The NFL owners have approved a new kickoff rule in an attempt to improve player safety. The kickoffs will now be low-impact kickoffs that were molded previously in the XFL. Kickoffs will now feature 10 players on the kicking team and at least nine players on the receiving team that are separated by just five yards. They won’t begin running at each other until the ball gets back to the returner, which means players won't be going full speed when they collide.
Of all 22 players on the football field, only the kicker and the kick returner will line up separately from the players who are five yards apart.