Veteran Chief Already Botches New Rule in Embarrassing Fashion

The Chiefs became the first team to completely and embarrassingly botch the NFL's new kickoff rule during their preseason game on Saturday against the Jaguars.

In a devastatingly avoidable scenario, Deneric Prince saw the football bounce in the end zone and ignored it. However, the ball came back into the field of play and Mecole Hardman tried to make a quick decision. He went into the end zone and knelt for a touchback, grabbing the ball from inside the one-yard line as he knelt.

Unfortunately, Hardman was touching the ball before it bounced back into the end zone. The result? A safety at the conclusion of the first half that suddenly created a double-digit deficit.

Mecole Hardman Accidentally Gifts Jaguars a Safety on Kickoff

To be transparent, the new rule is confusing. The NFL's operations website states that if a "kick hits in end zone, stays inbounds - returned or downed – if downed then touchback to B30 yard line."

I'd read that as suggesting that Hardman made the right call, downing a ball that landed in the end zone. By my reading, that should've resulted in a touchback. The announcers felt the same way, thinking the ball would be taken to the 30-yard line.

For whatever reason, that was not the case. Jacksonville was awarded a safety and took a 20-10 lead into halftime.

The Chiefs struggled mightily on special teams during the first half, giving up a 73-yard kick return to Parker Washington that led to an easier Jaguars score before Hardman's mistake. It's obvious teams have to adjust to this new rule.

Fingers crossed it becomes a bit easier to understand as we progress throughout the rest of the preseason.

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