Raiders' Special Teams Working Through the Details of New Kickoff Rules

The National Football League is implementing new rules that significantly impact special teams units across the league. Las Vegas Raiders special teams coordinator Tom McMahon is guiding the Raiders' special teams through uncharted territory.

Las Vegas Raiders Special Teams Coordinator Tom McMahon /

With 30 years of special teams coaching experience on the collegiate and professional levels, Las Vegas Raiders special teams coordinator Tom McMahon has begun analyzing the details of the new kickoff rules and installing the necessary changes.

The new rules will undoubtedly take some time for coaches, players, and fans to get acquainted with. Early in training camp, McMahon said he is still working through the nuances of the rule changes. 

“I would say 70 percent if you want me to be honest with you,” McMahon recently said at training camp. “Once you get out there and you see the difference once the ball's actually kicked to the eight (yard line) versus a ball that lands on the goal line, there's a free yardage principle that I think everyone understands. 

“If you kick the ball to the eight, you gave them an eight-yard head start. And when you're starting at zero miles per hour at the 40, and they catch it at the eight, okay, that's 32 yards they're going to get no matter what if they just catch it and go straight, and we don't block anybody, they're going to get 16 plus eight, and they're going to start at the 24-yard line. So, if they run straight and we don't block anybody, the two players are going to meet. 

The Raiders have the right guy for the job. McMahon’s enthusiasm and thorough understanding of special teams is undeniable. McMahon stressed the importance of the special teams players being informed on every aspect of the new rules, as they are vastly different from the kickoff rules that have been in place throughout the NFL’s existence. 

“So, it's one of those things where this rectangle, this landing zone, that you see you within the rule, don't ignore it,” McMahon said. “That landing zone, you got to work the rectangle back there. You can't just [say], 'Hey, I'm just going to hit a ball on the ground'. OK, you hit a ball down a certain area and they're catching it coming forward. 

“You got to get these returners moving sideways. And the other thing you got to get the returners to do for example, is you got to get them to communicate. If you make them talk, and it's me, me, you, you. It's good for us on kickoff. Really bad for us on kickoff return. I thought it was you, no. Because then it's me, which it should be."

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