking team lined up on the opposition’s 40-yard line. The rule has come under some scrutiny, even from Trump:
“I don’t know what they’re doing with the kickoff return in the NFL. And I don’t want to get involved in controversy, of course, but it looks so bad,” Trump said in November. And I noticed that they hadn’t done that in college, and they shouldn’t do it. And I think the NFL should go back. And maybe it is a little bit more dangerous, but I doubt that it’s any more dangerous. It’s football. I think they made a terrible mistake in doing that.”
That rule change was certainly on his mind during the lead-up to Super Bowl 59 between the Chiefs and Eagles.
Donald Trump thought the dynamic kickoff was dangerous for football.
“Two great Quarterbacks in this game. Also, an unbelievable running back, and the absolute best tight end in football (Ever!). Incredible coaching,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new Kickoff’ deal,’ which actually makes football more dangerous, they would be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor.”
@nflonfox The NFL’s new dynamic kickoff explained #nfl #dynamickickoff ♬ original sound – NFLonFOX
According to Michael David Smith of NBC Sports:
Last year, 33 percent of kickoffs were returned after the new “dynamic” kickoff rule was implemented. That was an increase from the 22 percent of kickoffs that were returned in 2023 in the final year of the old kickoff rule — but it was still the second-lowest return rate in NFL history.
In 2022, 38 percent of kickoffs were returned, and until touchbacks sharply increased in 2013, most kickoffs were returned every season in NFL history.
The new “dynamic” kickoff rule put touchbacks at the 30-yard line, and most teams concluded that it was safer to boot the ball into the end zone rather than risk a long return. That’s why 64 percent of kickoffs still went for touchbacks.
Under the proposed rule that would put touchbacks at the 35-yard line, the league is estimating that about 60 percent to 70 percent of kickoffs will be returned. The Competition Committee has studied the matter and concluded that most kicking teams will put the ball in play rather than kick it into the end zone if the receiving team is given five more yards on touchbacks.
