Colts GM Chris Ballard shares his concerns with the NFL's new kickoff rule change
Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard shared a lot of great information during his recent interview on The GM Shuffle show.One topic he covered was his concerns with the new NFL rule change that impacts the kickoff format. Chris Ballard's thoughts on the NFL's new kickoff format "I'm kind of like everybody else. It's a little […]
Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard shared a lot of great information during his recent interview on The GM Shuffle show.
One topic he covered was his concerns with the new NFL rule change that impacts the kickoff format.
Chris Ballard's thoughts on the NFL's new kickoff format
"I'm kind of like everybody else. It's a little wait-and-see mode. To me, where I'm a little concerned is what you are going to see is a lot of linedrive kicks. I'm a little concerned it's going to end up being an ugly play. I don't think we gave our kickers enough credit for their ability to line-drive a ball and make it a difficult ball to catch for the guys down there fielding it. There's some things I'm concerned about. One, do holding penalties go up? You are putting guys close together, and to hold a block that long is going to be hard. You are going to need athletes to do it. A bigger body is not going to be able to stay and run with a guy for that amount of time. I think there will be a lot of trial and error. One thing I'm going to be interested in is how many teams just say screw it and kick it and give it at the 30-yard line, just say We are going to kick it out, so what extra five yards and deal with it.
The good thing is the kickoff had become almost non existent. So at least we are adding a play that can be an exciting play. You are talking to a guy who was in Chicago (Bears) with Devin Hester and was a part of Tyreek Hill in Kansas City (Chiefs) the kickoff was a weapon for us. I think the returners are a little bit different now. You gotta have a little make them miss, where in the old kickoff, you wanted speed guys who could make one cut and hit a crease, now it'll be a little more like a punt return type player back there."
– Chris Ballards thoughts on the new kickoff rule
Many say this rule change from the NFL is one of the most significant rule changes in recent memory to the game. Most talk about the positives this will bring, which Ballard did as well near the end of his answer. But he mainly focused on the concerns he has over how the rule change will actually play out on the field this upcoming season.
I think Ballard's statement that this is not a finished product and that we will likely see multiple changes occur over the coming years as the league tries to perfect this new kickoff format is right on the money. The league must find the middle ground between creating a new opportunity for an exciting play while also focusing on the safety of their players and not compromising that for some added excitement.
If you read this entire article/listened to Ballard's thoughts on the new kickoff format and aren't sure what this looks like, here is an example to watch.
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