Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

Posted by Mike Florio on December 6, 2012, 10:01 AM

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has landed on the cover of TIME magazine. The accompanying article contains plenty of interesting nuggets.

Here’s the first one that caught our eye.

Sean Gregory of TIME writes that one of the options being considered for replacing kickoffs entails giving the ball to the team that would have been kicking off at its own 30, automatically facing a fourth down and 15 yards to go. The team can then choose to punt or go for it, via fake punt or otherwise.

In other words, the kickoff would be replaced with the punt, and the onside kick would be replaced with a fourth-down conversion roughly half the distance of Ray Rice’s recent catch-and-run.

The idea would be to remove completely the high-speed, open-field collisions between large men who dip their heads instinctively at impact and place extra pressure on the C3-C4 area of the spine. While other injuries would be possible during the punt play that replaces the kickoff, the risk of catastrophic injury would be reduced.

The move also would make punters, long snappers, and gunners more important, along with punt returners. In turn, kickoff specialists would become extinct, and return specialists who are much better returning kicks than punts would be far less valuable to the broader roster.

Goodell says the idea came from Bucs coach Greg Schiano. The fact that Goodell mentioned to Gregory it means that the league is at least considering it — and that the league perhaps wants to see how folks react to the possibility.

Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs | ProFootballTalk

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

I figure when everyone is laughing at Rog he'll point to Greg Schiano and say "It was his genius idea"

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

Not a fan... why mess with something that's working?!

The game doesn't need to be changed - it's the players playing the game who need to change if they want to cut back on injuries.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

I do agree that Goodell floats.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

I didn't read the article. This is a joke...right? Can Goodell REALLY be that stupid?

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

"I'm willing to say anything to the press to make it appear that I'm concerned about player safety."

Roger Goodell

Seriously, how in the heck can you ruin the tradition of kickoffs from high school on up, all through the years?! How about corporations that have kickoff meetings for projects? Do they now call it a punt it or go for it meeting?

Maybe they should just have a jump ball at the 50-yard line. I like our chances with Jimmy Graham.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

I would prefer that he sink to the bottom.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

There are no stupid ideas, only stupid commissioners.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

Isn't that how they used to do it back in the Red Grange/leatherhead era? ... and 'yes', Roger floats, everything floats down there ...

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

No. Everyhting is ok as it is with the kickoff. Having players not run and dip their heads , whatever while running to avoid head butt collisions, ok.

Everything else is ok.


Goodell, Goodell. Oh boy.