The NFL is back, and it's returned with a new wrinkle. Thursday's Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, pitting the Chicago Bears against the Houston Texans in 2024's preseason opener, marked the first in-game use of the league's revamped kickoff rules, which were enacted on a one-year trial basis this offseason.

Deemed the "Dynamic Kickoff," the new special teams play opened with Steven Sims as the return man, and Cairo Santos booting the opening kick. The first edition wasn't necessarily thrilling, with Sims netting just 21 yards on the run-back, but provided a clear look at the new alignment.

Here's a quick refresher of the new kickoff rules:

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  • All kicking-team players besides the kicker line up on the receiving team's 40-yard line
  • At least nine (9) receiving-team players line up in a Setup Zone between their 30- and 35-yard line
  • Up to two (2) receiving-team players line up in the Landing Zone between the goal line and 20-yard line
  • The ball is kicked from the 35-yard line, as before
  • No Setup Zone players or kicking-team players besides the kicker can move until the kicked ball either touches the ground or is fielded by a returner in the Landing Zone or end zone
  • Any kick that hits the ground before the Landing Zone is treated like a kickoff out of bounds; play is dead and the receiving team gets the ball at its own 40-yard line
  • Any kick that falls in the Landing Zone must be returned, unless it then reaches the end zone and is downed for a touchback, in which case the receiving team gets the ball at its own 20-yard line
  • Any kick that falls in the end zone and is downed or goes out of the back of the end zone is a touchback, in which case the receiving team gets the ball at its own 30-yard line
  • Onside kicks retain previous rules, except they now cannot occur unless declared by a kicking team who trails in the fourth quarter

The NFL instituted these rules for 2024 alone, with the possibility of making the change more permanent depending on this season's results. The changes were made in an effort to re-incentivize kick returns while increasing player safety by making the play resemble a typical play from scrimmage, with less high-speed contact.