Chiefs star Travis Kelce loses it over Roger Goodell's kickoff return rule change - "Absolutely stupid"
Travis Kelce has proven to be one of the NFL's best tight ends and all-around players. The Chiefs star, like so many other players, has been vocal about a new rule Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league will install starting this upcoming season.
Kelce let his feelings be known on the New Heights podcast regarding the new kickoff rule. He noted that the new rule will take some of the excitement out of the game:
“I think this is absolutely stupid," said Travis. "I don't think this is making the game safer. I think it's making it more boring. And taking a lot of excitement out of the games opening play. This is wack." [36:45 onwards]
A measure passed by all 32 owners will allow teams to fair-catch kickoffs and safety kicks behind the 25-yard line. The ball will be placed at their own 25-yard line. The Kansas City Chiefs star's older brother, Jason Kelce, noted his disdain for the new kickoff rule as well:
“We’re just getting closer and closer to removing special teams," said Jason."We’re just going to have guys, ‘Hey, I’m going to run 80 yards for no reason and then we’re going to start the drive!'”
The rule will be used on a trial basis just for the 2023 season and parallels the rule used in college football. Travis Kelce played a total on 162 snaps throughout the first four seasons of his NFL career.
The NFL instituted the rule to protect players like Travis Kelce
One factor of the new kickoff rules is the league noted in its statistical models forecast the return rate for kickoffs for the 2023 season will fall from 38 per cent to 31 per cent. The frequency of concussions on kickoffs will be lessened by 15 per cent, which emphasizes player safety.
The NFL just passed a rule (for one season) that if a fair catch is made on a kickoff anywhere between the 25-yard line and the goal line, the ensuing drive will start at the 25. The reason for change? Player safety. https://t.co/JTIgkc7ptO
The chairman of the NFL's competition committee, Rich McKay, was asked during a news conference about the likelihood of squib kicks forcing a kick return. McKay quickly rejected that sentiment:
“It doesn’t mean they (kickers) won’t do it, but we went back and looked at college and what the reaction was in college when they made this change and actually the number of squib kicks went down. … So we’ve looked at all that data."
We'll see how teams handle the new rule change and if fans will be seeing a record number of squib kicks this season.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit the New Heights podcast and H/T Sportskeeda.