Denver Broncos special teams coach Darren Rizzi doesn't think teams should be allowed to use holders.
The NFL’s new kickoff rules have created plenty of confusion during their brief existence, and Denver Broncos special teams coach Darren Rizzi is speaking up about another one he thinks should happen, according to a report from Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
Specifically, it’s about using a holder on kickoffs. In the past, this was a “break glass in case of emergency” option when wind and weather conditions make a holder a necessity.
With the new rules, though, things have changed. Teams can use a 12th man as a holder, and Rizzi thinks teams are using holders to create an unfair advantage in how they approach the kickoff. He said there’s agreement among special teams coaches that there should be uniformity in this, with teams not allowed to use a holder to create an edge for the kicker.
There’s already been some legislation about this sort of thing in the past, as the NFL made a change back in 2022 when the Las Vegas Raiders were told they had to stop using a holder to place the ball on top of the tee rather than inside it.
This raises an interesting question about strategy vs. uniformity. From a fan standpoint, the new kickoffs create an ugly, static play that no one wants to watch, even if it does help reduce concussions.
Some teams are doing better than other when it comes to breaking big plays, but the results are usually so predictable that the kickoff has gone from being one of the most exciting plays in football to one of the most meaningless.
The NFL will probably respond to what Rizzi wants and change something going forward if he does indeed have a consensus from his coaching colleagues on special teams. It’s kind of sad, though, as almost any diversion that would create strategy would be a welcome development for fans.
The Broncos coach has already taken steps to make a change happen, per Smith, as he’s organized a conference call among special teams coordinators to discuss the change. These coaches want the holder to be available only when weather conditions make the holder necessary, and it’s rather remarkable that this call occurred at all.
Meanwhile, the rest of us will simply just hide our eyes or go get a snack. There’s no way the NFL would make make a change and try something else given that the league rarely admits it’s wrong at any level.
