In Week 1, 75.6 percent of kickoffs were returned (118 of 156). That was up from 33.1 percent in Week 1 2024 (57 of 172). The new kickoff rule moving the touchback point from the 30 to the 35-yard line looks to be having the desired effect the league was hoping for.
"Yeah, I think it's kind of what we all knew," Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said this week. "Teams are going to force teams to return the ball as much as they possibly can.
"I don't think you want to kick it to them at the 15-yard line, so you're seeing them kick it back there and flirt with the goal line, so you see a handful of touchbacks but certainly not many. I think it's pretty much what we expected. I think it is exciting. I love the fact that the play is playing out, it gives us a lot more involvement in the game which is great."
There were 3,074 kickoff return yards recorded by teams in Week 1, the most in a Week 1 all-time and the most in any week in 15 years – 3,233 in Week 15 of the 2010 season.
After one week, the Lions rank 23rd in average yards per kickoff (23.2) and 28th in average starting position after a kickoff (26.2-yard line).
Running back [Sione Vaki](https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/sione-vaki/) (hamstring) is doubtful to play this week, but when he does return, Campbell said he will be a significant boost to Detroit's special teams.