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49ers special teams struggle covering kicks against the Titans

Getting used to the new kickoff rules will be a process for every NFL team. If early returns are any indication, the league is getting exactly what it wanted to through the first week of preseason:

Kickoff stats through Preseason W1

Return rate:
'22: 64%
'23: 65%
'24: 81%

Avg Field Position (all KOs, returns only):
'22: 24.2, 23.6
'23: 23.8, 22.7
'24: 29.0, 28.5

Big Play Returns (40+ yd):
'22: 8
'23: 4
'24: 7

OOB/Short KO rate:
'24: 3%— Michael Lopez (@StatsbyLopez) August 12, 2024

More returns, better field position, and a higher rate of big plays off these returns.