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.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

Goodell is a business suit that doesn't understand the sport. His thinking is mindless and only for legal reasons.
Who is he to rewrite years of tradition or change a proven successful product ?
Like the CEO of the Zip Drive he will run this company into the ground with his silly ideas, ego ( as if he created anything).
The NFL became popular because of the way it was, not because of how he is changing it for profit reasons.
This man is to incompetent to run a business like the NFL, where he doesn't understand the product, and does not care about the customer. The fan.

I am fairly sure many more ridicules ideas will pop from his swollen head, I worked with these guys to much. He needs to be removed, and a suitable enforcer found.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

You could reduce the speed and impact of the collisions and lower the risk of catastrophic injury, by having the kicker kick from the 35 yard line and having rest of the kicking team line up on the 50 or 45. You would lose the penalty of offsides on a kickoff (which almost never happens anyway) but still have the excitement of a kickoff. But fewer high speed collisions.

The onside kick rule could be changed so it has to go 20+ or even 30+ yards instead of just 10, make it more like a pooch kick that sails up and drops on the opponents 40 where both teams converge. Maybe make it a rule that you can recover an onside kick, if it's touched first by the other team, but not advance it forward. To prevent a lot of silly scoring, but keep the point of the onside kick (to change possession).

Or make it a change in kickoff formation rules, 4 guys + kicker must line up on the 35, then 6-7 guys at midfield or the 45, closer to the receiving team, so you only have 2-3 guys allowed to be gunners and run downfield at breakneck speed, the other guys hit each other sooner and block at lower speed more like a punt. Not eliminating collisions, but making them fewer and at slower speeds.

By the way, it took me all of 30 seconds to come up with this idea and improve player safety. Why is Goodell so dense?

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

Here's an idea. Dress all the players in those big "Sumo" suits and let 'em have at it. It would be blast to watch too!!!

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

The more they talk about "improving" the game, the less I like it. Sorta like how my job gets more convoluted every time my employer "improves" a process ...

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

I think its not so much improving as it is protecting

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

The players also need the absolute best equipment available. They don't get the very best.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

I think they should call random seat numbers and let fans kick off, then scamper off the field.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

Why dont we just kick off without helmets on it won.t take long to get a message across with leading with their heads. Yes i.m just being a brain fart like goodel

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

How so? I always thought Nike & all these equipment manufacturers were using the latest technology in making equipment for these guys.

Another issue that would go along with this is, the equipment is out there, but the players aren't necessarily using it, ie knee pads, thigh pads, hip pads, et...

I do see most the QBs wearing the kidney/lower back protection nowadays.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

Just get rid of the pads and go to professional flag football.

Re: Goodell floats novel idea for replacing kickoffs
 

Goodell is a turd.

Do turds float?