The NFL believes it is making strides toward making the game safer for its players, but Andy Reid isn’t so sure it’s progress.
The two-time Super Bowl champion coach reacted to the league’s recent rule change allowing teams to fair-catch kickoffs and spot them at the 25-yard line. Reid believes, if unchecked, these types of rule changes could turn the NFL into a “flag football” league.
“My thing is, where does it stop, right?” Reid explained to NFL Network. “We start taking pieces and we’ll see how this goes. But you don’t want to take too many pieces away, or you’ll be playing flag football.”
Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to the media during the Kansas City Chiefs media availability before Super Bowl LVII at the Hyatt Regency Gainey Ranch on February 07, 2023, in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The rule change stems from NFL research showing that most concussions occur during kickoffs.
“We can’t stand by and do nothing,” NFL Executive Vice President of Communications, Public Affairs and Policy said. “Sitting still and continuing to do nothing was unacceptable. And I think that’s where the membership came down on this.”
The rule change regarding fair-catch kickoffs is clearly intended to encourage teams to fair-catch. This, of course, begs the question of why they would kick the ball off at all if they’re simply going to let teams fair-catch and take the ball at the 25. Why not just place the ball at the 25 and have teams start from there?
Denver Broncos, punt returner River Cracraft, makes a fair catch in the second quarter as the Broncos played the Cleveland Browns at Broncos Stadium at Mile High. (Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
It’s precisely that logic that has Reid worried about the league’s trajectory. It’s also not reassuring to hear executives say, “we can’t stand by and do nothing.” Executives who feel they have to do “something” typically end up doing a lot of very bad “somethings” that make whatever they’re trying to fix immeasurably worse.
Reid is right to be worried. The NFL is on a path toward banning the kickoff. And as bad as that would be, it may not end there.