Trump slams NFL for major kickoff change: 'The beginning of the end!'

The drastic changes to the NFL's kickoff caught the attention of former President Donald Trump on Friday, as he blasted the change in a post on Truth Social.

“I can’t believe the NFL is actually getting rid of the always exciting Kick Off Return. Such an exciting part of football. What are they doing? THE BEGINNING OF THE END!” Trump wrote.

The NFL's new kickoff rule has radically changed the function and aesthetic of what old-school fans are used to, causing some confusion early in the season.

The new rules changed the alignment of both teams, while incorporating various areas that play a key role in what players are allowed to do.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders players line up for the kickoff of the second half of the preseason game at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 10, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The NFL is introducing a new rule on kickoffs this season. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Now, all players on the kicking team must line up with one foot on the receiving team's 40-yard line, whereas previously they had to line up to their own 35-yard line. Players on the kicking team must also wait until the ball touches the ground or the player is in the “landing zone” or end zone to begin running. The “landing zone” extends from the receiving team's 20-yard line to the goal line.

Meanwhile, the receiving team has a designated “preparation zone,” which is a five-yard area from the 35-yard line to the 30-yard line, where at least nine players must line up facing the kicking team.

JETS' AARON RODGERS HAS HIGH EXPECTATIONS AHEAD OF RETURN TO PLAY: 'I'M EXPECTING GREATNESS'

The Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers line up for the opening kickoff at Arena Corinthians on September 6, 2024, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Wagner Meier/Getty Images)

There, at least seven of those nine players must have one foot on the 35-yard line. Those not on the 35-yard line must be in the set-up area outside the hash lines. Also, like the kicking team, the receiving team's players cannot move until the kick has touched the ground or a player in the landing zone or end zone.

The aim of these changes was to reduce the risk of injuries, with kick-offs traditionally the most dangerous moment in football, while encouraging ball returns. The old rule required players to run towards each other at high speed over long distances, leading to frequent high-speed collisions.

Kick-off rules have been adjusted several times in response to the high risk of injury during the game.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell attends a Super Bowl Host Committee handover press conference at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on February 12, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

In 2011, the league moved kickoffs forward five yards to the 35-yard line, making it easier to kick the ball into the end zone and increasing the number of touchbacks, with teams starting at the 20-yard line. In 2016, touchbacks moved teams to 25 yards, further incentivizing them. Last season, returning players could claim a fair catch anywhere, not just in the end zone, for a touchback, resulting in the lowest return rate in NFL history.

So the league is now using this new rule to ensure safety while promoting returns.

This new rule is inspired by the kickoff rules of the XFL, a now-defunct low-budget competitor to the NFL. However, the XFL merged with the USFL to create the UFL this year, and that league ironically uses the traditional kickoff.

Follow Fox News Digital sports coverage on Xand subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.