Bill Belichick hopes rule change leads to more kickoff return opportunities — espn.go.com

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – NFL teams will get the ball on the 25-yard line after a touchback during the 2016 season as a result of a rule change (it used to be the 20), which New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick believes could spark more kickoff return opportunities despite his feeling the league would like to limit them. “I’m sure this rule was put in place by the league, the competition committee, to minimize kickoffs and to encourage touchbacks where the ball will come out to the 25-yard line. Whether that’s the way it goes or not, we’ll see,” Belichick said Monday on Sirius XM NFL Radio’s “Movin’ the Chains” program, noting that teams might not be so fast to give up an additional 5 yards of field position.

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