{
  "id": 12854523,
  "title": "Through four weeks of the season, zero kickoff return touchdowns",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/through-four-weeks-of-the-season-zero-kickoff-return-touchdowns",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-08T11:17:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/four-weeks-season-zero-kickoff-111736581.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Since the start of the 2026 NFL season, there has been no kickoff return touchdown in the entire league. The longest return achieved thus far was a 79-yard effort by Miami's Jaylen Wright, who was ultimately stopped at the 18-yard line during Week 1's match in Las Vegas. This lack of touchdown returns marks a continuing downward trend that started long before the introduction of the \"dynamic kickoff\" rule in 2024. Despite the rule change, which has aimed to increase the frequency of such plays, the number of touchdown returns has remained stubbornly low. During the previous season, there were only six touchdown returns out of more games. The 2024 season saw seven such touchdowns, while 2023, the last year under the old kickoff rules, recorded only four. Historically, kickoff return touchdowns were far more common. Between 2000 and 2010, there were typically a dozen or more league-wide touchdown returns each year, with 25 being set as the all-time high in 2007. That record has not been matched since the kickoff was moved to the 35-yard line in 2011, when the frequency of touchdown returns began its decline. This downward trend has not been reversed, even with the implementation of the new, more dynamic kickoff rules. Despite all the anticipation that the dynamic kickoff would add excitement to the game, the reality is quite the opposite. Kickoff return touchdowns, once among the most thrilling plays in football, are now becoming increasingly scarce.",
  "summary": "The NFL may like to call kickoffs \"Dynamic,\" but the most dynamic thing that can happen on a kickoff hasn't happened at all this season.",
  "key_points": [
    "No kickoff return touchdowns in 2026 NFL season",
    "Jaylen Wright's 79-yard return, longest in Week 1",
    "Dynamic kickoff rule introduced in 2024"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}