New NFL Kickoff Rule

[Frayed Knot]

I've just never understood the origin or the purpose of the rule.
It seems to exist for no reason other than to stop play for the sake of stopping play.

It exists for the chance to cram in a block of pricey commercials.

That, along with giving more time for three trailing team to catch up, is certainly the reason why it'll continue to exist.


Another weird rule: Why is a kick that goes out of bounds a penalty while a punt that does the same is considered strategy?

[Frayed Knot]

So the second half of the NY/NY Prime Time opening weekend show is bound to go at least a little bit better than Act 1, eh?

Or, maybe not.

[RealityChuck]

I've just never understood the origin or the purpose of the rule.
It seems to exist for no reason other than to stop play for the sake of stopping play.

I didn't know, but here's what I found. It goes back to the time when there was no large clock on the field. The ref timed the game with a stopwatch, and he would stop the time to alert the coaches that the end of the half (or game) was coming.
Here's more:
https://footballadvantage.com/2-minute-warning/

Its almost one of those traditions they've kept around like something we've kept around in baseball for the nostalgia. Like the seventh inning stretch.
Of course, it is now another delay into which the networks can pump additional commercials.
So much for nostalgia.

Later

This was true into the 1960s. In the NFL, the stadium clock was not official. There was a referee that kept the official time (he'd indicate to the stadium timekeeper to adjust if they didn't sync, using hand signals). So they still needed the warning to inform the coaches and set the stadium clock. The AFL was first to make the stadium clock official and the NFL refused to use their idea until the merger.