Chiefs’ Dave Toub thinks President Trump is wrong for disliking kickoff rule
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- President Trump criticized the NFL kickoff rule, calling it demeaning and unsafe.
- Rule places kicking team on the 40, return team 30-35, kicker at 35.
- Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub publicly disputed Trump’s view at a news conference.
President Trump joined ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee” show last week and made it clear how he felt about the NFL’s newish kickoff rule.
Starting last year, a kicking team’s coverage players all line up on the receiving team’s 40-yard line. The return team has at least nine players between their own 30- and 35-yard lines.
The kicker is at his own 35 and players receive the ball in a landing zone that stretches from the goal line to the 20.
“I hate the kickoff in football,” Trump said. “I think it’s so terrible. I think it’s so demeaning, and I think it hurts the game. It hurts the pageantry. I’ve told that to (NFL commissioner) Roger Goodell, and I don’t think it’s any safer. I mean, you still have guys crashing into each other.
“It’s the opposite of what the game (is meant to be). The ball is in the air, and nobody’s moving. It’s supposed to be when the ball is in the air, when the ball is played, you’re supposed to move. ... The pageantry of the game is so badly hurt.”
Trump had prefaced his remarks by saying he’d probably get in trouble for his view on kickoffs.
Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub clearly didn’t agree with the critique. Toub was asked Thursday at a regularly scheduled team news conference about President Trump’s dislike of the kickoff rule.
Toub, who is also the Chiefs’ assistant head coach, offered a sharp rebuke.
”He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at,” Toub said. “He has no idea what’s going on with the kickoff rule.
“Take that for its worth. I hope he hears that.”
