Adam Vinatieri isn’t a fan of the long ball.
One of the NFL’s most successful kickers expressed his displeasure Tuesday with the league competition committee’s proposal to move point-after attempts from the traditional 2-yard line to the 25.
“I don’t understand the logic,” Vinatieri told USA Today. “Will it make the game safer for people by moving the extra point back to a 43-yarder? If anything, players are going to rush harder because they’re thinking, ‘That far of a field goal-type try, we have to go after blocking it more. It definitely will change the game. For the better? I’m not sure.”
NFL kickers had a 99.6 percent success rate on PATs last season, but Vinatieri and fellow veteran kicker Jay Feely say that’s a testament to the skills of kickers in the league.
“You don’t penalize a baseball closer for being great,” Feely said. “You celebrate that. You should do the same thing with kickers.”
The NFL has said a rule change is unlikely for the coming season.
As far as what the changes could be, fans will have to remain patient while the NFL tests its options.
Photo via Twitter/@IndyStarShow
