NFL kickoff rules 2026: League makes changes to onside kick, more

The NFL made a significant change to its kickoff in 2024, instituting the "dynamic kickoff" to boost the percentage of returned kicks and make one of the league's most dangerous plays safer. The league is continuing its efforts to refine the play by tweaking its kickoff rule ahead of the 2026 NFL season. The most notable approved rule change will allow teams to attempt an onside kick at any point during the game.

In 2025, teams were only allowed to try an onside kick when trailing, so the rule change will give clubs a bit more flexibility. NFL REFS: NFL institutes new rule to aid potential replacement officials Despite this significant change, NFL teams will still have to declare an onside kick any time they attempt one. This is necessitated by the difference of alignment between the onside kick – which uses the NFL's traditional kickoff formation – and the NFL's dynamic kickoff, where a majority of the players from each team are lined up between the receiving team's 30- and 35-yard line.

With that in mind, surprise onside kicks – like the one Sean Payton famously dialed up to start the second half of the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl 44 win over the Indianapolis Colts – will remain out of the sport. It remains unclear whether the NFL's rule change will result in an uptick in overall onside kick attempts, or if the need to declare them – along with their overall lack of efficacy – will continue to limit their use. Just five of the NFL's 52 onside kicks were recovered in 2025, according to data from The Football Database .

That was good for a mark of 9. 6% and up from three total recoveries and a 6% recovery rate in 2024, the first year of the NFL's dynamic kickoff. NFL LEAGUE MEETINGS: Latest news, updates, storylines, rule changes NFL kickoff rule changes The onside kick rule isn't the only major kicking change the NFL's competition committee has instituted for the 2026 season.