Owners mull moving kickoffs, touchbacks (AP)

NEW ORLEANS (AP)—Kickoff returns are among football’s most popular and
exciting plays. The NFL’s competition committee wants to make them safer.

Committee chairman Rich McKay said Monday at the owners meetings that moving
kickoffs up to the 35-yard line and bringing touchbacks out to the 25 have
spurred “healthy discussions” among coaches and general managers. So much so
that some alterations could be coming to proposed changes, which also include
eliminating the blocking wedge and limiting coverage players from long run-ups.

Owners will vote on those proposals Tuesday, along with amendments to
defenseless player rules for receivers, and allowing the replay official to
review all scoring plays at any time in games.

“This is a rule 100 percent based on player safety,” said McKay, president
of the Atlanta Falcons, referring to the kickoff proposals. “We’ve seen higher
rates of injuries than we are comfortable with and we’re trying to remedy it.”

Several coaches expressed concerns to the committee about so many changes to
such a “game-changing” play. They worried that bringing touchbacks out to the
25 instead of the 20 would affect field position too much. They also fear an
increase in touchbacks.

McKay said there will be more meetings before Tuesday’s vote.

“I don’t blame anybody for saying this is a big change—it is,” McKay he
said. “Nor do I blame anyone for pushing back. That’s good. They made a lot of
good suggestions.”

During the committee’s meetings last month with players in Indianapolis,
kickoffs drew much attention. McKay said players voiced their concerns, adding
that video showed a rising rate of injury.

The league reduced the number of players allowed in a blocking wedge to two
in 2009. Now, it wants the wedge gone altogether.

Restricting how far coverage players can run up before the kickoff to 5
yards also is a safety measure.