The NFL implemented new kickoff rules this offseason in an effort to get more players to return.
The Arizona Cardinals became the first team to score a touchdown under the new rules on Sunday afternoon.
With 8:44 remaining against the Buffalo Bills, Cardinals returner DeeJay Dallas fielded a kickoff at the 4-yard line. He didn’t encounter a Bills defender until he crossed the 20-yard line.
Then he ran untouched by the Bills coverage until he crossed the 30-yard line. When he crossed the 40, he was gone. No one touched him again until he dove into the end zone along the left sideline.
The touchdown cut Arizona’s deficit to 31-28 with a successful two-point conversion. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they would not score again, as Buffalo held on for a 34-28 victory.
But for the NFL, the return for a touchdown is a success.
Is this the first of several kickoff return TDs this season?
It’s hard to say whether the new rules actually had anything to do with the score. Under the new rules, kicks that land in the landing zone between the goal line and the 20-yard line and don’t bounce in the end zone must be returned. And no player other than the kicker and returner may move until the ball touches a player or the ground. That kickoff would likely have been returned under the old rules, too.
It’s also hard to blame Buffalo’s poor coverage on the new rules. The Bills’ coverage was slow to react and gave Dallas free reign.
But the result is a victory for the NFL, which is trying to bring back the excitement of kickoff returns after only four kicks were returned for touchdowns in 2023. The NFL rightly encouraged safeties under previous kickoff rules on what was once one of the most dangerous plays in all of sports. Now it wants to bring back the return with a continued emphasis on safety.
The new rules will require an adjustment from players and coaches in terms of strategy on both sides of the ball. It will be interesting to see how this develops over the course of a season.
