OWINGS MILLS, Md. — When you might be generally often known as the best kicker to ever boot a ball within the historical past of the National Football League, nothing ought to actually part you. But for Justin Tucker there’s a model new wrinkle he should grasp in 2024.
It’s not his subject objective kicking recreation. We’re speaking in regards to the NFL’s new kickoff rule, which is drastically totally different from the times of previous. The thought is to eliminate seeing kickoff after kickoff sail into the tip zone
“This goes to hold the play within the recreation and this isn’t solely going to hold the play within the recreation, it’s going to make it rather more thrilling,” mentioned Tucker.
Here are the fundamentals: beginning within the fall, on kickoffs, the kicking staff will kick from it’s personal 35 yard line. Ten members of the kicking staff will line up on the receiving staff’s 40. A minimal of 9 members of the receiving staff will line up between their very own 30 and 35. Players should keep in place till the ball is both caught or hits the bottom contained in the 20-yard line, or is returned from the tip zone.
“There’s going to be much more motion so far as kicks that shall be returned. In the final a number of years, the pattern has been for many groups to ship the ball into the tip zone, surrender the 25-yard line, and the play was basically not occurring because it was designed to occur, however now, in all chance, we’re going to see much more of returns, and it’ll give much more guys alternative to take that play and make it an enormous play,” mentioned Tucker. “I’m wanting ahead to it. It’s going to be actually thrilling.”
Head coach John Harbaugh mentioned he had different concepts for kickoff adjustments however was “in favor of doing one thing”.
“We see the nice of it, the thrill in it. It’s going to be much more returns on the market. We’re simply making an attempt to determine how to achieve success with the play, each protecting the kick and returning the kick.”
And kicking the kick. The new rule is comparable to how the XFL performed kickoffs. Tucker mentioned about 25 p.c of the time the XFL kicker was concerned in tackling the returner. That may lead to NFL groups ditching their regular kicker on kickoffs for extra of a, shall we embrace, ‘constructed’ teammate.
“It’s only a matter of do you’ve gotten a man that may kick it in there persistently and should you do it most likely is a bonus since you get an additional tackler in there and also you don’t put your kicker in danger,” mentioned Harbaugh.
Tucker is unquestionably considering along with his coronary heart on this one.
“Hell yeah I would like to be on the market,” he mentioned. “Any probability I get to be on the sector I’m residing out my childhood dream. So, each time, wherever that’s, I’m going to be certain that I’m prepared to go.”
Tucker added he has truly spent extra time within the weight room this offseason. He joked he has to be ready for a bit of extra contact.
It’s secure to assume that could be a change no Ravens coach or fan needs to see.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
