PFT OT Mailbag: NFL may have to eliminate punting | Pro Football Talk | NBC Sports

I agree with Florio. Antitrust rules with regards to the NFL are pretty cut-and-dried for most telecasts. However streaming is a different issue. If you want to know the rules of streaming, I advise Goodell to consult an expert: R. Kelly.

Thanks for the life advice Florio

In Rugby you can kick for “touch” ie outside the lines…this could happen in the NFL with the proviso that any punt inside the playing field starts the next drive at the halfway line.

Pat McAfee better not find this episode regarding the punting takes.

Might as well just have pillow fights on special teams plays.

I’m for having it be an unreturnable ball, maybe if its fair caught, the ball is placed at either the position of the fair catch, or the position of the closest defender, the receiving teams choice, if the ball goes out of bounds its still placed where it went out as usual, if the ball isn’t caught, its placed where it stops, if the ball is muffed, the ball is immediately dead and placed at the point of the muff. A ball that isn’t touched by the offense can still be downed by the defense as it currently can to avoid touch back or limit bad bounces.

That way, you still want a high punt, because a deep punt with little air time, if caught, means the ball gets placed way up where you furthest defender got to. It also still adds value to actually catching the punt and a penalty for muffing it with out an injury generating dog pile. As a defender you also still want to head toward where the ball is landing, as if the receiver misses it, you want to be in position to down it if needed.

Never boring, Mike. I love these personal insights and will watch to the end everytime.

I love the behind the scenes

Keep the kickoffs and punting. The NFL needs to stop F**king with the game. Change isn’t always good. If they get rid of kickoffs and punting it will ruin the game.. They’ve already ruined the onside kick… I never hear any players complaining about the dangers in the return game. It’s football, the players know the risks. Yes, it’s a horrible thing when a player gets hurt, but that’s what they signed on for. They get paid to play and accept the risks for doing so..

Punting is a big part of football. That would be a mistake and so stupid

Mike, I hope that sometimes you ponder the ways in which you have brought many of us on your journey. You’ve enriched thousands (millions?) of lives in ways that you’ll never understand as a mortal. But as I’m sure you know… we are all immortal inside. So don’t even stress. -wecomefromthestars

UK NFL huge fan I’ve watched it since 1982 absolutely love the game and the cowboys. Love watching it during the winter and so exciting as the playoffs arrive and hopefully a snow game or too. Unbelievably technical, strategic, powerful, athletic, skilful and exhilarating – there’s no team game like it… BUT – If the NFL ever got rid of the kicking aspect, I would stop watching it in a heartbeat!

ITS PART OF THE GAME GOODELL !!!! DO NOT GET RID OF KICKOFFS AND PUNTS!! We need those skinny guys in pads !! 🏈🏃🏻

The older you get the faster it goes. It’s no fun getting older.

Eliminate punts make teams go on 4th down

Honestly, as a fan and football junkie I can’t recall many injuries that place during punts. We can remember most injuries during offense/defense (probably because those are the popular players) but not really special teams injuries. And I’ve always maintained that the game will always be dangerous as long as the players wear helmets and shoulder pads. Doesn’t matter what you change, injuries happen in all phases of the game. Anyone remember Charger TE Parham’s scary injury that left most of thinking paralysis? He just fell down on a catch attempt the wrong way.

Bottom line NFL: please focus more on player health regimens and the absolute best equipment possible and less on the game itself.

The odd time it’s an exceptional play but all in all let’s get the game going! I gotta wait all the time on penalties that stop momentum and I have to wait for a sec to celebrate even after an obvious touchdown can we pls find anything to have some viewer rhythm to a game! Lol I’ll try it!

If they eliminate punts and kick offs then there’s no reason to watch really they both determine field position and can also determine the outcome of a game so why bother playing it just becomes a tackling practice

Just do a big spinning wheel to determine each play. Don’t even need actual field or guys do football virtual so there is no contact

How will the NFL adapt to streaming services like Apple TV and Netflix, Hulu??

The Niners will not cut Jimmy until Kate I’m pre season so Seattle can’t use him week one