By bringing forward touchbacks, the NFL wanted to make kickoffs more exciting again. Did it work? A look at the statistics from the first five weeks shows how the kickoff has changed.

The league’s goal was clear: the kickoff should be a more attractive play again.

That’s why the NFL changed the starting point for the offense after a touchback in the end zone from the 25-yard line to the 30-yard line for kickoffs. The effective loss of space of five yards should make the kickoff into the end zone less attractive for the kicking team.

The desired result: shorter kicks and thus more action at a lower speed, and thus a lower risk of injury because the football stays in the air for a shorter time.

The theory sounds good, but what does it look like in practice after five match days? Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Last season, 73 percent of kickoffs ended in a touchback. After the fifth match day, the number of touchbacks had decreased to about 67 percent.

Five teams step out of line

But two out of three kickoffs still end up in the end zone. It’s not a revolution. Almost all kicking teams apparently continue to shy away from the risk of a big play by the returnees – despite the extra five yards given to the opposing offense.

With the Dallas Cowboys, the Las Vegas Raiders, the Carolina Panthers, the New Orleans Saints and the Washington Commanders, there are only five teams that kick off to a touchback less than half the time.