News

Trump Calls NFL Kickoff Rule Change ‘Sissy Football’

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 09: (L-R) U.S. President Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump stand for the National Anthem during the Super Bowl LIX Pregame at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation)

With the NFL season in full swing, fans are still getting used to a new rule changing how kickoffs are formatted.

The NFL has made the Dynamic Kickoff rule, first tested in 2024, a permanent part of the 2025 season. The rule aims to reduce the number of dangerous injuries during kickoffs and increase the amount of returns.

Under the new rule, the kicker will still start at his team’s 35-yard line, but all other team members will line up at the receiving team’s 40-yard line. Players are not allowed to move until the ball touches the ground or is touched by a returner in the landing zone.

The landing zone spans the receiving team’s 20-yard line to the goal line.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Any kickoff that is caught or lands in the landing zone must be returned. Conversely, any ball that falls short of the landing zone will be ruled a touchback and spotted at the returning team’s 40-yard line.

The rule puts players closer together and prevents them from colliding into each other with as much speed.

Not everyone is welcoming the new rule. President Donald Trump criticized the rule on Truth Social, calling the rule “ridiculous looking.”

“It’s at least as dangerous as the ‘normal’ kickoff, and looks like hell,” Trump wrote recently. “The ball is moving, and the players are not, the exact opposite of what football is about. ‘Sissy’ football is bad for America, and bad for the NFL!”

Since the introduction of the rule, the NFL has seen fewer severe injuries caused by collisions.

Data released in February by the NFL from the 2024 season showed a significant decrease in concussions since the introduction of the dynamic kickoffs. There was a 17% decrease in concussions compared to the 2023 season and 12% compared to the 2021-2023 season.

Average player speed during these plays has also decreased under the new rule. Returns increased by 57% during the 2024 season, including more touchdown returns since 2021.

With many fans adjusting to the new rule, teams fine-tune their strategies. The upcoming weeks will show precisely why the NFL kickoff rule is here to stay.