The National Football League is putting the finishing touches on its 2023 season with Super Bowl LVII. As all eyes focus on the San Francisco 49ers vs Kansas City Chiefs matchup, there are ongoing discussions behind the scenes about a major NFL rule change in 2024 that could get rid of a well-known play.
Amid ongoing talks in league circles about massive changes to kickoffs and the future legality of the ‘Tush Push’ made famous by the Philadelphia Eagles, league executives and rules analysts are looking into another matter that would have a significant influence on late-game situations.
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As first reported by Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, there is growing momentum around the NFL for the complete removal of the onside kick. While the idea of getting rid of it has been talked about in previous offseasons, there now appears to be much more support for getting rid of it as early as 2024.
There is reportedly more openness around the league to ditch the onside kick in favor of keeping the offense on the field for a fourth-down attempt. While the NFL is aware this could increase the rate of how often teams go for it in that situation, there is more receptiveness to it now as a way to make the game even more entertaining.
During the 2023 NFL season, per Meirov, kicking teams combined to go 2-for-41 on onside kicks during the regular season. It was most recently attempted by the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game, with the effort proving unsuccessful.
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From the NFL’s perspective, getting rid of the onside kick in favor of a 4th-and-15 attempt would make football even more exciting and could lead to a higher success rate on attempts to keep the football. In a sport that places a heavy emphasis on the quarterbacks, it would mean fans see more exciting plays from the best players in football instead of a kicker attempting an onside kick that has a minimal chance of being recovered by the attempting team.
While there are no guarantees a rule change will be made in 2024, the NFL is very effective at leaking out potential rule changes to see how the idea is perceived by fans. If the league determines there is enough support for it right now, the onside kick in the NFC Championship Game may be the last one NFL fans will see.
