Shanahan seemingly signals 49ers’ strategy for NFL’s new kickoff rule

Shanahan seemingly signals 49ers’ strategy for NFL’s new kickoff rule originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The breaking point was Super Bowl LVIII, when each of the 13 kickoffs in the game resulted in touchbacks.

The NFL went back to the drawing board after the 2023 season in a quest to bring the kickoff back into the game.

It looks as if the new rule has done just the opposite — making it even more likely and easier for the kicking team to achieve a touchback.

In the first two games of the NFL seasons, there were 24 kickoffs, and 19 have resulted in touchbacks (79.1 percent).

Two kickoffs were returned deep out of the end zone and the receiving team got the ball out to the 23 and 16, respectively.

Coach Kyle Shanahan is not surprised, and seemed to indicate the 49ers will instruct kicker Jake Moody to go for touchbacks.

“I think we were kind of expecting that,” Shanahan said. “I think like you guys were, too. It’s looked that way so far, and I’d probably be surprised if it changed.”

This year, the ball is kicked off from the 35-yard line, same as the old rule. But because hang time is no longer a factor, kickers can drive the ball as deep as possible without any repercussions if the kick is returned.

That’s because the kicking team lines up at their own 40-yard line and the receiving team must have at least nine players in the set-up zone, 5 to 10 yards away from the kicking team. All players in the setup zone cannot move until the ball has hit the ground or a player.

Last year, just 21.8 percent of all kickoffs were returned. It was the lowest rate in NFL history, and this year could set another record.

The NFL aimed to get more kickoff returns while limiting high-speed collisions and high injury rates.

The 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders and Green Bay Packers voted against the NFL’s new kickoff rule, with CEO Jed York explaining his “No” vote at the NFL Annual Meetings in Orlando, Fla. in March.

But moving the starting point after a touchback from the 25-yard line to the 30 does not appear to be any deterrent for the kicking team to try to boot the ball out of the back of the end zone.

Moody had six consecutive touchbacks in the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

And it seems obvious the 49ers will be trying for more of the same on Monday night against the New York Jets.

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