“Could This Bold Fourth-Down Onside Kick Innovation Revolutionize NFL Strategy?”

In the ever-evolving landscape of the NFL, the kickoff—which has historically held a unique thrill—has been altered in ways that have rendered it nearly obsolete. Remember the days when onside kicks were electrifying, serving as a last-ditch effort for trailing teams to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? Well, those days seem like a distant memory. With recent changes, the once-promising onside kick has fallen into disrepair, leaving teams looking for alternatives to recapture that spark. The pressing question on many fans’ minds is: how can the league revitalize the drama and excitement that comes with close-game finishes? One idea continually discussed in hushed tones is the proposal of a fourth-and-long play. This could offer a fresh, thrilling approach to keeping the hopes alive for teams down by multiple scores, inviting a chance to turn the tides rather than surrendering to the inevitability of defeat. Let’s dive deeper into why this alternative could be just what the NFL needs to inject some life into the waning kickoff drama and give fans— and losing teams— a reason to believe again. LEARN MORE

The onside kick currently doesn’t do that. A fourth-and-long play would.Consider the most recent NFL game we witnessed. After the Eagles built a 34-0 lead with 2:40 remaining in the third quarter, it was obvious the Chiefs had no chance. But if Patrick Mahomes and company would have had a fourth-and-long path to retaining possession, there would have been at least a shred of hope.Last year, the NFL dramatically changed the kickoff in large part because the prior play had become a “dead play.” And the impact of the new kickoff on the onside kick has made that play even more deceased.This one is baffling, frankly. The onside kick is broken beyond repair (and they’re not even trying to repair it). The team that’s losing by more than one score has no effective opportunity to keep the ball. The only way to fix the situation is to use a fourth-down alternative.That’s a very bad (and frankly lazy) way of thinking about the best interests of the game. Any new idea can be dismissed as a gimmick. (Newspapers throughout the country are out of business because, 30 years ago, they viewed the Internet as a “gimmick.”)

Years ago, Commissioner Roger Goodell said he roots for the team that’s losing. It makes sense. And the team that’s losing by multiple scores needs a plausible chance to turn a lost cause into a close game.The most obvious alternative comes from giving the team that’s losing the option to run a fourth-down play. Whether the distance is 15 yards, 18 yards, or 20 yards, a play from scrimmage would be more exciting than a demolition derby that doesn’t yield a positive result often enough to justify the physical toll it takes on the players. Is a fourth-and-long play a “gimmick”? One definition for the term is that it’s “a trick or device used to attract business or attention.” Another is this: “an ingenious and usually new scheme or angle.”A year after the Eagles proposed a fourth-and-20 play, no one is proposing an onside alternative in 2025. The NFL supposedly isn’t interested in a “gimmick.”Yes, the fourth-and-long play is a gimmick. The good kind.If it’s a “gimmick,” it’s a gimmick the NFL desperately needs.Beyond the elimination of the ability of the kicking team to deploy a surprise onside kick, it’s harder than ever for the team that is trailing to retain possession by kicking the ball at least 10 yards and recovering it.