Tyreek? Berrios? Dolphins have ‘beautiful' options as NFL approves kickoff overhaul

ORLANDO — The NFL is giving the Dolphins something to think about.

Their opponents, too.

Team owners voted Tuesday morning 29-3 to pass a sweeping kickoff rule on an experimental basis in 2024. It will look nothing like NFL kickoffs have ever looked and take time for fans to get used to, but owners are satisfied it accomplished the league’s objective of reintroducing the kickoff into the game while not exposing players to undue injury risk.

In short, while the ball will continue to be kicked off from the 35-yard line, most of the other players will line up 5 yards from one another, with the coverage team on the opposition’s 40-yard line and blockers on their 35. With significantly less of a running start in the “set-up zone,” collisions won’t be as fierce, which hopefully satisfies safety concerns.

Return men will be on their 5 and must return kickoffs that fall within the “landing zone.”

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What does it mean for the Dolphins? That’s what head coach Mike McDaniel and special teams coordinator Danny Crossman have to figure out, now that so many options are added to their arsenal.

The Dolphins just re-signed return man Braxton Berrios, but that’s not where the options end. With speedsters such as Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane around, if coaches believe they can safely use them on special teams now, it could turn a play that had become a virtual automatic touchback into must-see action.

"You may see some players on kickoff returns and kickoffs that you haven't seen," said Darren Rizzi, the former longtime Dolphins special teams coordinator now with the Saints who helped spearhead the rule change. "Those guys that maybe you were afraid to play because of injury risks? You're going to see those guys out there. I think that's the beautiful part about this."

The change has special teams coordinators around the league trying to figure out the ideal body types to take advantage of the change, whether it be the coverage team, blockers or return specialists.

Rizzi believes the Dolphins should benefit.

"Listen, I think the more weapons you have, the better this model is going to be for you," Rizzi said. "I could tell you right now, ahead of time, that someone's going to get five or six more touches a game, whoever they use back there. But if you had players like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and Raheem Mostert, all those guys, those are dangerous players."

The NFL felt it had to act because kickoffs had been legislated out of the game. Falcons general manager Rich McKay, a member of the competition committee, said in 2010, kickoffs produced 416 touchbacks and 45,000 return yards. Last season, there were 917 touchbacks and 13,000 return yards.

"This is not the football we all grew up with," McKay said, adding the league wants every play to be competitive.

Rizzi: "Right now when a touchdown is scored and the fans see the extra point go through, a lot of guys take a bathroom break, go grab a drink out of the fridge, you know, a guy goes, grabs a beer. Now you need to watch the kickoff because you may see guys, some of your marquee players, with the ball in their hand."

Either on the pro or collegiate levels, many of the Dolphins' fastest players have experience as return men. That includes Hill, who returned kickoffs for Kansas City as a rookie, averaging 27.4 yards per. Berrios also was an All-Pro return man, in 2021, averaging 30.4 yards. Mostert had a part-time role returning kickoffs a year ago, Achane excelled in the role at Texas A&M as did Waddle at Alabama, albeit on punt returns.

McKay called this the "most drastic" change, optically, he has ever been a part of in the NFL. It had been in the works while special teams coordinators worked behind the scenes for more than a year, inspired by the XFL kickoffs. But it wasn't until NFL coaches and executives arrived in Orlando that team owners were hit with details of the proposal. Their immediate reaction: "Wow, this is a lot," McKay said. There was a fear of the unknown, so it took a couple of days of ironing out details before the competition committee comfortably had the 24 votes necessary to enact change.

Rizzi pointed out there were two South Florida influences in the process. One was Michael Thomas, the former Dolphin and Pro Bowl special teams selection, whom Rizzi consulted with for advice from a player's perspective. The other is Devin Hester, the former Suncoast High player and Chicago Bears return legend who will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer. Rizzi said multiple members of the committee had spoken with Hester and are happy to know any budding Devin Hesters in the league will again have an avenue to showcase their skills.

"The point Rizzi made about Hester, I think the kickoff returner value is going to skyrocket," said John Fassel, Dallas' special teams coordinator.

Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at  hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tyreek Hill on returns? Dolphins have options as NFL overhauls kickoffs