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Devin Hester in 2020

AlexCane

AlexCane

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There are so few kickoff returns now (both in college and NFL). I'm getting to the point that KOR turns into snack or bathroom break time. Between placement of the ball at the 35 and kickers nowadays routinely kicking balls out of the end zone, if Devin played now, do you all think he would have the same special teams impact that he did then? I can't imagine that he would. What do you all think? Has the kickoff return man been effectively legislated out of the game?
 
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Plot twist:

The NBA added a 3 point line, it’s time the NFL add something spicy.

instead of a kickoff, start both teams in different end zones. One team has the ball. On the whistle, if the team with the ball can score a TD, including forward passes, it’s a touchdown.
 
On KO returns, probably about the same in terms of TD's, would maybe have less yards because I'm sure most teams would gameplan to not kick to him (if they had a Kicker good enough to do that obviously).

On Punt Returns, it would probably be even more PR TD's now.

Hester finished his career at Miami with 40 Kick Returns for 1,019yds 2TD's & 41 PR's for 638yds for 4TD's.

Where he was at his most dangerous as a return man was in the NFL, in the NFL he had 295 KR's for 7,333yds for 5TD's & had 315 PR's for 3,695yds & 14TD's.

He finished his career with the most Special Teams TD's & most Punt Return TD's in NFL history.

He was the most dynamic & electric return man in the history of the game, even with the rule changes he still would've been as dangerous as he was back then in today's game.

The only difference is in 2020 I actually believe he would've been an All-Pro Elite WR or CB.
 
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Perhaps. Maybe he’d be even more dangerous given that teams aren’t used to defending elite returners anymore.
 
Barely any kickoffs don’t reach the endzone these days. Hester’s records are safe. I don’t see anyone doing what he did unless there’s a rule change. And even then we could go many years before someone special like Hester comes along again.
 
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Liberty City El said:
On KO returns, probably about the same in terms of TD's, would maybe have less yards because I'm sure most teams would gameplan to not kick to him (if they had a Kicker good enough to do that obviously).

On Punt Returns, it would probably be even more PR TD's now.

Hester finished his career at Miami with 40 Kick Returns for 1,019yds 2TD's & 41 PR's for 638yds for 4TD's.

Where he was at his most dangerous as a return man was in the NFL, in the NFL he had 295 KR's for 7,333yds for 5TD's & had 315 PR's for 3,695yds & 14TD's.

He finished his career with the most Special Teams TD's & most Punt Return TD's in NFL history.

He was the most dynamic & electric return man in the history of the game, even with the rule changes he still would've been as dangerous as he was back then in today's game.

The only difference is in 2020 I actually believe he would've been an All-Pro Elite WR or CB.
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Soo sad he couldnt learn pro style bro offense so we let one of the most electric players in football history stand on sidelines while we piled up the losses to stay pure to our pro style gawd purist
 
The same bc he would’ve brought that ***** out every time like Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson a G wit dat **** he just ain’t Hester. Nobody is or will ever be
 
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Kickoffs, heck no his impact wouldn't be the same. I would say the amount of touch backs on kickoffs is probably three times what it once was. That's no slight to the man, but the game has changed.
 
Kickoffs are a throwback to a time (the 1800's) before the forward pass, when football was more like rugby. If you look at rugby, Australian football, and all the cousins of our own football, punting and kicking have a lot more meaning to the game.

In our football, the kickoff and punt are just weird. We have specialists, punters and kickers, whose only job is to punt and kick. In rugby, it's just part of the game and everyone does it. That's why the australian punters are so good.

I think American football should emphasize special teams more. Kickoffs should be a bigger part of the game. For example, I would move the kickoff point back, not forward, so that fewer kicks go in the end zone. And I would say any touchback.... you don't get the ball at the 20 or 25 yard line, you get it at the GOAL LINE. If you do a touchback, you have to drive the entire length. That would make teams return the ball more often for sure.

Kickoffs are fun, when the league isn't trying to neuter them. Watching someone house a KR is one of the funnest things in football. Too bad the NCAA and NFL are trying to take that away IMO.
 
RightSaidFred said:
Kickoffs are a throwback to a time (the 1800's) before the forward pass, when football was more like rugby. If you look at rugby, Australian football, and all the cousins of our own football, punting and kicking have a lot more meaning to the game.

In our football, the kickoff and punt are just weird. We have specialists, punters and kickers, whose only job is to punt and kick. In rugby, it's just part of the game and everyone does it. That's why the australian punters are so good.

I think American football should emphasize special teams more. Kickoffs should be a bigger part of the game. For example, I would move the kickoff point back, not forward, so that fewer kicks go in the end zone. And I would say any touchback.... you don't get the ball at the 20 or 25 yard line, you get it at the GOAL LINE. If you do a touchback, you have to drive the entire length. That would make teams return the ball more often for sure.

Kickoffs are fun, when the league isn't trying to neuter them. Watching someone house a KR is one of the funnest things in football. Too bad the NCAA and NFL are trying to take that away IMO.
Click to expand...

You do realize why they have all changed the rules? Surely you didn't miss that. Yes, returns are fun, but that has nothing to do with the rule changes.
 
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RightSaidFred said:
Player safety. Yeah. But I'm old school. I think all the targeting calls are bull**** as well. That's my opinion.

America is being ruined by soccer moms.
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A player dropping dead on the field isn't great for PR.

And it's gonna happen. **** near did to Everett.
 
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