The National Football League implemented new kickoff rules ahead of the 2025 season, hoping to see the rate of kickoff returns increase dramatically. The results paid off, with NFL kickoff stats for the 2025 season showcasing a return rate that more than doubled.
As noted by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, across the 18-week regular season, 74.5% of kickoffs were returned. The rule change also led to 137 fewer punts compared to last season, with better field position for offenses contributing to an increase in the average team scoring per game from 22.9 to 23.0—the highest total since the 2021 season.
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For comparison, the kickoff return rate in 2024 was 32.8%. This is the first time the kickoff return rate has been over 50% since 2013, and this season saw the highest return rate since 2008. Of note, the yards per kickoff return dropped year over year from 27.6 to 25.9, but it was still the second-highest return yardage average in NFL history, per Pro Football Reference.
Not everyone has been a fan of the NFL kickoff rules. On Jan. 25, President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social about his issues with the league’s kickoff rule and how it has made the NFL unwatchable.
“I can’t watch the new NFL Kickoff. Like many others, I just turn my head. Who has the right to make such a change? So disparaging to the game! The original was Big Time, Strong, Glamorous, and Exciting. The ridiculous new Kickoff rule takes away the prestige and power of the game. I hope College Football doesn’t follow suit!
President Donald Trump on the new NFL Kickoff rules
With the spacing created by rule changes for the kickoff in 2024, the rate of violent collisions resulting in concussions and other significant injuries has trended downward. Following that success, the league implemented further changes to increase the rate of returns while attempting to avoid a spike in concussions.
While some clearly are not fans of the rule, the NFL kickoff stats for 2025 show the league has no reason to make major changes. As long as the kickoff return rate is high and the rate of concussions remains stable or dips, the NFL will treat the rule changes this past year as a massive success.
