Kickoff rule changes could result in historic NFL season

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The NFL wanted to add excitement to the game.

As a result, the list which is represented by some of the league’s leading players bijan robinson, jonathan taylor And Christian McCaffreyIts tennessee titans Cheater chimere dike He sits on top.

dike and dallas cowboys, kavonte turpin Are among the NFL’s top five in all-purpose yards before the kickoff rule change in 2024 slightly modified In 2025 – An incentive to bring back the return game. It liked the players New York Jets come back friend Isaiah Williams Better chance to make the roster. It has also helped drive value for veterans like Turpin, who signed a three-year, $13.5 million contract extension in March.

The 2024 rule changes introduced new dynamic formations to increase returns and promote safety (43% reduction in concussion rates) as players are aligned closer to each other to reduce high-speed collisions. The league moved the touchback spot from the 20-yard line to the 30. However, the leaguewide return rate of 32.8% was still the league’s lowest since at least 2000, and the touchback rate of 64.3% was the league’s highest over the same period.

So the league moved the touchback spot to the 35-yard line in 2025, and the data has shifted. Teams have chosen to play the ball for a touchback rather than drill deep into the end zone. Through Week 14, the kick return rate has increased to 77.4%, more than doubling last season’s 32.8% rate, and through the first four weeks, the league has seen highest rate (78.3%) over 19 years at that time.

For players like Dyke and Turpin, they are being asked to handle kick and punt return duties along with being a part of the offense. Playing such an involved role is challenging for any player.

Dyke had to step up at times as a receiver, where he had 34 receptions for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Turpin has done the same, with 21 catches for 286 yards and a touchdown.

“A lot of guys can’t do kick returns, punt returns and [play] Receivers too,” Titans special teams coordinator John Faisal said.[Dike] The ball is thrown to him, he is punted and he is kicked. He’s an incredibly valuable weapon because he can do it all.”

Entering Week 15, Dike was leading the league in all-purpose yards (1,984), kick return yards (1,323) and yards per punt return (19.9). He is on pace to surpass Lionel James (2,535 in 1985) for fourth place in all-purpose yards in a season since 1941, and has an outside shot at the all-time record (2,696) set by Darren Sproles and surpassing former Titans wide receiver Derrick Mason’s mark of 2,690, second all-time.

“His all-purpose yards have been earned,” said Faisel, surprised when informed of Dyke’s record speed.

Although the kick return average is down from last season (27.6 to 25.9 yards), the change resulted in more total return yards (42,613 and counting from 25,385). 91.4% of returns in the league have gone beyond the 20-yard line, the most in the last 25 years.

,[Dike’]”He’s really excellent as a returner, and I think he’s done some really good things as a wide receiver,” Mason told ESPN. He’s learning how to play the game from a special teams perspective, how to see the field as a returner. So he’s going to be able to operate the offense in spots that will be difficult for some other wide receivers to do. He’s used to finding holes and isn’t afraid of contact.

“He’s a strong runner. He breaks tackles, that’s why he’s a good returner. All of those things are good for him. He might end up being the steal of the draft.” [Round 4, pick 103] Because he’s coming in as a receiver. With his rebounding skills, he’s going to be a guy that, for me, will be a weapon like Percy Harvin.”

As far as Williams is concerned‘The path, he was signed on cincinnati bengals Practice squad on September 10th. Had a nightmare game against Williams miami dolphins In week 4. It was the Monday night game where he fumbled on the kickoff, and he fielded a punt at his own 3-yard line at the end of the game, ruining the long drive and any chance of a comeback.

Jets cut Williams A few days later, however, they reinstated him to the practice squad on October 6. He was saved by Jets first-year coach Aaron Glenn, who got in his way when he signed Williams to a contract. detroit lions as an undrafted free agent in April 2024, before the Bengals signed him off the practice squad in November. Glenn was always fond of Williams, who was promoted to the active roster on October 18.

Glenn called Williams’ return to the team “a great redemption story”. Since his second stint with New York, Williams has scored two touchdowns on punt returns, becoming the third Jet in history to do so in a single season. He and Dike are the only two players to have a 70-yard return on a punt and a kickoff.

“I feel like this was all really a blessing,” Williams told ESPN. “Looking back on it, I learned from it and moved on, but I realized on Friday [that I was cut]you go through it [Miami] The game and you practice the next three days – Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – and you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m going to get a chance to redeem myself.’ Then you come out of practice on Friday and you realize you got cut.

“In my mind, I’m thinking, ‘Dang, I could be done for this year. I could probably join someone’s practice squad.’ When I signed back, my biggest thing was, ‘I’ll come back and compete, work. Whatever happens, happens.’ Then I finally got a chance.”

Williams joined Dyke, new England Patriots returnee marcus jonesAnd jacksonville jaguars returnee parker washington As the only player to have at least two punt returns for touchdowns. This is the first year since 2019 that at least one player has had multiple punt returns for a touchdown in a season.

Turpin forced him Returned to the Cowboys’ roster in 2022 after stints in the Indoor Football League, Fan Controlled Football League, Spring League and European Football League from 2019 to 2021. His breakthrough came in 2022 when he was named Most Valuable Player in the USFL’s inaugural season.

“He came in and tried it,” said Faisal, who was Turpin’s special teams coordinator with the Cowboys at the time. “We signed him, and he was at practice that same day.”

Turpin scored two touchdowns in the second preseason game against los angeles chargersThe first was on a 98-yard kickoff return in the first quarter, and the second was on an 86-yard punt return in the second quarter,

“It was like, ‘Okay, he’s a comebacker. Take him out of the game,'” Faisal said. “He made the team in two weeks.”

Faisal said Turpin’s vision made him one of the returners who gave him the freedom to move away from the direction the play was called. For example, if there was a return to the right and Turpin saw a lane open to his left, he had the green light to cut it back and make a play.

“I learned a lot from him, where I had to make sure I never told the Terps where to run,” Faisal said with a smile.

The 5-foot-9, 173-pound Turpin’s toughness and courage stood out to Faisal and his assistant special teams coach, Rayna Stewart, when they were in Dallas. Dyke (6-1, 196 pounds) is bigger than Turpin, and Stewart sees the same qualities in the Titans’ returner.

“It takes a lot of courage to get back out there and be willing to run through smoke or fire,” Stewart told ESPN.

newbie returner miles priceK’s 1,548 all-purpose yards rank seventh in the league, and his minnesota vikings Turpin and are set to face the Cowboys on Sunday.

Price will try to keep pace with Dyke and Turpin (1,620 yards) as those three are the only players whose primary yardage comes from returns in the top 10 for all-purpose yards, but unlike Dyke and Turpin, Price is strictly a return man at this point in his career.

“It’s great to think about it [leading the NFL]but as [Fassel] They say, ‘By the end of the year the numbers don’t matter,'” Dyck said. “At the end of the year, it will be a good moment because coming into the league, you try to make an impact.”

NFL Nation reporters Rich Cimini and Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.