Kevin Stefanski is unsure of how the new kickoff rule will be implemented. On Thursday night, the first game of the 2023 season will get underway, and it will also be the first time that clubs will have the opportunity to demonstrate how well they can adapt to a new kickoff rule.
The National Football League (NFL) has adopted a rule modification that requires the ball to be placed at the 25-yard line if a team fair catches a kickoff inside the 25-yard line. This rule change will take effect for the first time in the Hall of Fame Game, played between the Jets and the Browns. The league stated that the proposed rule change was intended to address player safety, and despite the concerns of special teams coaches, the rule change was ultimately approved.
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Kevin Stefanski, the head coach of the Browns, stated on Tuesday during a news conference that he is excited to see how things play out this week.
“I think we’re all curious how it all plays out,” Stefanski added, according to a transcript provided by the team. “There may be some teams that hold what they’re doing until Week One and not necessarily in the preseason, but we’ll see how it goes,” the analyst said. “We’ll kind of see how it goes.” During the punt game, I hope we’ll have some opportunities to cover kicks and get some returns. I believe it is an essential component of this as well, getting some live coverage reps, and while you don’t want to punt all the time, it’s great to get some punts in. Although you don’t always love to punt, getting some punts in is okay. There are some opportunities for punt return for every one of our younger guys.
Stefanski may be correct in his assertion that clubs play things close to the chest throughout the preseason, but we won’t begin to know until Thursday.
