NFL owners approved a massive revamp of the kickoff play Tuesday, opting, after three days of discussions at the league’s annual meeting, for a format that originated in the XFL.
The proposal passed by a vote of 29-3, NFL competition chairman Rich McKay said Tuesday.
The new alignment rules represent the most significant on-field rule change for the NFL in years and are designed to reverse more than a decade of declining return rates while also lowering concussion rates. In essence, the format will move the majority of the kicking and return teams downfield to minimize high-speed collisions. It will go into effect for one year only in anticipation of possible tweaks over time.