The NFL’s Competition Committee may vote to diminish one of the Dallas Cowboys’ biggest strengths: All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey.
The committee has met recently – ahead of next month’s NFL owners meetings in Orlando – to discuss tweaking kickoff rules. Kickoffs at times were merely wastes of time during the 2023 season, with only 22 percent returned. In Super Bowl LVII there were 13 kickoffs, all booted into or out of the end zone for touchbacks.
It’s a tricky tightrope for owners, who desperately want to keep kickers involved in the game of “foot”ball. But the rate of concussion on returns are double any other play in the sport.
NFL.com reported Sunday that the committee is, um, kicking around the idea of adapting the XFL model, which lines up coverage and return teams five yards apart but well downfield from the kicker. The XFL rules allow for returns, but not the full-field, full-sprint collisions that prompt many collisions and injuries.
The Cowboys benefitted from Aubrey’s leg strength, as the rookie consistently booted unreturnable kickoffs that forced opponents to start at the 25-yard line. Aubrey led the NFL in both number of touchbacks (99) and highest percentage of touchbacks (91 percent). The Pro Bowl performer had an astounding 19 more touchbacks than the next closest kicker, Baltimore Ravens’ veteran Justin Tucker.
Aubrey, of course, wasn’t just about quantity, but also quality. He led the league is made field goals with 36, missing only two along with making 49 of 52 extra points.
The NFL Competition Committee is expected to continue meeting next week to tackle such topics as kickoffs and “hip-drop” tackles.
