What is rule 17 in the NFL? A Comprehensive Guide for the 2025 Season

The National Football League (NFL) rulebook is a complex tapestry of regulations governing every aspect of the game. Among these, Rule 17, titled “Kickoffs,” holds significant importance, especially with the recent modifications aimed at enhancing player safety and increasing the excitement of kickoff returns. As we head into the 2025 NFL season, understanding Rule 17 is crucial for fans, players, and analysts alike. This comprehensive guide will delve into the intricacies of Rule 17 as it stands for the upcoming season, ensuring you have all the relevant information.

The Evolution of NFL Kickoff Rules

To truly grasp the significance of the current Rule 17, it’s essential to understand its evolution. For years, the traditional NFL kickoff often resulted in touchbacks, with the receiving team taking possession at the 20-yard line. While efficient, this reduced the number of exciting kickoff returns and, more importantly, presented high-speed collision scenarios that led to a disproportionate number of injuries.

In response to these concerns, the NFL introduced significant changes for the 2024 season with the “Dynamic Kickoff” rule. This experimental rule aimed to reduce high-impact collisions by restricting player movement before the ball was caught while simultaneously promoting more returns. The results of this experimental rule have been evaluated, leading to further adjustments for the 2025 season, now formalized within Rule 17.

Key Components of NFL Rule 17 for 2025

As the 2025 season approaches, Rule 17 encompasses several crucial elements that dictate how kickoffs are executed and what happens afterward. Here’s a breakdown of the key components:

1. Kickoff Formation and Alignment

The kickoff formation for the 2025 season retains the core principles of the “Dynamic Kickoff” introduced in 2024, with some refinements:

• Kicking Team: All players on the kicking team, except the kicker, will line up with one foot on the receiving team’s 40-yard line. The kicker will kick from the kicking team’s 35-yard line, as in previous years. The kicker cannot cross the 50-yard line until the ball touches the ground or a player in the landing zone or end zone. The ten kicking team players positioned at the 40-yard line cannot move until the ball hits the ground or a player in the landing zone or the end zone.
• Receiving Team: The receiving team will have a designated “Setup Zone,” a five-yard area between their 30 and 35-yard lines. At least nine receiving team players must line up within this zone, with at least seven players positioned on the 35-yard line (the restraining line) with specific alignment requirements (outside numbers, numbers to hashes, and inside hashes). Players not on the restraining line must be in the setup zone outside the hash marks. All players in the setup zone cannot move until the kick has hit the ground or a player in the landing zone or the end zone.
• Landing Zone: A designated “Landing Zone” spans from the receiving team’s goal line to their 20-yard line. Up to two returners can position themselves within this zone and are allowed to move freely before and during the kick.

This unique alignment is designed to limit high-speed collisions by preventing players from gaining significant momentum before the ball is fielded.

2. Touchback Rules: A Significant Change for 2025

One of the most notable changes within Rule 17 for the 2025 season involves the placement of the ball after a touchback on a kickoff. In a move to further incentivize kickoff returns and reduce the number of automatic touchbacks, the rule has been adjusted:

• Kicks into the End Zone: If a kickoff lands in the end zone and is downed by the receiving team, or if it goes out of the back of the end zone (either in the air or after bouncing), the receiving team will now take possession at their 35-yard line. This is a significant change from the 2024 rule, which placed the touchback at the 30-yard line. The NFL projects that this change will lead to a substantial increase in kickoff return attempts.

This adjustment aims to make kicking the ball into the end zone a less advantageous strategy, encouraging kickers to aim for the landing zone to allow for a potential return.

3. Handling Kicks in the Landing Zone and Short Kicks

Rule 17 also clarifies how kicks landing in different areas of the field will be handled:

• Kicks Short of the Landing Zone: Any kickoff that travels less than 30 yards and lands short of the receiving team’s 30-yard line (the beginning of the setup zone) will be treated like a kickoff out of bounds. The play will be immediately blown dead, and the receiving team will take possession at their 40-yard line.
• Kicks Within the Landing Zone: Any kickoff that lands within the designated landing zone (between the receiving team’s goal line and their 20-yard line) must be returned. The receiving team does not have the option to call a fair catch in this scenario.
• Kicks Landing in the Landing Zone and Entering the End Zone: If a kickoff lands within the landing zone and then bounces or rolls into the end zone, the receiving team has two options: return the ball or down it for a touchback at the 35-yard line, as mentioned above.
• Kicks Landing in the End Zone and Staying Inbounds: If a kickoff lands and remains inbounds within the end zone, the receiving team can either return the ball or down it for a touchback at the 35-yard line.

4. Fair Catch on Kickoffs

While the option for a fair catch has been eliminated for kicks landing within the landing zone, it’s important to understand the broader implications of the fair catch rule on kickoffs under the updated Rule:

• Fair Catch Inside the 25-Yard Line: A significant rule introduced in the 2023 season and remaining in effect for 2025 allows a kickoff returner who signals for and makes a fair catch inside their own 25-yard line to be awarded a touchback, with the ball placed at the 25-yard line. This rule was implemented to enhance player safety by discouraging high-speed collisions during kickoff returns.

It’s crucial to note that this fair catch rule only applies to kickoffs where the fair catch is made inside the 25-yard line. It does not apply to punts, which are governed by separate rules.

5. Onside Kicks

The rules regarding onside kicks remain largely unchanged for the 2025 season under this Rule:

• Declaration: A team can only attempt an onside kick in the fourth quarter and must explicitly declare their intention to the officials before executing the kick.
• Execution: Standard onside kick rules apply. If the onside kick travels beyond the setup zone (the receiving team’s 30-yard line) without being touched by the receiving team, the kicking team will be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, and the receiving team will be awarded possession at the kicking team’s 20-yard line.

There have been discussions about potential modifications to the onside kick rule in the future to make it a more viable option for trailing teams, but no significant changes have been implemented for the 2025 season.

6. Penalties on Kickoffs

Rule 17 also outlines various penalties that can occur during kickoff plays:

• Illegal Formation: Penalties for either team lining up in an illegal formation will result in a five-yard penalty and a rekick (for the kicking team) or the option to replay the down (for the receiving team).
• Early Movement: If players on the kicking team (other than the kicker) or the receiving team’s setup zone move before the ball travels a certain distance or is touched, a five-yard penalty will be assessed.
• Kickoff Out of Bounds: If a kickoff goes out of bounds before being touched by the receiving team, they can elect to take possession at the spot where the ball went out of bounds or at their own 40-yard line (whichever is more advantageous).
• Unsportsmanlike Conduct: As mentioned with onside kicks, other unsportsmanlike conduct penalties can occur during kickoffs, resulting in yardage penalties.

The Strategic Implications of the Updated Rule 17

The modifications to this Rule for the 2025 season have significant strategic implications for both kicking and receiving teams:

• Increased Emphasis on Kick Placement: Kickers will need to be more precise with their kicks, aiming to land the ball within the landing zone to encourage returns while avoiding the end zone to prevent the receiving team from gaining possession at the 35-yard line.
• Return Strategies Become More Critical: With the increased likelihood of kickoff returns, special teams coaches will need to develop sophisticated blocking schemes and identify skilled returners who can capitalize on the open field. The ability of the receiving team to utilize up to three “floaters” (players who can move before the kick) within the setup zone offers more flexibility in designing blocking strategies.
• Onside Kick Challenges Remain: The restriction of onside kicks to the fourth quarter and the strict rules regarding their execution continue to make successful onside kick recoveries a low-probability event.
• Fair Catch Strategy: The strategic use of the fair catch inside the 25-yard line will remain a tool for returners to ensure possession and avoid potential turnovers or significant hits, especially when facing a strong kicking team.

Conclusion: A New Era for NFL Kickoffs in 2025

NFL Rule 17, governing kickoffs, has undergone significant transformations leading into the 2025 season. The permanent adoption of the “Dynamic Kickoff” with the adjusted touchback rule (moving the possession to the 35-yard line) signifies the league’s commitment to balancing player safety with the excitement of kickoff returns.

Understanding the nuances of Rule 17, from the kickoff formation and landing zones to the touchback and fair catch rules, is essential for appreciating the strategic battles that will unfold on special teams in the 2025 NFL season. As teams adapt to these changes, we can expect to see a renewed emphasis on kickoff strategy and the emergence of dynamic kickoff returners. This updated rule aims to inject more action and intrigue into a phase of the game that had become increasingly predictable, promising a more engaging experience for fans across the globe.