The Dwayne Johnson led variation of the XFL kicked off, hoping to draw in football fanatics who are jonesing for the gridiron after the NFL season ended on February 12th. While the XFL has tried and failed to succeed twice over the past few years, Johnson’s version brings in fresh faces with new ideas to make this version of spring football a success.
One of the most notable hires has to be Dean Blandino as vice president of officiating and rules. Having Blandino available during the broadcasts to help explain officiating calls and replay reviews is a smart move, as fans tend to be more forgiving of calls they disagree with if there is at least transparency from someone directly involved with the decision making process.
That’s not all that Blandino is doing to help the XFL succeed. The league is beginning their season with a few new twists and wrinkles on the traditional NFL rulebook, some of them promising to create more action and excitement as the season progresses.
One of the most intriguing changes is one that has never been tried before in football. Blandino has green-lit the ability for coaches to challenge, one time per game, any possible play including judgment calls and penalties. This one is intriguing, as big play penalties like pass interference calls downfield have huge implications on the game, and can often be misjudged by officials who are struggling to keep up with the play. While every official has a sense of pride in the calls they make, they certainly aren’t flawless, and if they are able to put their egos aside and change their calls upon seeing video evidence, coaches, players and fans alike will greatly benefit from this new wrinkle.
Snuck into the command center 👀@DeanBlandino | #XFL2023 pic.twitter.com/gJi4HHHGzZ
— XFL (@XFL2023) February 26, 2023
The XFL is also taking another run at the tiered extra point system, which the pre-pandemic iteration also used, taking kickers completely out of the equation. Teams will have the option to go for a single point from the 2 yard line, two points from the 5 yard line or three points from the 10 yard line. Judging from some coaches’ mathematical struggles in the NFL with just the 1 or 2 point option, adding in a 3rd choice will provide entertainment for viewers. Giving teams the option for a longer play to earn additional points keeps teams in the game longer and will keep fans tuned in hoping for the potential comebacks. This new wrinkle has already been the difference in a game on opening day weekend.
Apparently the XFL brass has a thing against kickers, as they’re also implementing a rule that will all but eliminate the onside kick. While the onside kick has the potential to be one of the most exciting plays in football, the fact is that the successful conversion rate hovers around 4%, causing most games to end with the winning team taking possession of the ball at midfield and kneeling out the clock.
The XFL is giving teams a chance, in the 4th quarter only, to try a 4th and 15 from their own 25 yard line to get possession of the ball. The risk is high, if the offense fails on their attempt the defense takes over at the spot, but putting the teams best and most exciting players on the field with a chance to maintain possession and have the potential to make a game winning drive is a fantastic decision. Pairing this with the extra point rule is going to create more and more close games as the clock winds down.
Kickoffs are another aspect of football that have lost their luster over the years, as the NFL rightfully focuses on player safety. In the 2022 season, the NFL only had 38% of its kickoff returned. On kickoffs in the XFL, only two players can move – the kicker, and the returner – until the kick has been caught, or the ball has been on the ground for 3 seconds. The rest of the kicking team line up on the opponents 35 yard line, while the returning team lines up at the 30 yard line. This set up rids kickoffs of the high impact collisions that make these plays so dangerous, while allowing the returner time and space to run the ball out. This rule brings back the excitement of the kickoff while maintaining player safety as the top priority.
Overtime will also have a new twist in the XFL. Teams will each get three possessions at their opponents 5 yard line to successfully make it into the end zone. They will alternate playing offense and defense, with each successful conversion worth 2 points. Whatever team has the most points at the end of the 6 tries, wins. If the game is still tied, the format switches to sudden death. Although this format can be considered gimmicky, it isn’t as bad as the NHL deciding games with a skills competition, and the plays are actually an integral part of the game. It will certainly be exciting, although there is a possibility that if a team has a few overtime games they will have to empty out their red zone playbooks earlier in the season than they’d like.
These notable changes are designed to make the games more exciting, and the NFL gets a free look at how they impact the league on a game to game basis. While the NFL is a money making factory and might be resistant to change, one league could benefit dramatically if some or all of the tweaks improve the game – the CFL. The Canadian Football League viewership has been struggling year by year, and they need to do something to try and draw in a younger fanbase, as the majority of CFL fans age out.
Obviously the elite players will be always be in the NFL, so other organizations need to be innovative to keep things exciting and draw more viewers. And with the rule changes Johnson and his staff are implementing in their first season in charge, they’re giving themselves a real chance to grab a foothold in the barren spring season.
-Devon Gallant
Twitter: @DevGallant
Photo: Michael Barera. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.