Kansas City Chiefs assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Dave Toub doesn’t put much stock in President Donald Trump’s distaste for the new kickoff rules in the NFL.
“He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at,” Toub said Thursday when asked for his reaction to the president’s comments. “He has no idea what’s going on with the kickoff rule. So, I mean, take that for what it’s worth. I hope he hears it.”
Trump has been a frequent critic of the league’s new kickoff rules, which have undergone a number of changes over the past couple of decades. Early in the 2025 season, Trump took to social media platform Truth Social to express his thoughts.
“The NFL has to get rid of that ridiculous looking new Kickoff Rule,” Trump said. “How can they make such a big and sweeping change so easily and quickly. It’s at least as dangerous as the ‘normal’ kickoff, and looks like he’ll (sic). The ball is moving, and the players are not, the exact opposite of what football is all about. ‘Sissy’ football is bad for America, and bad for the NFL! It’s like wanting to ‘roll back’ the golf ball so it doesn’t go (nearly!) as far. Fortunately, college football will remain the same, hopefully forever!!”
Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub, left, with head coach Andy Reid, isn’t interested in President Trump’s thoughts on the NFL kickoff rules. (Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)
Earlier this month, Trump expanded on his thoughts about the new dynamic kickoff rules on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“I do have to say, I’ll probably get myself in a little trouble for this. I hate the new kickoff in football,” Trump said in a telephone interview. “I think it’s so terrible, I think it’s so demeaning, and I think it hurts the game. It hurts the pageantry. I told that to (NFL Commissioner) Roger Goodell … It’s so bad. It’s so unromantic. It’s just demeaning to football. I don’t think they have a right to do that to the game. The game is so important. I hope college doesn’t change, and I hope someday the NFL will stop it and go back to football.”
One of the primary discussion points about the evolving nature of the kickoff rules has been player safety.
“I don’t think it’s any safer,” Trump said. “You still have guys crashing into each other. It’s the opposite of what the game stands for. The ball is in the air, and nobody’s moving. It’s supposed to be when the ball is in the air, when the ball is played, you’re supposed to be moving.”
The new kickoff rules have led to more excitement in 2025, but injuries are up, too. Through seven weeks this season, 79.3 percent of kickoffs had been returned, a big jump from the 31.7 percent return rate through seven weeks last season.
