Typically, star players are not used to return kickoffs in the NFL given the inherent injury risk that came with the play. But now that the NFL has made significant changes to the kickoff format in an attempt to make the play safer, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel seems to think that we could see star players returning kicks this season.
During a recent press conference, Mike McDaniel suggested that top running backs and wide receivers will want to start returning kicks once they see how the new kickoff format looks.
“I think it opens up your roster because the lack of distance or the reduction of distance for the coverage teams makes it less substantial of an investment overall,” McDaniel said according to Pro Football Talk. “So it may be guys that traditionally have been starters on defense or starters on offense, I think it gives you more flexibility to get starters on that unit for various reasons. Overall, it wouldn’t shock me if, shoot, every No. 1 receiver and every No. 1 running back in the league is raising their hands to return kicks Week 4.”
This would obviously be a pretty surprising change that could add a lot of excitement to the play.
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