Eagles coach won't ditch kickoff hold amid rule debate
Philadelphia's Eagles coach Nick Sirianni says the team's Week 2 kickoff tactic—using Braden Mann to hold for Jake Elliott without a tee—is fully legal. League rules allow a 12th player to hold the ball on kickoffs with or without a tee, and Sirianni vowed the Eagles will keep using any edge that helps them win. The flap rolls into Monday Night Football in Chicago, where the Bears' special teams coordinator wants the rule rewritten.
Key Takeaways
- Eagles coach Nick Sirianni says the holder-on-kickoff move is within the rules and will continue.
- An NFL spokesperson confirmed teams may use a 12th man with or without a tee, in any weather.
- Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower says the ball should sit in a tee and wants the language fixed.
- Philadelphia copied the idea from Atlanta after Week 1; return yards allowed fell in Week 2.
- The Eagles are 3½-point favorites Monday with Bears QB Caleb Williams ruled out.
Why are people talking about Eagles kickoffs again?
After Week 1, special teams coordinator Michael Clay spotted the Atlanta Falcons using a holder on kickoffs. He brought the idea to Elliott and Mann. Even without much wind in Nashville, Mann held so Elliott could strike the ball at a different angle.
Philadelphia allowed 30.8 yards per kick return on five attempts in Week 1, then 25.3 on four returns in Week 2. Against Tennessee, the Eagles' average starting field position on kickoffs was the 36.3-yard line versus the Titans' 31.2. Elliott said he liked how the ball moved in the air.
Hightower called the approach a way to kick a "dirty" ball and said the intent of the rule is for the ball to sit in a tee when a holder is out there. Special teams coordinators met Friday to discuss clarifying the rule, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported.
What did the Eagles coach say about fairness?
Asked Saturday whether that coaches' call produced any resolution, the Eagles coach stayed firm. "Everything we're doing is within the rules of the game, and we'll continue to do the things that we need to do that give us the best chance to win each and every game," Sirianni said.
Hightower argued the holder was meant for weather and that, even after rules expanded year-round use, a tee should still be required. Elliott said adding a tee would not stop Mann from angling the ball. For more of this kind of fringe-rule drama, browse our Bizarre News & Florida Man hub.
Do NFL rules actually allow the 12th-man hold?
NBC Sports reported that a league spokesperson confirmed teams may use a 12th man for that purpose, with or without a tee and with or without a holder. Unless the rules change midseason—rare after a weekend slate has already begun—the edge remains available to every club.
Monday's game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. Philadelphia time on ESPN. FanDuel and DraftKings listed the Eagles as 3½-point favorites with a 42½ over/under as of Saturday. Williams is out with a hamstring; Tyson Bagent is questionable after a concussion, leaving Case Keenum as a possible starter. Saquon Barkley said he is good to go after a stinger, while Dallas Goedert (knee) is out and Zach Ertz could see snaps.
Inquirer columnists largely pick Philadelphia, with scorelines ranging from a close 27-24 to a one-sided 28-3. Sirianni, meanwhile, sits among the rare NFL coaches with a career winning percentage of .700 or higher over at least 50 games—another reason the Eagles coach stays under the microscope when a quirky special-teams wrinkle goes viral.