Justin Reid has spent much of his NFL career trying to prevent receivers from catching the ball or scoring touchdowns. But the Kansas City Chiefs safety says he's now preparing to enter the next phase of his career: handling kickoffs.
The two-time Super Bowl champion defensive back says he is slated to become the Chiefs' preferred kickoff option in 2024. Kicker Harrison Butker has been the team's top kickoff option since arriving in 2017.
However, the NFL is set to implement new rules that are expected to significantly alter kickoffs next season.
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Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid starts during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on September 11, 2022. (Norm Hall/Getty Images)
The new rules will effectively discourage teams from kicking the ball into the opposite end zone for a touchback, which should also increase the frequency of returns.
Reid has seven career kickoff attempts, having filled in for Butker at times when the kicker was out due to injury.
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Reid touted his tackling ability when discussing the potential advantages he could have on kickoffs.
“The advantage for us is that if I'm doing the job, which is what we plan to do, then I can fill that last gap, so it makes it a little bit easier and no one needs to gain two gaps.” Reid said on a recent episode of the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy tries to protect himself from Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Feb. 11. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Butker will now be able to focus solely on field goals.
“We're in a great place with this,” Reid said. “Although [Butker] He can make some tackles, I think he's excited to preserve himself and we can use him where we really need him, which is those fourth quarter situations to score a 60-yard field goal and win the game. “It would be devastating to try to take out a guy who's still hurt from trying to make a tackle in the second quarter.”
Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs attempts to kick a field goal during Super Bowl LVII against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on February 11. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Under the new kickoff rules, the ball would be kicked from the 35-yard line with 10 other special teams members lined up at the opposing 40-yard line. Five players will line up on each side of the field.
The returning team will have at least nine blockers lined up in the so-called “setup zone” between the 30- and 35-yard lines. At least seven of those players will touch the 35-yard line. Two returners will be allowed within their own 20 yard line.
Only the kicker and the two returners may move until the ball hits the ground or is touched by a returner inside the 20-yard line.
Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said the new rules put an emphasis on having a reliable tackler running from the 35-yard line.
“Justin can cover, he can kick and he can come down and make tackles,” Toub said. “He's an extra guy that they're probably not taking into account… A guy like Justin is a guy that they have to worry about. They have to block him and they have to stop blocking someone else.”
Reid added that kicking strategies will change “completely” in 2024.
“The whole dynamic of suspension time has completely changed,” he said. “Normally on the kickoff, kickers are great at trying to have a four-second hang time to give guys time to get down the field, but now you're trying to keep the ball as low as possible while it's still in play. We're trying to get it to hit the ground because when the ball hits the ground, that's now their hang time. The guys can take off at that point and however long it takes the returner to pick up the ball, they're losing. time”.
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Reid hopes his kicking ability will help him extend his NFL career.
“We could have added some time to my career. You could have extended my schedule a couple of years,” Reid said. “When I stop being the starting safety, I can become that third rotational safety and also be a kickoff specialist.”
The new starting rules will be tested next season and will be subject to renewal for 2025.
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