A.G. Gancarski
He’s not just a conservative in politics, apparently.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is speaking out against how NFL games will begin going forward, saying he prefers the old kickoff format.
During remarks at a church in Tallahassee, the Governor griped about the “universal” perception that the NFL fumbled the change in kickoff guidelines.
“They’re getting all the people lining up on the offensive side,” DeSantis said. “The kicker is way back on the other side of the field. I’m like, ‘What the heck is going on? Was there a pregame penalty or something?'”
DeSantis went on to gripe that after the kick, players aren’t “allowed to move forward until the receiver catches the ball.”
“It was really weird and I think the universal view amongst people was that it was a bad, bad rule change,” said DeSantis, who attended the Jacksonville Jaguars game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
The NFL has framed the rules change as a response to “the lowest kickoff return rate in NFL history during the 2023 season and an unacceptable injury rate on kickoffs prior to that,” creating a “free kick” play designed to mitigate those concerns.
“The 10 kicking team players cannot move until the ball hits the ground or player in the landing zone or the end zone,” the rules stipulate.
Central to the new scheme is the landing zone: “the area between the receiving team’s goal line and its 20-yard line.”
Kicks that go out of bounds short of that area will see the ball spotted at the 40-yard line. Touchbacks now allow offenses to start drives at their own 30.
Onside kicks are only allowed now in the 4th quarter, and must be declared first, removing an element of strategy from the game that had been a staple.
5 comments
MH/Duuuval
September 9, 2024 at 4:32 pm
Ron the Pontificator …
Jojo
September 9, 2024 at 5:27 pm
Even I know the reason why this rule was implemented.
But I guess our governor doesn’t have a problem with a kickoff receiver getting his brain concussed.
Did the man even play football? If he did maybe that explains his mental state
Frankie M.
September 9, 2024 at 8:10 pm
Somebody slept thru the preseason but don’t worry Ron will get to the bottom of this policy that has absolutely nothing to do with what he should be concerned about.
LexT
September 10, 2024 at 8:44 am
I am not sure the NFL has this rule correct in the final version, but I actually think this is in the correct direction. The kickoff is the most exciting and dangerous play in football. Making everyone wait to tackle until the ball is caught is a good safety measure so that while the returner is catching he doesn’t need to worry about his head being taken off. The NFL needs to get the correct amount of excitement and variance to the play so that big things still happen on kickoffs often enough to keep the play exciting. Some variation of this can bring excitement back to kickoffs without making it any more dangerous than any other play.
A.M. Nesty
September 11, 2024 at 3:59 pm
The NFL is much less about sport and much more about spectacle, and all for the sake of a buck, under the direction of Roger Goodell.
Just for chuckles, all you red blooded conservatives who are enthralled with the NFL, read Roger Goodell’s biography and keep in the back of your minds the old phrase, “the turd doesn’t fall far from the bird.” You may gain a new insight into “wokeism” in your game.
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