The Atlanta Falcons are working to address issues with the “knuckleball” kickoff after difficulties in their recent loss to the Carolina Panthers. The team’s special teams unit has been practicing fielding unpredictable kicks in preparation for their upcoming game against the Washington Commanders.
Falcons cornerback and return specialist Natrone Brooks described the challenges posed by these kicks: “Even after practice, me, Jamal (Agnew) and all the kick returners, we just got a kicker and told him to kick us the craziest ball he can. Let us go out there and field them.” He added that each knuckleball behaves differently, making it hard to predict. “It flies in a similar way,” Brooks said. “Of course it’s not as small as a baseball, so it’s not as much movement, but it moves weird. If I could explain it, it’s still spiraling, but at the same time, in the air while spiraling, it’s going left and right; then, it just dies down on you. It’s crazy.”
In last week’s game against Carolina, two mishandled knuckleball kickoffs led to poor field position for Atlanta. During the third quarter, Nathan Carter dropped a knuckleball near the 10-yard line and was tackled immediately after regaining possession. In the fourth quarter, Brooks attempted to recover another bouncing kick around the 15-yard line but ended up being tackled at the 10.
Brooks noted that experience from baseball helps read bounces but does not eliminate unpredictability: “The trick to it is just urgency and kind of watching the nose of it,” he said. “Sometimes you can where the nose is going to hit. Me, personally, I played baseball, so I got a good feel of where it’s going to bounce. But still, I don’t know.”
The problem is not unique to Atlanta; other NFL teams have also struggled with this tactic under new league rules implemented in 2024 and adjusted for 2025. The changes include moving touchbacks upfield and penalizing short unplayable kicks more severely.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris commented on how these changes have impacted play: “This new kickoff has presented some challenges with this knuckleball kick,” Morris said. “It’s presented some challenges if you don’t field those things the right way… That’s something that we’ve definitely been locked into and talking about.”
Special teams coordinator Marquice Williams explained why teams are using more knuckleballs: with coverage teams starting farther back due to rule changes, unpredictable kicks can help regain lost ground if returners mishandle them.
Brooks expects opponents will continue using this strategy against Atlanta: “Since we put that on film, I think it’s definitely something teams are going to try to attack us with,” he said. “It’s just something we got to clean up, and we did a good job this week of practicing it.”
