New Kickoff Rule is Designed to Reduce Number of Returns
Dean Blandino says health is at the forefront of the new fair catch-kickoff return rule. The rule is designed to reduce the total number of returns for the 2023 season and beyond.
NFL rules
Why NFL Special Teams Coordinators Hate New Fair Catch Rule on Kickoffs
Paul Burmeister and Charles Davis discuss the NFL’s decision to change their kickoff rules, allowing teams to fair catch the ball anywhere in the field of play and have it spotted at the 25-yard line. Davis breaks down why NFL special teams coordinators seem to universally hate the change.
NFL Takes Step Toward Eliminating Kickoffs With New Fair Catch Rule
Dean Blandino thinks that the newest kickoff/fair catch rule is another step toward the NFL killing the kickoff altogether. He says that rules like this often get passed in May because the coaches are not there to argue it.
Why NFL Needs to Outlaw One of Its Most Successful Plays
Mitchell Schwartz and Joe Thomas discuss how every team should add a quarterback sneak into their playbook, aside from the Chiefs. However, due to muddying of the rule, Mitchell says it might be time to outlaw it.
Make the Call: A Towel, Fake Spike and Altered Outcome
In The 33rd Team’s new series Make the Call, former NFL VP of Officiating Dean Blandino and former NFL head coach Dirk Koetter discuss the most influential and head-scratching decisions made by referees in Week 1. Can a player really be penalized for using a towel? Did the Bengals cost themselves a win by refusing […]
Jon Runyan: From Dirty Player to NFL’s Duke of Discipline
Jon Runyan played football with a street fighter mentality. He did whatever it took to get the job done. If it meant sticking his leg out and tripping a defensive end who got a step on him and was threatening to sack his quarterback, hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. If it meant […]
If I Were The Commissioner Of The NFL For A Day…
Today’s NFL is played very differently from the way it was in the past. There are several rules that still exist but had a specific intent many years ago but don’t apply as well in today’s game. Many rules should be revisited to ensure each and every rule serves a relevant purpose. Aside from giving […]
What Rules Would Dean Blandino Change if He Were NFL Commissioner?
The game of football as we know it is perpetually evolving, requiring rules and regulations to match. However, it takes more time to reflect a change in the rulebook than it does on the gridiron. One must propose a rule before it goes through the vetted NFL Competition Committee, and only if a proposed rule […]
Joel Bussert on the Evolution of NFL Rules
When Joel Bussert retired from the NFL in 2015, his title was senior VP of player personnel and football operations. He worked at the NFL for 40 years (actually, he still maintains an office at league headquarters and remains involved). Bussert is a football historian, currently working on a book about the history of rules […]
