Former NFL head coach absolutely hates the new kickoff rule: 'It's stupid'

The NFL's new kickoff has only been used in 17 preseason games so far and there's already someone out there who absolutely loathes the radically new rule: Jay Gruden. 

After watching the new kickoff rule in action during the first week of the preseason, the former NFL head coach definitely didn't come away impressed. 

Gruden sent out that tweet on the first Thursday of the preseason, a night where there were only two games played: Lions at Giants and Panthers at Patriots. 

In those two games, there wasn't very much action with the new kickoff rule: There were a total of 10 returns in the two games combined and those returns went for an average of 24.6 yards. Also, Lions kicker Jake Bates missed the landing zone on one of his kicks, which gave the Giants a touchback at the 40-yard line during their 14-3 win. 

Gruden recently did an interview with 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C. to offer a few more details on why he doesn't like the new kickoff. His biggest issue is that the surprise onside kick has now been eliminated. Under the new rule, teams can only attempt an onside kick if they're trailing in the fourth quarter and they have to let the officiating crew know that an onside attempt is coming. 

"First of all, one of the most memorable plays in Super Bowl history was a surprise onside kick to start the third quarter [in Super Bowl XLIV]. You lose that," Gruden said. 

"I know a lot of teams don't do it, but we did a [surprise] onside kick that really helped save my job against Tampa Bay [in 2015]," Gruden said. "That possibility is gone now."

In that 2015 game, Washington was trailing 24-7 in the third quarter. After cutting the lead to 24-14 with a quick touchdown, Gruden called for a surprise onside attempt and his team recovered it. Washington eventually scored on the drive to cut the lead to 24-21 in a game that Gruden's team would win 31-30. 

Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick has also mentioned that he's not a fan of losing the surprise onside kick. 

"I don't like that they took [out] the surprise onside kick," Belichick told Pat McAfee back in April. 

As for Gruden, he also isn't so sure that the new rule is going to cut down on injuries, which is one reason why the NFL implemented it. 

"If they're afraid of injuries, then why would they put this rule in? There are going to be more collisions," Gruden said. "You still have to tackle [the returner]."

Under the old rule, there were a lot of high-speed collisions, but with the new rule, the coverage team is lined up just 10 yards from the receiving team, so the amount of high-speed collisions will almost certainly go down. 

Although Gruden doesn't like the rule now, he did admit that he might like it by the end of the season. 

"It might grow on me," Gruden said. "Once I see Cordarrelle Patterson or some of these other guys do it, it might be more fun."

Gruden served as Washington's coach for nearly six seasons (2014-19) -- and winning one division title -- before getting fired in 2019. His most recent NFL stint came in 2020 as the offensive coordinator of the Jaguars. He also spent three seasons as Cincinnati's offensive coordinator (2011-13) with the Bengals making the playoffs in all three seasons that Gruden was there.