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The Pittsburgh Steelers have made headlines multiple times this offseason related to special teams. Pittsburgh signed Cordarrelle Patterson in free agency to give them one of the league's most prolific kick returners. They also caused a stir when Jaylen Warren suggested the Steelers were considering using QB Justin Fields on kick returns.
Former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher is not a fan of the NFL's elimination of the surprise onside kick on special teams.
“I still think that's an exciting play,” Cowher said in an interview with CBS.
Cowher understands that it might not be the most common play. However, he believes it adds strategy and excitement to the usually boring NFL kickoffs.
“I understand the numbers are low. But on an onside kick the numbers should be low,” Cowher said. “It's a unique play, it's a hard play. It's a strategical part of the game. It slows down the front line.”
Cowher was formerly a special teams coach, so the third phase of the game is near and dear to his heart.
“I've done it a lot as a special teams coach. It's a fun play and a strategical play. That's why I always fought for the onside kick as part of the competition committee when I was on it,” Cowher explained. “If anybody thought of taking it away, I brought up my play in the Super Bowl, but unfortunately I'm not in the league anymore so I didn't get the chance this time.”
Unfortunately, the surprise onside kick would be impossible with the NFL's new XFL-inspired kickoff rules. Since the two teams lined up so close to each other, far in the receiving team's territory, it is no longer possible to skip the ball 10 yards downfield and recover it.
However, the NFL has one alternative to the onside kick that Cowher may prefer.
Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher also shares his thoughts on proposed 4th and 15 alternative
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If the NFL decides to permanently implement these new kickoff rules, then the surprise onside kick will officially be dead.
However, there is one rule that many have suggested as an alternative — allow one fourth and 15 play and if you convert, you keep the ball.
The NFL briefly considered adding this rule back in 2020 but ultimately tabled the discussion.
Cowher sounds like a fan of this suggested rule.
“If you get behind, the biggest thing is I can use the clock to my advantage,” Cowher said. “All of a sudden now teams are thinking, ‘We scored. We're trying to get the ball back on a 4th-and-15. Why not?' I'm thinking as a coach if I give the ball back to you, I'm not gonna see it again. There's something to an effect of giving you the option to get the ball back. Maybe 4th-and-15 or whatever it could be could be a higher rate of conversion than the onside kick does in today's game. That option is something you should be able to do.”
Such a rule would still present plenty of risks for a team attempting to convert. However, it would certainly be exciting.
“There are multiple things you can do. There are so many throwbacks and laterals you can do,” Cowher said. “We all have seen the average conversion of 3rd-and-15 and 4th-and-15 today, it's converted. You have big receivers, you have a good quarterback. You have the imagination of being creative with some of your play selections, play designs. That's what makes football great. There are so many different ways to do something.”
It will be interesting to see if the NFL considers these rules again next offseason.
