NFL Fans Are Siding With Andy Reid Following His Rule Complaint
KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 6: Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs looks to the sidelines just before the Tennessee Titans run the last play of the AFC Wild Card Playoff Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 6, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images
Earlier this week, NFL owners approved a rule change that would allow fair catches on kickoffs. That would result in the possession starting at the receiving team's 25-yard line.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid offered his thoughts on the rule change.
It's safe to say Reid isn't overly fond of the new rule.
"My thing is, where does it stop, right? We start taking pieces and we’ll see how this goes. But you don’t want to take too many pieces away or you’ll be playing flag football," Reid said.
Football fans around the world believe Reid's comments about the new rule are spot-on.
"Agree with Andy," one fan tweeted. "This is a bad rule."
"I agree with HC Reid…at least on this point…," another fan replied.
Rich McKay, chairman of the league's competition committee, told NFL Network's Judy Battista that player safety is the main reason for this change.
"The kickoff play for us has been a play that has had a lot of changes for us over the years, all really driven by health and safety," McKay said. "The concussion rate on the play has gone up. It's gone up because the ball is being returned more by kicks that are being hung inside the 5-yard line. College made this rule change in maybe 2018 or 2019. We looked at their data and said, you know what, this is the right thing to do now."
This rule change will be in effect for one year only. The league will then assess whether or not it's worth keeping.
