“They made a terrible mistake”: 3 reasons why Donald Trump and NFL fans are criticizing NFL’s dynamic kickoff rule
Donald Trump is trying to win an election, but he is also saving some time for football. Trump sat down to watch the Alabama vs Georgia contest but also saved some time to do an interview. In a clip posted to Outkick, he was asked about a multitude of topics, but one key takeaway was his dislike of the NFL's new kickoff rule.
“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. I notice they haven’t done that in college," Trump asaid.
"I think the NFL should go back. I doubt it’s any more dangerous. It’s football. I think they made a terrible mistake doing that. It looks so strange. You don’t take something that’s working and change it,” he added.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell seemed to agree that changes were needed. However, the previous kicking format doesn't appear to be coming back. Speaking in an October 1 interview with "Good Morning Football," Goodell expressed an interest in changing the kick return format, further making it a harder decision for head coaches to decide what to tell kickers like Jake Elliott to do.
Roger Goodell: "I think we'll have to make a few changes on the kickoff that will, I think, lead to a lot more kickoff returns. We could do the touchback and move it to the 35 you know, I think that would be a game-changer right away."
Of course, the reasons behind the dislike of the format vary from person to person, whether it is Donald Trump or Roger Goodell or any fan from the land of the Seattle Seahawks to the Miami Dolphins. However, here's a look at three reasons why many believe a change is in order.
Why NFL fans are leaning against the new NFL kickoff rule
1] No surprise onside kicks
Perhaps the biggest change doesn't happen to the first kickoff of an NFL game. Rather, the biggest change comes to the last kickoff. With no surprise kicks allowed, teams lose a lot of the unpredictability at the end of games. Do teams like the New England Patriots elect to go for the onside kick on this possession or expect the defense to force a punt? This calculation is thrown out the window.
2] Still too many touchbacks
One of the goals of the new format was to encourage kick returns while improving player safety. However, there are still too many teams kicking the ball out the back of the endzone, content to surrender 30 yards instead of a kick return touchdown. Per Yahoo Sports, about 70% of kicks were returned in the preseason, setting the ceiling for how many could be returned throughout the regular season.
3] It's too different for Donald Trump and other fans of tradition
Donald Trump and many fans across the country from the New York Giants to the Los Angeles Rams largely believe the NFL is a league that prides itself on tradition. Football is played yearly on Thanksgiving.
The season begins in September and ends in February, and the kickoffs feature one returner and an avalanche of defenders running across the field to tackle them. The kickoff rule changes not just one play of the game, but the game itself.
If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Good Morning Football," Outkick, and H/T Sportskeeda.