NFL Fans Are Pissed Off After The League Completely Ruined Onside Kicks With Their Wild New Rule Changes

NFL fans are losing their minds over a viral “X” post outlining the ridiculous rule changes to onside kicks that go into effect this season.

The NFL announced a series of rule changes for 2024, including changes to kickoffs and onside kicks. The new rules forbid teams from being able to attempt an onside kick before the fourth quarter, and the kicking team MUST announce that they’re attempting it beforehand.

The popular ML Football X/Twitter account tweeted their displeasure with the rule changes. That led to a plethora of outcries from NFL fans, who are also unhappy with the new onside kick rules:

🚨TRENDING🚨The #NFL’s new kickoff rules are WILD

• ALL ONSIDE KICKS ARE ILLEGAL BEFORE THE 4TH QUARTER

• In order to try the onside kick the team must be losing & the team must announce it

😳😳😳

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GAME WE ALL USED TO LOVE

(Via @BussinWTB) pic.twitter.com/35Bsip2KPz

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) July 30, 2024

So terrible. NFL is dead to me these days

— Colby Dant (@TheColbyD) July 30, 2024

These are terrible changes to the rules. The NFL is still elite, but this is a step in the wrong direction.

— Fantasy Football Trends (@FFTopTrends) July 30, 2024

• TRENDING NEWS

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Just get rid of them at this point. That's clearly what they want by adding these new rules.

— Lewis Pike (@LewisPike_) July 30, 2024

No one asked for this

— Steven (@m4gbit) July 30, 2024

Ruining it year after year

— RJ (@phisportfanatic) July 30, 2024

We should also have the offense tell the defense what play they are running while we are at it

— DingerD (@Dinger_d) July 30, 2024

Terrible man.

Takes the fun element of surprise every once and a while out of the game.

— That Hurts (@That_Hurts) July 30, 2024

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Surprise onside kicks are awfully rare in the NFL, and recovering it is hard enough as is if you’re the kicking team. So it’s easy to understand why fans and pundits are heavily critical of the rule changes.

The New Orleans Saints performed one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history 14 years ago when they recovered their surprise onside kick against the Indianapolis Colts to begin the second half.

New Orleans was trailing 10-6 at the time of the gutsy kick, but they outscored Peyton Manning’s squad 25-7 in the second half to win Super Bowl 44, the franchise’s first championship.

🗓️ February 7, 2010:

The Saints (+5) beat the Colts 31-17 at Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.

Sean Payton's decision to onside kick coming out of half was legendary 🔥pic.twitter.com/aaVgVaiGGk

— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) February 7, 2023

Now fast forward to 2024. There’s no telling how much different NFL history could have been if the Saints were barred from attempting that surprise play. Good thing Sean Payton and company took advantage of it before the rule was outlawed.

A Successful Onside Kick Is Extremely Rare

On Nov. 16 of last season, NFL Operations reported that the kicking team had recovered only 5.6 percent of onside kicks. That’s a small enough number as is, but it figures to drop even more now that teams cannot attempt them until the fourth quarter, without letting the opponent know ahead of time.

The 2024 season will kick off on Sept. 5, when the Kansas City Chiefs welcome the Baltimore Ravens to Arrowhead Stadium.

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