Maybe the coolest part about the new kickoff rule the NFL is implementing this season is that nobody seems to know how it will play out in real time.

Asked about some of the changes on Wednesday afternoon at TCO Performance Center, special teams coordinator Matt Daniels spoke for nearly 20 minutes about all the intricacies of a play that, until recently, was in the process of going extinct.

“I think it’s a great thing that the NFL is doing,” Daniels said. “I’m all for innovation and creativity.”

What exactly is the NFL doing? In an effort to increase the number of kickoff returns, while still limiting the number of concussions, the NFL has changed the look of the play itself.

Here’s a synopsis of what things are going to look like this season when the new kickoff rule goes into effect:

Though the kicking team will still kick off from the kicking team’s 35-yard line, now only the kicker will be standing there. The rest of his teammates will be standing on the receiving team’s 40-yard line, and nobody can move until the ball hits the ground or is contacted by a returner.
As for the receiving team, most of its players will be standing in the setup zone, located near the receiving team’s 35-yard line, while either a returner or a pair of returners will be standing in the landing zone, located between the receiving team’s 20-yard line and the goal line.
If the ball is kicked and hits the ground before reaching the landing zone, the ball will be spotted at the receiving team’s 40-yard line. If the ball is kicked and lands in the end zone for a touchback, the ball will be spotted at the receiving team’s 30-yard line.

As much as teams across the NFL have tried to prepare for the changes, there’s only so much preparation that can be done without seeing it in action. As a result, the new kickoff rule will likely be extremely polarizing for everybody involved, especially in the early stages of this season.

“This play is going to win and lose teams a lot of games,” Daniels said. “It will be an adjustment.”

As frustrating as adapting to the play might be at times this season, Daniels is excited that it will provide more players with an opportunity to make a difference.

Instead of simply putting star kickoff returner Kene Nwangwu in the landing zone, for example, the Vikings might decide to send punt returner Brandon Powell back there, as well. There’s also a chance the Vikings might think about letting a position player kick off to essentially give themselves an extra player in kick coverage.

“We have a couple of guys on the roster who do have the ability to kick,” Daniels said. “We’ve been kind of working through that.”

It’s unlikely that the Vikings will show their hand during the slate of exhibition games. That means everybody will have to wait until the Vikings play the New York Giants in the Sept. 8 opener to see what they’ve been cooking up with the new kickoff rule.

“It’s a challenge,” Daniels said. “All of us should embrace the challenge because it’s a part of our growth.”

Related Articles

Fabian Moreau already getting meaningful reps for Vikings at cornerback

Yes, J.J. McCarthy will get some reps with first team at Vikings training camp

Vikings rookie Dallas Turner on his first padded practice: ‘I woke up with a smile on my face’

Vikings add more depth in secondary, sign veteran safety Bobby McCain

How young receiver Jalen Nailor is trying to make sure he’s available for the Vikings