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The on-side kick is a vital part to NFL games. Nothing is more exciting or nerve racking than a team lining up three points down or seven points down and needing the ball back with time expiring. They line up, they kick off, and then pandemonium insues.
In 2015 there were 66 on-side kick attempts according to SportingCharts.com. Of those attempts only nine were actually successful. In 2014, 56 were attempted with only nine successful. The NFL can’t simply eliminate the kick-offs because it would take away the opportunity to attempt to get the ball back late in the game to potentially pull off a stunning come from behind win.