Kicking Revolution: NFL Kickers Making More 60+ Yarders - The Balls are Why??

[ryguy101]

We used to be thrilled that a kicker could make a 50 Yarders.. now that's routine to this day. 

 

Major difference this year? Teams have the chance to prepare kicking balls the day before and practice with the same balls they use in games. 

 

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio compared it to the HR explosion during MLB's steroids era. "It's almost like they need an asterisk here" Fangio told the media. "It was the live ball era for those Bonds, McGuire and Sosa were hitting. The way they’ve changed the ball, the NFL, the kicking ball has drastically changed the field goals.”

 

There have already been four kicks made from at least 60 yards this season — one shy of the single-season record — with Tampa Bay’s Chase McLaughlin hitting a 65-yarder against Fangio’s Eagles in Week 4, just 1 yard shy of Justin Tucker’s record set in 2021.

 

Long distance kicks have become far more prevalent as the quality of kickers has improved thanks to more training and specialized coaching. The NFL has set records in each of the last four seasons for made field goals of at least 50 yards with the total reaching 195 in 2024 — doubling the total from every NFL season until 2015.

Kickers are making 72.5% of field goals from at least 50 yards — nearly double the rate from three decades ago.

 

But why?

The change this year came after seven teams — Baltimore, Cleveland, Houston, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Minnesota and Washington — made a proposal to reduce the stress on equipment staffs on game days.

 

Before this season, balls designated for use in the kicking game were shipped directly to the officials and brought to the stadium on game day. Teams then had a 60-minute window to prepare three kicking balls, using only a wet towel, a dry towel and a special ball brush.

 

Now, teams were given 60 “K balls” before the season to prepare for games, with each team getting three each game that are approved by the referee. No ball can be used in more than three games.

 

What do the coaches think?

 

Titans special teams coach John Fassel downplays the impact of the new rules, saying the approximately 20 minutes the equipment staff previously had to prepare each of the

three kicking balls was sufficient.

 

Jets kicker Nick Folk equated the difference in the balls to buying a new baseball glove each week and breaking it in for an hour compared to having a glove that has been broken in over a long period of time and now fits just perfectly. “I’m happy it happened,” Folk said. “We get to kind of do just like quarterbacks get whatever they want to do to the ball, as long as it looks like a football and the logo’s still there and all that stuff, I think they’re pretty lenient with that. It’s a very welcoming thing to be able to kind of look at a ball and be like, ‘All right, I want to kick this one this week, I want to kick this one this week.’”

 

The impact isn’t solely on field goals. Punts are traveling farther too. After the average dropped by 1.5 yards from 1998 to 1999 when the first “K balls” were put in use, there has been a gradual uptick since the rules first changed in 2007.

 

The average punt now travels 47.7 yards, which would have been the individual single-season record as recently as 20 years ago.

 

The initial rules for kicking balls were first put in place in 1999 after specialists were allegedly doing all sorts of things to manipulate the ball, including using microwave ovens, dryers and saunas to soften the leather and make them easier to kick.

 

How will this revolution change the NFL?

[Jerome007]

That rookie Cheats* kicker not only nailed the 52 yarder to win them the game down the middle, but it looked like it had 20 yards to spare!  We could see a 70 yarder in the NFL. I think there's been one in college.

[ryguy101]

Just now, Jerome007 said:

That rookie Cheats* kicker not only nailed the 52 yarder to win them the game down the middle, but it looked like it had 20 yards to spare!  We could see a 70 yarder in the NFL. I think there's been one in college.

Cam Little hit a 70 yard field goal in the preseason... unfortunately it didn't count. 

[MJS]

If they let the QBs prepare the balls how they want, I don't see why they wouldn't let the kickers do the same thing.

[Mikie2times]

It is a BIG deal to kick with a broken in ball vs a new ball. Huge. In addition to starting multiple positions like Travis Hunter,  I also kicked. I also juggled cheerleaders on the sideline. Along with having no ego.  In any event, I would get about 10 yards of additional distance on kickoffs if the ball was broken in. Kicking a new ball is like kicking a rock. The broken in balls will actually recoil against your foot. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Mikie2times

[T.E.]

22 minutes ago, Jerome007 said:

We could see a 70 yarder in the NFL.

When it finally happens in a regular season or playoff game, I have a good idea who it will be against.

[TBBills Fan]

I think it's only fair a grown man prepares his own balls for use 

 

Other people doing it just doesn't have the same impact

[gonzo1105]

They need to raise the crossbar and narrow the posts not by a lot but a little bit would be nice 

[VaMilBill]

Agree the kickers will be more capable of kicking the ball further. But the risk of the opposing team scoring goes way up if you miss it attempting 60+ yard field goals. So coaches will still need to balance that risk. 

Edited 4 hours ago by VaMilBill

[AlBUNDY4TDS]

Kickers are better athletes now a days.

[hondo in seattle]

1 hour ago, AlBUNDY4TDS said:

Kickers are better athletes now a days.

 

One of the best kickers of the 1950s was Lou "the Toe" Groza, who was an All-Pro Tackle.  He once kicked a 53-yard FG - setting the professional football record.  He also kicked 23 FGs in a season, destroying the previous mark.  In those days, "kicker" wasn't a position.  It was something a player did as an additional duty.  The best guy was picked from a pool of volunteers that may have included guards, LBers, QBs, whoever.  

 

The first big revolution in kicking was in 1965 when the Bills signed Pete Gogolak, who was a full-time kicker - in fact, the first soccer-style kicker in the pros.  His 28 FGs in 1965 was an AFL record and he once kicked a 54-yarder.

 

I'm sure the broke-in balls help but kickers have been getting better incrementally over the years with better conditioning, technique, cleats, groomed or artificial fields, and windless domed stadiums.  

[PetermansRedemption]

2 hours ago, gonzo1105 said:

They need to raise the crossbar and narrow the posts not by a lot but a little bit would be nice 

Came here to post this. Absolutely need to narrow the posts. An extremely high field goal make percentage, coupled with regularly starting at the 35 or 40 yard line, means something needs to change. 

[QCity]

3 hours ago, ryguy101 said:

Major difference this year? Teams have the chance to prepare kicking balls the day before and practice with the same balls they use in games. 

 

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio compared it to the HR explosion during MLB's steroids era. "It's almost like they need an asterisk here" Fangio told the media. "It was the live ball era for those Bonds, McGuire and Sosa were hitting. The way they’ve changed the ball, the NFL, the kicking ball has drastically changed the field goals.”

 

This. They did not need to make this change and certainly didn't expect these results. I hope they rescind it next year.

[Special K]

The 53 yarder the NE kicker made to win the game looked like it would have been good from 73.

[Billy Claude]

It is crazy that the NFL lets a team use their own footballs.  Is there any other team sport that lets a team do this?

[gobills404]

Probably has something to do with the increasing number of indoor stadiums as well. Would be interesting to see a split of FG% from 50+ and/or 60+ yards in the different stadium types.