PHOENIX — Sitting at the front table as member of the NFL competition committee, John Elway stood up in front of the full NFL ownership group Tuesday and pitched his case for giving a team one fourth-and-15 play in the fourth quarter as an alternative to an onside kick.
Elway, whose day job is general manager of the Denver Broncos, explained how last year’s rule change that prevented running starts from players on the kicker’s flanks resulted in just 4 of 52 successful on-side kick attempts.
He also tugged on the owners’ heart strings by stating how much safer a scrimmage play is than a kickoff play, which studies have shown cause a higher percentage of concussions.
Then came a discussion which initially seemed to sway in Elway’s favor. But then San Francisco and Arizona stated concerns about fourth-and-15 would mean a pass play and a pass play could mean a game-altering pass interference call, and how fair is that.
The Broncos’ proposal was denied.
“He did a great job,’’ NFL competition committee chairman Rich McKay said of Elway’s presentation. “It’s not surprising when those kind of ideas are presented that it was voted down. That typically happens.
“It’s OK. Hopefully, he’ll try again. The extra point, what did it take us, five years (to move it back from a 20-yard to 33-yard try)? That wasn’t the first, second or third time we voted on it. I like the (fourth-and-15) idea, I support it. I realize it’s different. I’m OK with the try and I hope he does it again.’’
Elway wasn’t sure if he would re-submit his proposal but indicated he would consider it.
“They’re still trying to figure out other ways to make the onside kick more successful,’’ Elway said. “I don’t see how they’re going to do it (without the running start from kickoff team). But, kind of a first bite out of the apple, so we’ll what happens after this.’’
Said McKay: “The traditionalists are hard to get. A change like this that affects the onside, it typically takes a little time for them. And that’s OK. We should protect the game, the history of the game. We’ll have more data with the new kickoff rule next year. We’ll see if recovering the onside remains as low as it this year and then we’ll see.’’
