The NFL has changed several rules in recent offseasons in an effort to classify more players as “defenseless” and therefore give them protections against being hit. Another change may be coming.
The NFL announced rule proposals from the Competition Committee today, and one of those proposals would add punt returners and kickoff returners to the list of players who are sometimes afforded defenseless player protection.
The specific proposal would in the league’s own language, “amend Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9, to expand defenseless player protection to a kickoff or punt returner who is in possession of the ball but who has not had time to avoid or ward off the impending contact of an opponent.”
In other words, a return man can’t be drilled the moment he catches the ball. Instead, he has to have the ball long enough to give himself a chance to protect himself in some way, such as moving out of the way or giving a stiff arm.
It’s hard to believe the owners would vote down such a proposal, as player safety has been the primary objective of rule changes in recent years. So expect this one to pass.