CHARLOTTE – Before getting into the ins and outs of the NFL's new kickoff rules, one thing should be made clear: Special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn believes the kickoff belongs in the game.
“Obviously, you want to keep it,” Blackburn said after a recent OTA practice. “You take that away and you take away a very electric part of this game.”
The NFL recently announced changes to the kickoff for the 2018 season, and many have speculated that it could be the first step toward eventually eliminating the play entirely due to safety concerns.
“It’s such an integral part of the game,” said Blackburn, who is entering his first season as coordinator after two years as an assistant.