The NFL’s new kickoff rule was a lot more dynamic in 2025 than in 2024.
Nearly three-fourths of all kickoffs were returned in 2025, which the league touted on a conference call today as a good sign that the rule changes are working as intended. In the 2025 season, 74.5 percent of kickoffs were returned. In 2024 it was only 32.8 percent.
The radical change to the new “dynamic” kickoff was implemented in 2024 in an attempt to increase returns and decrease injuries. It worked, but the increase in returns was not as great as the league was hoping to see. So in 2025, the NFL moved touchbacks out to the 35-yard line to encourage kickers to keep the ball in the field of play.
That caused the major increase in returns the league saw this season: There were 1,157 more kickoff returns in 2025 than in 2024. There were also 137 fewer punts in 2025 than in 2024, as offenses started with better field position and were more likely to get the ball at least into field goal range.
The NFL did acknowledge that concussions suffered by kickoff returners and tacklers increased this season, but said there are still fewer concussions on the new dynamic kickoff than there were under the old kickoff rule.
Overall, the league is giving every indication that the kickoff rule is doing what the league wanted it to do. And is here to stay.
