Lon Horwedel - Imagn Images
The stats show what we all know just by watching the games: It’s never been harder to recover an onside kick in the NFL. Rules to make the play safer has led to recovery rates being incredibly low.
For years, those in and around the game have thought of a way to revolutionize onside kicks, and it wouldn’t involve a kick at all. But, the NFL and its owners are once again not considering the rule.
Onside kick recovery rates have been hovering around 5% lately after being usually double that number, or even more. Teams can no longer overload one side of the field with players on the kicking team, significantly reducing recovery chance. Now, with the new [NFL kickoff rules](https://brobible.com/sports/article/nfl-kickoff-rule-change/) that debuted last year, you can’t even attempt a surprise onside kick.
The rule proposal that’s been kicked around to replace the onside kick would place the ball at the 25-yard line with the “kicking” team facing what is essentially a 4th and 15. If they convert, they keep the ball. If not, the other team gets it at the spot of the ball. This is much more indicative of team strength than a randomly bouncing onside kick.
Unfortunately, NFL teams seem reluctant to implement this, or even consider it. Here’s Pro Football Talk with more.
The NFL has previously considered alternatives to the onside kick that would give teams a chance to keep the ball by lining their offense on the field and converting a fourth-and-long. This year, the NFL is giving no consideration to such a rule.
NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said that in conversations this offseason, neither the Competition Committee nor any team thought a fourth-and-long alternative to the onside kick was worth exploring.
The fourth-and-long alternatives have been tried in some minor leagues, but Vincent said there’s a belief in NFL circles that it’s a gimmicky play and not something the league needs to add.
> The NFL has previously considered alternatives to the onside kick that would give teams a chance to keep the ball by lining their offense on the field and converting a fourth-and-long. This year, the NFL is giving no consideration to such a rule.
>
> NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said that in conversations this offseason, neither the Competition Committee nor any team thought a fourth-and-long alternative to the onside kick was worth exploring.
>
> The fourth-and-long alternatives have been tried in some minor leagues, but Vincent said there’s a belief in NFL circles that it’s a gimmicky play and not something the league needs to add.
Onside kicks are dumb and are hardly real football. This would be a welcome change. Unfortunately, it’s definitely not happening for next season.