The United Football League (UFL) will employ a traditional kickoff format that more closely resembles what is seen around the NFL and in college football. During the league’s inaugural season, UFL kickers will line up at the 20-yard line. By doing so, the league hopes to eliminate the potential for touchbacks while maintaining player safety.
Beginning March 30, 2024, the UFL will merge teams from both the XFL and the USFL into a singular league. In years past, the two leagues have used separate kickoff tactics. The USFL employed a kickoff strategy that resembles the UFL’s kickoff format while the XFL format placed the kicker at his own 30-yard line to encourage a return. Once the ball was in the air, only the kicker and returner could move until the ball was fielded or hit the ground for more than three seconds. In their own way, both leagues hoped to reduce injuries during kickoffs and encourage returns. While the format encouraged returns, data suggests it didn’t necessarily reduce injuries dramatically.
“Our doctors provided us with player safety data that was very similar, concluding that choosing one version over the other did not have a significant impact on player safety,” Daryl Johnston of the UFL said.
“As always, we will continue to monitor the data after each season and ensure the format we use is the best version with all aspects considered. We believe the transition of the kickoff play can be a gradual process as we track potential player safety issues moving forward.”
The inaugural UFL season will begin March 30, 2024 with a doubleheader on FOX. The Birmingham Stallions will travel to Arlington, Texas to play the Renegades while the St. Louis Battlehawks meet the Panthers in Michigan.
