Chiefs burned for bizarre safety on new kickoff rule. Here’s what Mecole Hardman said
Mecole Hardman wasn’t certain about the new kickoff rule, and the Jacksonville Jaguars happily profited from his decision.
What happened was a crazy play on a Jacksonville kickoff in the Jaguars’ 26-13 victory over the Chiefs in the preseason opener for the teams.
The play resulted in a safety. Here’s how:
The Jags had just scored to take an 18-10 lead late in the second quarter, and the kickoff from Cam Little flew over the heads of return specialists, Hardman and Dereric Prince and bounced in the end zone.
Under the new kickoff rules, a ball that hits the end zone, stays inbounds and is downed comes out to the 30.
Except on this occasion the ball bounced out of the end zone to the 1, and Hardman went to the end zone, dropped to one knee and grabbed the ball at the 1, believing he was downing the ball for a touchback.
“My point of view was, if your feet were in the end zone, it would be a touchback,” Hardman said. “When the ball came back in the field, I felt like I needed to be in the end zone to down the ball.”
The officiating crew led by referee Tra Blake originally called a touchback and placed the ball at the 30. But Jags coach Doug Pederson questioned the call. The play was reviewed and Blake announced Jacksonville had been awarded a safety.
“Normally when a ball goes in the end zone and you touch it there, then it’s a dead ball,” Andy Reid said.
But what if you touch it at the 1, as Hardman did?
What occurred specifically isn’t part of the new rule explanation supplied by the NFL. This is as close as it gets:
“Kick hits in end zone, stays inbounds — returned or downed — if downed then touchback to B30 yard line,” according to the NFL’s operations website.
Expect the play to be a topic with the NFL this week.
“It’s a rule they’re going to have to figure out,” Hardman said. “I’m glad it happened in the preseason. A lot of teams can learn from it.”
The play was so confusing that on the NFL play-by-play sheet from the league’s game statistics and information page, the score is listed as “M.Hardman tackled in end zone for Safety.” Except Hardman wasn’t tackled. A volunteered safety?
That wasn’t the Chiefs only kickoff problem on Sunday. Harrison Butker sent his first kick to the left, where Parker Washington fielded at the 7. The excitement the NFL had hoped to created with the new formation played out here. Washington found a seam, slipped through some tackles and covered 73 yards before being dragged down.
“Right now the kicks I’m doing are simple and easy,” Butker said. “I had one where it bounced and rolled into the end zone, and that’s what you want.
“But it’s good for us to be tested.”
This story was originally published August 10, 2024 at 8:16 PM with the headline "Chiefs burned for bizarre safety on new kickoff rule. Here’s what Mecole Hardman said."