Las Vegas Raiders were one of the few teams to vote no on a new rule in 2024

On Tuesday, the NFL implemented a new rule—well, a couple of new rules. Obviously, there is a big fuss about the hip-drop tackle rule, which makes it harder for defenses to tackle from behind, as if playing on that side of the ball wasn't hard enough. But now, another rule has been passed, and the […]

Justin Churchill — College Football & NFL Trending News Writer

Mar 26, 2024 1:01 PM EDT

On Tuesday, the NFL implemented a new rule—well, a couple of new rules. Obviously, there is a big fuss about the hip-drop tackle rule, which makes it harder for defenses to tackle from behind, as if playing on that side of the ball wasn't hard enough.

But now, another rule has been passed, and the Las Vegas Raiders were one of the few teams to vote no.

This excerpt from The Athletic explains the new rule for the 2024 season, in which the NFL has implemented a one-year try of the rule.

The proposal aims to increase kickoff returns and reduce injury by eliminating the running start of the kickoff team and by incentivizing kickers to drop kicks into a landing zone, which extends from the goal line to the 20-yard line. Any kick that drops in the landing zone must be returned. If it bounces into the end zone from the landing zone, it must be returned or downed, and any kick that falls short of the landing zone will be treated like an out-of-bounds kickoff and placed on the receiving team's 40-yard line. Any kick that lands in the end zone or goes out of the back of the end zone is a touchback and placed on the 30-yard line. – Kalyn Kahler, The Athletic

This rule has been implemented to give the players more safety, as the returners are often disadvantaged because the other players are already running at them as they wait in one spot. The former format was not safe. This gives the player with the ball a better chance to prepare for a hit, and this takes away touchbacks.

The Raiders voted no on this rule. I get why people are upset. Rules are coming in, and it seems like it's not the game we all grew up watching anymore. But safety is much more important, and the Raiders will likely remember that when a returner like Ameer Abdullah is safely hittin' rather than hit in an unsafe manner.

Raiders’ kicker opposes NFL kickoff rule change: Doesn’t want to feel ‘limited’

With the arrival of new special team rules, the NFL may look a bit different come 2023.