New kickoff rules have NFL special teams coordinators exploring possibility of not using kickers

Over the last several years there have been situations where a receiver or defensive back had to step in and handle a PAT kick, or kickoff.

One of the more famous instances of this happening took place during a 2009 preseason game when Chad Ochocinco stepped in for both the PAT try and the ensuing kickoff after kicker Shayne Graham was injured.

Players, particularly those who can kick and be effective and willing tacklers, may find themselves in a premium role in the NFL market with the new changes to kickoffs coming this fall.

Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said that the new kickoff rule, adopted from the XFL, has the kicker much more involved in tackles.

How much more involved?

Toub notes that during their study of XFL kickoffs resulted in kickers being involved in between 25-40% of tackles.

The veteran special teams coordinator adds that they don't to put Harrison Butker in situations like that.

Toub would rather have someone kickoff who is also able to make a tackle like Justin Reid, but certainly plans to use Butker in "certain situations."

Reid was an emergency kicker during his days at Stanford, and has stepped in for Butker during injuries in the past.

Utilizing a player that can kick, cover, and tackle is one example of the creativity NFL special teams coordinators are exploring with the rule change. The new rules are forcing guys to account for all 11 players on the return team, instead of 10 and then a kicker.

Other things that used to matter on kickoffs that now don't? Toub notes that hang time used to be a crucial metric, and now it doesn't matter at all because no one moves until the ball is caught. Directional kicks to where the return team is not set up is a risk because a kick that goes out of bounds or before the newly defined "target area" comes out to the -40.

One key difference between the XFL kickoff rule and that being implemented at the NFL level: In the XFL the kicker had no restrictions. In the NFL, the kicker is not able to cross the 50 until the ball is caught. That's key, as NFL kickers likely won't be involved in the same number (25-40%) of tackles that XFL kickers were.

For now, look for those building NFL rosters to place a high value on guys that can kick, cover, and tackle, and maybe this ends up opening up spots on the roster for small college guys or guys that maybe wouldn't have otherwise made the team all because of a background in soccer somewhere in their past.

Advocates of playing multiple sports for as long as possible are going to love this clip and it's only a matter of time before it's circulated to pound the table for playing both football and soccer.

Hear more thoughts from Toub in the clip.