The NFL officially returned on Thursday as the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans took part in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
All eyes were on the opening kick, but not only because it was the first taste of the NFL that fans have had since the Super Bowl. Thursday's opening kickoff was special because it was the debut of the league's newly-implemented "dynamic kickoff."
The NFL adjusted its rules on kickoffs for the 2024 season in order to promote player safety and reduce the high volume of injuries that occur on special teams plays. The full details of the rules of the Dynamic Kickoff can be found here.
Bears kicker Cairo Santos had the honors of kicking the first dynamic kickoff, booting it out to Steven Sims, who returned it 21 yards.
For the first time... the Dynamic Kickoff 🙌
— NFL (@NFL) August 2, 2024
📺: @ProFootballHOF Game on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/wga0LmuvtH
Although it may not seem like much on surface level, football fans had plenty to say about the new kickoff rules, and they sounded off on social media.
The new kickoff is going to look fake for the rest of our lives. We are gonna have to remind ourselves we are still doing that on every kickoff we see until we pass on. It won't do. I'm sorry to say we need to just go back to touchbacks.
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) August 2, 2024
Feel like most special teams coordinators will hide their more creative approaches to the new kickoff during the preseason
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) August 2, 2024
It may actually take me a decade to get used to this kickoff https://t.co/AH8ni2OuIg
— NYJ Matt (@NYJ_Matt) August 2, 2024
This gives both special teams more strategy for the kickoff team to get to the returner
— Russ' TD ⚡ (@RussFcb) August 2, 2024
Safer rule
Less touchbacks, more returns
But everyone's 1st instinct is saying it's horrible https://t.co/zUKOJz31ZM
So far the new NFL kickoff is underwhelming.
— Lexi (@lexiosborne) August 2, 2024
First thought after the TD was “yes! we get another kickoff!”
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) August 2, 2024
So glad they fixed the kickoff 🙏 🙏🙏
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NFL Fans React to Watching First 'Dynamic Kickoff' in Bears-Texans Preseason Tilt.
