NFL reminds teams, fans why it's called 'No Fun League' with memo

The NFL is the most successful professional sports league in America. No matter how many memorable moments it provides each fall, it needs to remind us that it’s not all fun and games in football.

On Monday, Boston Globe's Ben Volin reported that the league sent out a memo to all 32 teams that kickers cannot place the football flat on the kicking tee as many teams practiced during the spring. The original clarification of this rule came in December of 2022.

“We remind clubs that the clarification sent on 12/14/2022 regarding placement of the ball into the well has not changed. Rules do not ever allow the ball to be elevated more than one inch,” the memo said . “Placing the ball flat does not put the ball into the well of the tee sufficiently to satisfy the 1" elevation requirement, therefore, game officials will be instructed not to allow any kickoff attempt on a tee in that position…”

A memo like this from the NFL isn’t surprising as most have gotten used to the league interjecting on such rules matters. In recent years, the NFL has tinkered with kickoffs resulting in the latest format change.

Teams will still kick from the 35-yard line while the other 10 players line up at the opposing team's 40-yard line. This is meant to make kickoffs even safer but also put the kicking team at a disadvantage since no player other than the kicker and returners can move until the ball is touched or hits the ground.

New England was one team among others attempting to perfect laying the ball flat on the tee for kickoffs. The league has changed so many rules over the years that defense of any kind almost feels impossible.

While rule changes (or enforcements) aren’t as frivolous as some of the uniform violations we’ve seen the league enforce, sometimes you can go too far. Like when players have been fined for wearing the wrong socks or cleats on the field.

Former San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore was fined in 2012 his socks being too low. While playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, former safety Ryan Clark was fined for wearing eye black as a tribute to former Washington safety Sean Taylor.

Enforcing this kickoff rule so rigidly feels like yet another attempt at sucking the life out of the game by the league. Laying the ball flat to mix up the receiving team would be another form of strategy in this human game of chess.

Despite the league's continued popularity, Commissioner Roger Goodell’s office seems reluctant to ease up on some of these rules. Unless it’s something to increase points on offense, the league will likely continue operating under the moniker of "No Fun League."