Kansas City Chiefs’ special teams coordinator, Dave Taub, addressed President Trump’s recent criticisms regarding the NFL’s new kickoff rule as the team gears up for an upcoming game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Trump has expressed his disdain for this rule, which was made permanent this season. Most notably, during a recent appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” he labeled it “terrible.”
Taub remarked, “He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at. He has no idea what’s going on with the kickoff rules. Take that for what it’s worth. And I hope he listens to it.”
In another appearance on ESPN’s Veterans Day special, Trump reiterated his views, stating, “I think this is a very bad thing. It’s humiliating and it’s a detriment to the game—a detriment to a spectacular tournament. I mentioned that to (NFL Commissioner) Roger Goodell, and I don’t think it’s any safer. You can still have players colliding with each other.”
Back in September, Trump described the dynamic kickoff rule as “weak football.”
He further criticized the rule on social media, calling for the NFL to abandon it, questioning how such a significant change could be made so swiftly. “It’s at least as dangerous and hellish as a ‘normal’ kick-off,” he said. He also expressed a strong preference for the rules of college football, hoping they remain unchanged.
The NFL has defended this new dynamic kickoff system, claiming it’s safer and encourages more kickoff returns.
Under the rules, the ball is kicked from the 35-yard line, but all players on the kicking team are required to remain at the 40-yard line until the ball hits the ground or is touched by a returner inside the 20-yard line.
