Chiefs' Andy Reid drops a bucket of cold water on the NFL's new dynamic kickoff return rules

The NFL is doing all it can to revive the kickoff during the 2024 NFL season with new dynamic kickoff return rules . They want to see more kickoff returns, fewer injuries and a play that gets people excited again.

During the preseason, the new rules appeared to be working. The return rate was a staggering 70.5%, which is the highest it has been in a long, long time. However, that might not last as the regular season arrives, and the Kansas City Chiefs are a perfect example of that.

In Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, the Chiefs kicked off six times and each time it resulted in a touchback. As part of the NFL's new rules, touchbacks bring the ball out to the 30-yard line. So, why were the Chiefs content with having Harrison Butker kick the ball through the back of the end zone on every play?

“We just kind of went off the stats that we had, and we felt that that was the best way to go," Chiefs HC Andy Reid explained to reporters on Monday. "In a perfect world, if you can kick it right to the goal line and kind of skip it down in there, that’d be great. As you saw in the games yesterday, you saw people trying to do that and then it bounces out of bounds, or they get it before the end zone line and goal line and then they return it for a big return. Then, you look at vice versa, they’re saying, ‘Well we had a chance to return it, we got it past the 30 (yard line),’ that’s just kind of what it is. You got to be spot on with the kick and that’s a lot to ask there.”

The average kickoff return during the preseason went for 28 yards. When you consider that's being caught in the landing zone, it's getting returned past the 30-yard line on most occasions. When it isn't, you're only ceding a few yards to your opponent. Basically, Andy Reid trusts his defense to handle an opposing offense starting at the 30-yard line more than he trusts Harrison Butker to be perfect on these new kickoffs. Maybe that will change in time as Butker is more practiced and accurate.

Here's NFL Research's data on the kickoff results during Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season:

"Of the 171 dynamic kickoffs, 111 went for touchbacks (64.9%), with 57 returns (33.3%) and three landing out of bounds or short of the landing zone (1.8%)."

If the NFL wants more kickoff returns, they'll have to continue tweaking their new rule. Savvy coaches like Reid aren't going to put their team in a bad situation just for the sake of it. At the end of the day, it's all about winning football games. Right now, Reid feels this gives his team the best chance to win games. Other NFL teams might follow suit as they collect more and more data on the new rule.

Related: The latest Kadarius Toney development spells bad news for the Chiefs