NFL rules on player safety are typically a pendulum that swing either for the offense or defense.
The league’s new kickoff rules stipulate that a returner can fair-catch a kick and have the offense’s drive start at the 25-yard line — the same result as if there were a touchback.
Houston Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross is a competitor yet also believes in player safety. Nevertheless as a coach in the transition phase of the game, Ross understands special teams is a component of the game where players are able to make their case for inclusion on the 53-man roster.
“When we get a chance to cover a kick, let’s go out there with our hair on fire,” Ross told reporters May 31 after organized team activities. “We get a chance to return it, we want those guys to get shot out of a cannon and go. I got it. I’m 100% in favor of player safety, so, anything to elongate the existence of the NFL and our game, great, and player safety.”
While Ross was filibustering on playing within the rules of the game, he provided an interesting scenario.
Said Ross: “Those are the rules, so we’ll play within that scheme. If that’s going to save time, waving a fair catch, end-of-half situation or you’ve got to learn how to squib it and get it through, you’ve got to judge yard mark, what’s the average return.”
A squib kick, which is a kickoff that hits ground first as it bounds its way to the opposing end zone similar to a grounder in baseball, would fall outside the parameters of fair-kick eligibility. If a returner fielded a squibbed kick, the point where they were downed by contact would be the starting point of the offense’s drive, not the 25-yard line — even with the rule change.
After possession field position is a key part of special teams.
“That starting field position, you guys have known this, that chart doesn’t lie,” said Ross. “Every yard means percentage up on opportunity to score on the offensive end or defensive side to defend.”
If the Texans wanted to mitigate the opponent’s ability to start drives at the 25-yard line, using Ka’imi Fairbairn to squib more could be an option.
