In the world of American football, a new kickoff formation has sparked some controversy among fans and coaches alike. The new rule preserves the onside kick, in a way, but has effectively killed off the element of surprise that made it such an exciting play in the past.
Many fans and experts are not too bothered by this change, as the surprise onside kick had become a rare occurrence in modern football. However, for those who loved the thrill of the unexpected, the new rule has been met with disappointment.
One such coach who is not a fan of the change is former Steelers coach Bill Cowher. Reflecting on his past use of the onside kick in a crucial Super Bowl game, Cowher expressed his sadness at seeing it essentially eliminated from the game.
“One thing I don’t like about it is that we’re trying to take away the onside kick,” Cowher recently told CBS Sports. “As a guy who used an onside kick in the Super Bowl, it made me very sad when I saw that happen. . . . I still think that’s an exciting play.”
Cowher’s Steelers famously used a surprise onside kick in Super Bowl XXX against the Cowboys, successfully recovering the ball and swinging the momentum of the game in their favor. While Cowher acknowledges that such plays were few and far between, he believes they added a unique and strategic element to the game.
“I understand the numbers are low,” Cowher said. “But on an onside kick the numbers should be low. It’s a unique play. It’s a hard play. It’s a strategical part of the game. It slows down the front line. . . .
“To be able to do this in the third quarter, the front line starts to get back and loosen up a little bit. Or you can put one in that little dead area and it hits the ground. Those are the things that are exciting.”
As the debate rages on about the impact of the new kickoff formation on the game of football, one thing remains clear – the surprise onside kick may be gone, but its legacy of excitement and strategic complexity lives on in the memories of players, coaches, and fans alike.
