Two NFL Teams Have Perfected a Wild New Way to Make Their Opponents Look Silly

Andy Nesbitt | Sep 25, 2025

The Panthers and Rams are both using knuckleball kicks to give their opponents fits. / @NFL

The NFL is a copycat league with coaches always looking for ways to find new wrinkles they can put into their game plans to give them an advantage on Sundays.

Now there seems to be a new trend developing around the league that could be taking off over the next few weeks and it has to do with a play that, for the most part, can be one of the most boring moments in a game.

The kickoff.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel reportedly spent two hours on Tuesday night watching film of how the Panthers have been giving opponents fits with their kickoff team. The Rams also showed off this new strategy last Sunday against the Eagles.

The NFL's new kickoff rules for the 2025 season seem to be what has sparked this strategy. Any kick that lands in the returning zone (from the 20-yard line to the end zone) must be returned so these knuckleballs have to be fielded by the returners and, because of their unpredictable ways, give the kicking team more time to get down the field and make a tackle.

Get ready to hear a lot more about knuckleball kicks because look at how silly a returner can look when a kicker hits a good one:

Mike Vrabel shared he spent two hours last night watching the Panthers kickoff unit, who are one of the few teams in the league to use a “dirty” knuckleball style kick.

Opponents have the worst starting field position in the league at their own 21-yard line on average. pic.twitter.com/p1E2NzpNRu

— Brian Hines (@iambrianhines) September 24, 2025

Here's Rams kicker Joshua Karty nailing a great one against the Eagles:

these knuckleball kickoffs are leading to some comical moments of NFL returners looking like the kids in the outfield during the home run derby. pic.twitter.com/G0TeqFjpru

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) September 24, 2025

Here's a collection of his kicks from Week 3:

The #Rams are cooking up knuckleballs on kickoffs and the #Eagles returners have no idea what to do with them.

This has been unbelievable to watch. pic.twitter.com/3A6LQSqkuJ

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 21, 2025

These knuckleball kicks have led to a lot of reactions from fans:

The Rams' kickoff operation has been fantastic through 3 weeks. Their opponents' average field position after kickoffs is the lowest in the NFL by a wide margin.

Joshua Karty's squib kicks into the landing zone have given the Rams a major edge. pic.twitter.com/bZ0BOV1rPn

— Wyatt Miller (@wymill07) September 22, 2025

This bouncing knuckleball is going to be the new kick off meta @esquireanthony1 made a great video about the Rams kicker putting the Eagles kick returners in fits with the bounce and movement

Wait until kickers start approaching kick offs like free kicks in soccer… https://t.co/VUwqzRxzKz

— Dom Corbs NFL (@DomCorbsNFL) September 25, 2025

Joshua Karty’s knuckleball kickoffs were a problem for the Eagles

Tank Bigsby & John Metchie III struggled fielding them — and Bigsby heavily studied film ahead of the game

A new factor to study & avoid again having the worst avg starting field position: https://t.co/EnVMsUj3lV pic.twitter.com/fn0APbtZ2R

— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) September 22, 2025

NFL wanted more kick offs. Instead they get knuckle balls 😂 https://t.co/PFSuibsYlU

— Naieem (@KnownAsNai) September 25, 2025

As stupid as the new kickoff is, this is the only reasonable approach https://t.co/KQcD91TXMX

— Drayton Jackson (@Mister_Terrance) September 25, 2025

You have think more and more teams are going to begin doing this because starting field position is such a key aspect of the game. We'll just have to see how many kickers can actually pull it off.

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