The person explaining the NFL’s new kickoff rule in this video made an interesting point. The change puts less emphasis on athleticism and more emphasis on creativity, and I think there are parallels to draw to European football in that statement.

European football has drawn more and more inspiration from the NFL in recent years, with teams using more rigid positional systems with set plays run from a playbook drawn up by a coach.

The play starts, the ball is here, we’ll run this play, the ball is there, and my body is positioned this way, and everyone knows to run the next play. Players run routes like wide receivers and blockers, with greater emphasis on the quarterback (holding midfielders and center-backs) to find the pass forward. There has always been emphasis on finding that pass, but there is more emphasis in that rigid system because, without that pass, play can never start. You would constantly get sacked (lose possession).

This way of playing rewards athleticism, but are the fans, coaches, players, and community craving more creativity? Structure with spontaneity. I think they are.

The NFL’s rule change was made to try to limit the number of full-speed crunching tackles that have either paralyzed or nearly paralyzed players returning the ball or tackling. But the upside is that now that they get to be creative in the way they attack and defend, more spontaneous, unexpected things are happening, which will make it more entertaining.

Spontaneity is more entertaining in the NFL, and European football should take inspiration from that.