Raiders Want Kickoffs and Returns to be Weapons This Season

The Las Vegas Raiders are looking to improve in every aspect heading into this season. The new kickoff rules give the Raiders another chance to produce game-changing plays.

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah (8) returns a kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders continue to look for advantages in every aspect, including special teams. This offseason, the National Football League changed the kickoff rules. While kickers still kick the ball from their 35-yard line, their teammates on the kickoff team now line up on the opposing team’s 40-yard line, with five players on each side.

The most challenging part of the new rules arguably impacts the kicking team more. The Raiders’ first preseason game allowed them to get live experience with the latest regulations against a different team for the first time this offseason. Coach Antonio Pierce believes the Raiders and the rest of the teams around the league will need time to adjust to the new rules. Coach Pierce believes even the officials need time to adapt to new regulations.

“With the kickoffs, obviously, there were two or three kicks that Daniel [Carlson] I know [he] wishes he had back, and we all did, but that's a part of it that you're watching throughout the league,” Pierce said. “We're all learning and growing. Hell, I think the opening kickoff, if you guys really paid attention, our guys lined up at 45 and at the 40. 

“The officials are all off, so it took a minute for everybody to kind of get their sorts underneath them. But you've seen everybody pretty much be vanilla in the preseason with the kickoff and how they're attacking on kickoff return. I think the key part for us is seeing our guys run down and cover and who can make the space tackles." 

The new kickoff rules were implemented to increase the number of kickoff returns and heighten player safety. However, Coach Pierce plans to use kickoff returns as another chance to help the Raiders offense get going. The new rules could improve the Raiders offense’s starting field position, making life much easier on the unit. 

"With our kickoff returns, we wanted to get every return possible,” Pierce said. “So, yeah, we could have probably taken a knee on some of those in the end zone, but we wanted to give our guys a chance to showcase their return ability. And we know we made some plays on some.”

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