NFL's latest kickoff rules test Titans' special teams | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Tennessee Titans special teams is under pressure on kickoffs, with Coach Robert Saleh saying the unit “needs to get better” at forcing returns, covering kicks, and creating better situations. The Titans are last in the NFL with 66.7% touchbacks, versus a league average of 16.8%; the next-worst team is Carolina at 38.5%. Their opponents start at the 37-yard line on average, tied with Miami for the lowest. The NFL’s dynamic kickoff was tested in 2024 and made permanent after owners voted in April 2025, moving end-zone touchbacks from the 30 to the 35. Saleh and coordinator John Fassel cite kicker Joey Slye’s “dirty ball,” but execution issues remain as Tennessee prepares for a Sunday road game at the New York Giants.