NFL Owners to Vote on Proposed Onside Kick Alternative in May

The NFL owners will meet for their spring meetings in May and will be voting on an alternative to the onside kick.

The rule change, proposed by the Philadelphia Eagles, would provide teams with the opportunity to attempt to a convert a 4th and 15 from their own 25-yard line in lieu of the traditional onside kick.

The same measure did not pass at last year’s league meetings, but the owners did decide to table it for a later date, signifying that there was at least some support and intrigue last May. That proposal only allowed the alternative to be evoked twice per game.

Onside kicks have become less and less successful in recent year since the league implemented changes to kickoffs aimed at player safety concerns three year ago. Those slim odds have resulted in the growing support for an alternative.

During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, teams were 0-104 when attempting and anticipated onside kick, according to a tweet from NFL Director of Data and Analytics Michael Lopez last year.

Other notes:
– There's a penalty on about 18% of onside kicks, by far the highest rate of all play types
– Teams attempting an onsides kick have won about 2% of the time since 2003. In last two years, teams are 0-and-104 when attempting an expected onside kick

— Michael Lopez (@StatsbyLopez) May 28, 2020

Rule change proposals require approval by 75% or 24 owners to be passed.

Click here for a list of all the proposed rule changes set to be voted on by the NFL owners in May.