Bears’ special teams coordinator breaks down new kickoff rules

The NFL is trying out some big changes to their kickoff rules this season, and the shift has made plenty of extra work for special teams coaches throughout the league this offseason, as they do everything they can to prepare their players for the nuances and look for ways to create new competitive advantages in the meantime.

After Friday’s training camp practice, Chicago Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower spoke with the media about how the new rules are impacting his unit’s preparations for the upcoming 2024 season, and the excitement those changes are bringing because of the new opportunities to create big plays in the return game:

The Bears don’t have a Hall of Famer like Devin Hester back to return kicks anymore, but hopefully, they’ll still be able to create their share of splash plays with these new rules in place this season.