Shanahan hints at 49ers’ kickoff strategy under NFL’s new rule

Shanahan hints at 49ers’ kickoff strategy under NFL’s new rule originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SANTA CLARA — When 49ers CEO Jed York submitted one of just three “no” votes on the league’s new kickoff rule at the NFL Annual Meeting, he said he anticipated the possibility of unforeseen consequences.

Now, it looks like a possibility that the more things change on kickoffs, the more they could remain the same.

The kickoff essentially was eliminated from the NFL game over time. The league voted in a dramatic change this spring.

But, perhaps, the touchback will be more prevalent than ever unless the league steps in and makes another change.

In the past, a touchback would place the ball at the 25-yard line. Now, it’s beginning to look as moving the ball up to the 30 will not serve as much of a deterrent against kicking the ball out of the end zone.

On Saturday, the 49ers coverage unit surrendered a 63-yard return against the Tennessee Titans.

Two days later, Shanahan was asked about the possibility of kicking the ball as deep as possible and giving up the additional 5 yards to take no chances of long returns.

“It’s a hell of an idea. I haven’t thought of that,” Shanahan said Monday, in an answer dripping with sarcasm.

Of course, the 49ers have thought about it. And, of course, that appears to be the way the 49ers and most teams will choose to handle their kickoffs.

Thus far in the 2024 NFL preseason, 104 of the 127 kickoffs were returned. The average starting point was the 29-yard line.

“When you can start there at the 30 [on a touchback] and the average starting line is the 29, it doesn’t seem like there’s that much of a difference to really go with the risk of it,” Shanahan said.

Under the new rule, 10 members of the kicking team will set up with one foot on the receiving team’s 40-yard line. The receiving team will have at least nine players stationed between their own 30- and 35-yard line. Those players will not be able to move until the kick touches the ground or a player inside the landing zone — defined as the goal line to the 20-yard line.

All kicks in the landing zone must be returned. Kicks that travel short of the landing zone will result in the receiving team taking over at the 40-yard line. A touchback that lands in the end zone will place the ball at the 30-yard line, while a touchback that skips from the landing zone into the end zone will result in the ball spotted at the 20-yard line.

“I’ve always believed the key to special teams is just being sound,” Shanahan said. “You always want to win the game on special teams, but the main thing is you don’t lose it. And when you’re experiencing new things like this, there’s a lot of unknowns.”

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