Chiefs’ Dave Toub says Harrison Butker could be removed from starting games due to new NFL rules

The Kansas City Chiefs are considering removing kicker Harrison Butker from starting duties for next season. But the decision has nothing to do with recent controversial comments during a commencement speech that made him a recent national story.

New rules implemented in March state that any ball kicked into the “landing zone” from the goal line to the 20-yard line must be returned. No more fair catches. Balls that bounce from the landing zone to the end zone must be returned or tipped for a touchback.

Creating more action with real returns could increasingly put kickers in a position where they have to attack during a kickoff return. As Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub explained when speaking to reporters at OTAs on Friday, his strategy will be to put the ball on the ground, away from the opponent’s returner, allowing defenders to pursue before anyone else gets the ball. .

Most importantly, Toub noted that the new rules and subsequent strategy, which the XFL has used, involve the kicker making a tackle more frequently.

“If you watch the XFL, we watch every play,” Toub said. “I bet the kickers were involved in probably at least 25 to 40 percent of the tackles, you know, whether it was trying to get a guy to recover or making the tackle themselves or just missing the tackle.”

Under these circumstances, Toub doesn’t want Butker to have to tackle frequently throughout the season. Fortunately for the Chiefs, they are already prepared to resolve this situation with safety Justin Reid as the emergency kicker.

Fans may remember Reid serving as kicker during Kansas City’s Week 1 game against the Arizona Cardinals during the 2022-23 season, with seven kickoffs (with five touchbacks) and two extra points.

Toub added that Reid should improve his kickoff coverage. Not only is he used to chasing and tackling as a safety, but the opposing team can’t direct a return to a typical kicker who may not be able to make a play against blockers and ball carriers.

“Justin can cover. I mean, he can shoot, he can, and then he can go out there and make tackles,” Toub said. “You know, he’s an extra guy that they’re probably not accounting for. I mean, they know that guy can attack, but a guy like Justin is a guy they need to worry about. he has been blocked and you will have to give up blocking someone else.”

How other NFL teams deal with the new starting rules when they are not as well equipped for the situation as the Chiefs will certainly be intriguing to monitor next season.