The age of kick-off related touchbacks looks set to be over, and nothing illustrated this now defunct rule better than Superbowl LVIII.
The NFL have changed the kick-off rule, and it is fitting that the last game under its regulations saw 13 touchbacks off kick-offs as the Chiefs ousted the 49ers in overtime, to win their second successive Superbowl, and third in five years.
The match-up was also the first Superbowl in history with zero (0) kick-off returns.
The new kick-off rules are meant to regulate two aspects the most important being the safety and well-being of the players, and the second to inject some exciting return play back into the modern game.
A technicality so that if the ball goes out of bounds or does not reach the 20-yard line, play will resume on the receiving team’s 40. On a touchback the receiving team can take it to the 30-yard line, meaning teams will want to place the ball between the 20 and the goal line.
This will not guarantee return action off every kick-off, but we doubt we will ever see a game with 13 kick-offs and zero returns.
