Donald Trump has once again taken aim at the NFL’s controversial “dynamic kickoff” rule, calling it “ridiculous” and claiming it has stripped the sport of its excitement and glamour.
The US president posted his latest criticism on Truth Social on Sunday evening as he prepared to watch his own appearance on 60 Minutes.
Trump, an outspoken fan of American football and long-time critic of the league’s rule changes, appeared to be following the matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs when he launched his attack.
“I HATE WATCHING THE NFL’S NEW KICK OFF RULE,” he wrote.
“IT’S RIDICULOUS — TAKES THE PAGEANTRY AND GLAMOUR AWAY FROM THE GAME, AND DOES NOTHING FOR SAFETY.
“THEY SHOULD CHANGE BACK TO WHAT IT USED TO BE. HOPEFULLY COLLEGE FOOTBALL WILL NEVER MAKE THIS RIDICULOUS CHANGE! IN THE MEANTIME, I’M GETTING READY TO WATCH PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP (ME!) ON 60 MINUTES.”
The “dynamic kickoff” rule, first introduced in 2024 and made permanent this season, was designed to make kick returns more frequent while minimising the risk of high-speed collisions.
Donald J. Trump Truth Social 11.02.25 07:22 PM EST
I HATE WATCHING THE NFL’S NEW KICK OFF RULE. IT’S RIDICULOUS — TAKES THE PAGEANTRY AND GLAMOUR AWAY FROM THE GAME, AND DOES NOTHING FOR SAFETY. THEY SHOULD CHANGE BACK TO WHAT IT USED TO BE. HOPEFULLY COLLEGE FOOTBALL WILL NEVER…
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) November 3, 2025
Under the new format, kickers still launch the ball from their own 35-yard line, but the remaining 10 players line up on the opposing team’s 40-yard line and are not allowed to move until the returner touches the ball.
This adjustment eliminates the traditional running start that previously led to powerful, often dangerous impacts between opposing players.
Although the NFL argues the change enhances player safety, critics say it diminishes one of the sport’s most dramatic and unpredictable plays.
The NFL’s kickoff rule has divided opinion
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PATrump has repeatedly voiced his disdain for the adjustment, arguing that it undermines the game’s spectacle without meaningfully improving safety.
His latest comments continue a pattern of public statements attacking the league’s leadership and its handling of player welfare reforms.
The kickoff format has been the subject of heated debate for over a decade.
Earlier rule changes in 2011, 2016, and 2018 reduced serious collisions but led to a steep decline in kick returns, prompting some fans and analysts to lament the loss of excitement from special teams play.
At one stage, there were even discussions about eliminating kickoffs entirely, before the league opted for experimental trials in 2024 that introduced the current “dynamic” system.
Since then, the NFL made an additional tweak by moving touchbacks forward to the 35-yard line, giving kicking teams an incentive to land the ball just short of the end zone in hopes of pinning their opponents deep in their own territory.
President Donald Trump is a huge fan of the NFL
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GETTYSupporters say this has added a new layer of tactical intrigue, while opponents argue it has created unnecessary complexity and disrupted the traditional flow of the game.
Trump’s renewed outburst reflects a wider divide among fans, players, and coaches over how far the NFL should go in prioritising safety over entertainment.
The league maintains that the changes are essential to protect players and reduce concussions, but figures such as Trump — who has long positioned himself as a defender of “old-school” football — see the shift as part of a broader move toward overregulation in American sports.
As the president’s post gained traction online, supporters and detractors alike weighed in on his remarks, continuing the debate that has accompanied nearly every rule change in modern NFL history.
For Trump, however, the matter remains simple: the game, he insists, was better before the reforms.
