Larry Izzo was an undrafted, undersized linebacker when he entered the NFL in 1996. He would go on to have a 14-year playing career, win four Super Bowls, and be named to the Pro Bowl three times.
In the late 1990s and throughout the 2010s, Izzo was regarded as the NFL’s preeminent special-teams player. Shortly after his playing career ended, Izzo jumped into coaching. After spending the past six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, Izzo came to Washington as Dan Quinn’s special teams coach.
In addition to coaching a new team, there was a significant rule change involving special teams this offseason.
Here’s a lengthy explanation of the new rule from the NFL.
How is Izzo managing to coach his new team while adjusting to the new rule?
“That’s one thing that we’re working through on a daily basis here, 24/7, is to try to try to figure this play out as fast as we can,” Izzo said this week, per Zach Selby of commanders.com. “We look at it as a little bit of a race against time. You’re competing against all the other teams here that are in the same boat.
The new rules could also impact Washington’s roster moves. The purpose of the new kickoff rule—which came from the XFL (now UFL)—was to decrease injuries while increasing the number of returns.
The Commanders will need a punt returner and someone who can return kicks, too. You can add that to Izzo’s list this summer.
