Beginning in the 2024 season, the NFL rolled out a new kickoff format that was designed to reduce injuries and encourage kickoff returns. While it’s largely accomplished its goals, United States President Donald Trump has spoken out against the change almost every chance he gets.
The NFL introduced the “dynamic kickoff” ahead of the 2024 season. Under the new system, players from the kicking team are positioned at the opposition’s 40-yard line instead of behind the kicker. This closer starting point is meant to reduce high-speed collisions between the kicking team and the receiving team.
Under this rule, a designated “landing zone” extends from the receiving team’s goal line to the 20-yard line. Two returners are placed within this zone and, aside from the kicker, are the only players allowed to move before the ball touches down.
The new kickoff format worked well enough in 2024 that the league made the change permanent. Trump, however, is not a fan.
Trump has constantly criticized the move, going back to September of 2024 when he called it the “beginning of the end” for the league.
“I can’t believe the NFL is effectively getting rid of the always exciting Kick Off Return. Such an exciting part of football. What are they doing? BEGINNING OF THE END!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social at the time.
Then, Trump criticized the rule again in October while watching a primetime showdown between the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers.
“I hated seeing what the NFL did with the kickoff return. Saw it tonight at the Steelers/Jets game. When you have something that works, don’t ‘tinker’ with it, you may end up with nothing!” Trump wrote back in October of 2024.
Then, in November of 2024, Trump was at it again.
“The NFL should get rid of the ridiculous new Kickoff Rule!” he wrote on Truth Social.
Later in the season, Trump made history as the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl. Once again, he could not help himself from criticizing the rule change.
“The worst part of the Super Bowl, by far, was watching the Kickoff where, as the ball is sailing through the air, the entire field is frozen, stiff. College Football does not do it, and won’t! Whose idea was it to ruin the Game?” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social back in February of 2025.
About two full seasons into the rule change, Trump was still at it, complaining about the new kickoff rule during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
“I hate the kickoff in football. I think it’s so terrible; I think it’s so demeaning. I think it hurts the game and hurts the pageantry,” Trump told McAfee back in October. “I’ve told that to Roger Goodell. And I don’t think it’s any safer. I mean, you still have guys crashing into each other.”
“The ball is in the air and nobody is moving,” Trump continued. “It’s supposed to be when the ball is in the air, when the ball is played, you’re supposed to be moving. The pageantry of the game is so badly hurt. The NFL, they do what they want to do. I don’t think they’ll change. I hope college football doesn’t change, because the power of the kickoff was so beautiful.”
Back in February of this year, Trump sat down for an interview with college football personality Josh Pate. The interview was exclusively about college football, and the NFL’s kickoff rules are completely unrelated, but that did not stop Trump from going into a tangent on the NFL’s new kickoff rules once again.
On Sunday, Trump was at it again as he once again steered the conversation to the NFL’s new kickoff rule.
Last month, the Department of Justice opened an investigation into the NFL over whether its media distribution practices violate antitrust law. Sharyl Attkisson asked Trump about this on Full Measure, and he inexplicably began ranting about the kickoff rule again.
“They have that stupid kickoff thing that you can’t watch,” Trump said during the interview. “It’s unwatchable. I hate the games where they have the new phony kickoff. I don’t think it’s any safer. I hope college football doesn’t do that.”
For what it’s worth, everyone around the league seems to disagree with Trump. In fact, Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub went as far as to say that the president “has no idea what’s going on” regarding the kickoff rule.
“He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at. He has no idea what’s going on with the kickoff rule,” Toub said about Trump. “So take that for what it’s worth. And I hope he hears it.”
Much to Trump’s displeasure, it sounds like the new format is here to stay, as NFL executives are pleased with the results.
“Returns were up 57 percent year over year,” NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Miller said of the new kickoff system, according to Pro Football Talk. “We saw the starting line advance several yards, we saw more touchdowns, we saw more dynamic kickoffs out past the 40, and we saw a lower injury rate. So, all the things we hoped to see with the dynamic kickoff.”
But if the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that Trump is going to continue to rant about it every chance he gets.