What Yard Line Do NFL Teams Kickoff From?

Did you know that NFL teams kick off from different yard lines depending on where they are on the field? The yard line they kick off from also changes depending on whether they are trying to score or not.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the different yard lines NFL teams kick off from and what that means for the game.

Introduction

In the NFL, each team gets one possession to score points at the start of the game. If a team scores a touchdown, they get an extra point by kicking the ball through the goal posts. If they score a field goal, they get 3 points. The team that scores the most points at the end of the game wins.

At the beginning of each game, both teams line up on their own 35-yard line. The team that is kicking off (the “kicking team”) lines up on their own 30-yard line. The other team (the “receiving team”) must line up at least 10 yards behind them.

The NFL’s Kickoff Rule Change in 2011

Under the new NFL rule, which was passed in 2011, teams must kick off from the 35 yard line instead of the 30. This change was made in order to increase player safety, as there are more touchbacks under the new rule.

In addition, the kickoff team cannot have more than 5 players lined up outside of the hashmarks, and 4 players must be lined up on each side of the kicker. This rule change was also implemented in order to increase player safety, as it reduces the amount of running and blocking that takes place during kickoffs.

The Impact of the Rule Change

In the past, NFL teams would kick off from the 30-yard line. However, in recent years, the league has changed the rule to allow teams to kick off from the 35-yard line. This change was made in an effort to reduce the number of injuries that occur during kickoff returns.

Despite the league’s efforts, research has shown that there has been no significant reduction in injuries since the rule change was implemented. In fact, some studies have even shown a slight increase in injuries during kickoff returns.

One reason for this may be that teams are now able to kick the ball further and put more pressure on the opposing team’s returner. Another reason may be that players are now able to run faster and hit harder when they reach top speed.

Whatever the reason, it’s clear that the league’s efforts to reduce injuries during kickoff returns have not been successful. If anything, they may have even made the problem worse.

How the Rule Change Has Affected NFL Teams

In 2007, the NFL moved the kickoff spot back to the 30-yard line in order to increase player safety. The idea was that by making it easier for touchbacks, there would be fewer players running full-speed down the field to make tackles.

The rule change has had a few unintended consequences, though. One is that teams have started to pooch kick more often, meaning they kick the ball just short of the end zone in order to prevent a touchback. This often leads to longer returns and more exciting plays.

Another consequence is that teams are now more likely to go for onside kicks, since it’s easier to recover an onside kick when the ball is kicked from the 30-yard line. This has led to some thrilling finishes, but it can also be a risky strategy since if the other team recovers the onside kick they’re in great position to score.

So while the rule change was made with player safety in mind, it’s had some interesting effects on the game itself.

Conclusion

In the 2017 NFL season, the average kickoff was kicked from the 35.5-yard line and went for 60.4 yards. The average touchback occurred on kickoffs that were booted from 5.9 yards deeper into enemy territory, at the 45-yard line.