NEW ORLEANS -- A number of coaches raised concerns over proposed changes to the<nobr style="color: black;" id="itxthook0w0nobr" class="itxtrst itxtrstnobr itxthooknobr"></nobr> NFL's kickoff rules during the league's annual meeting Monday, causing competition committee chairman Rick McKay to say his group has "an interesting discussion" ahead.
McKay said he still expected owners to vote <nobr style="color: black;" id="itxthook1w0nobr" class="itxtrst itxtrstnobr itxthooknobr"></nobr>on new kickoff rules today, although the specifics of the proposal could change. Among suggestions on the table are moving kickoffs from the 30- to 35-yard line and starting play at the 25 (instead of the 20) after a touchback.
"This proposal is not one that if you were asking the committee to vote on it from a tactical standpoint and for a betterment of the game, I believe the committee would be 0-7 against," McKay said. "From a safety issue, 7-0 in favor because I think this gives us an opportunity to shorten the field and to lessen the impacts that are happening on (kickoffs)."
President Tom Lewand, who will vote for the Lions in the absence of owner William Clay Ford Sr. and vice chairman Bill Ford Jr., said he hadn't decided how to proceed with the proposal before Monday's talks, although it was clear which way he was leaning.
"We like the game the way it's played right now," Lewand said. "And while we're conscious of player safety and certainly advocates of player safety -- I think a well-reasoned discussion of these rule proposals are appropriate in light of player safety -- (we've got to make) sure that they accomplish what the competition committee intends and that there aren't really any unintended consequences as it relates to player safety, which is always a possibility."
Coach Jim Schwartz, whose opinion Lewand said he relied on "a ton" for matters like this, declined to share his thoughts on the kickoff proposal. But Schwartz said the team's vote would not be swayed by the elite return men in the NFC North.
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Lions returner Stefan Logan ranked in the top five in kick and punt returns last year, and the Bears (Devin Hester) and Vikings (Percy Harvin) have two of the more explosive return men in the league.
Detroit Free Press
McKay said he still expected owners to vote <nobr style="color: black;" id="itxthook1w0nobr" class="itxtrst itxtrstnobr itxthooknobr"></nobr>on new kickoff rules today, although the specifics of the proposal could change. Among suggestions on the table are moving kickoffs from the 30- to 35-yard line and starting play at the 25 (instead of the 20) after a touchback.
"This proposal is not one that if you were asking the committee to vote on it from a tactical standpoint and for a betterment of the game, I believe the committee would be 0-7 against," McKay said. "From a safety issue, 7-0 in favor because I think this gives us an opportunity to shorten the field and to lessen the impacts that are happening on (kickoffs)."
President Tom Lewand, who will vote for the Lions in the absence of owner William Clay Ford Sr. and vice chairman Bill Ford Jr., said he hadn't decided how to proceed with the proposal before Monday's talks, although it was clear which way he was leaning.
"We like the game the way it's played right now," Lewand said. "And while we're conscious of player safety and certainly advocates of player safety -- I think a well-reasoned discussion of these rule proposals are appropriate in light of player safety -- (we've got to make) sure that they accomplish what the competition committee intends and that there aren't really any unintended consequences as it relates to player safety, which is always a possibility."
Coach Jim Schwartz, whose opinion Lewand said he relied on "a ton" for matters like this, declined to share his thoughts on the kickoff proposal. But Schwartz said the team's vote would not be swayed by the elite return men in the NFC North.
<nobr style="color: black;" id="itxthook2w2nobr" class="itxtrst itxtrstnobr itxthooknobr"></nobr>
Lions returner Stefan Logan ranked in the top five in kick and punt returns last year, and the Bears (Devin Hester) and Vikings (Percy Harvin) have two of the more explosive return men in the league.
Detroit Free Press
