# Why the rule change for onside kicks this year?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-rule-change-for-onside-kicks-this-year/509970>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [September 13, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-rule-change-for-onside-kicks-this-year/509970 "2009-09-13T23:06:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-rule-change-for-onside-kicks-this-year/509970/1 "2009-09-13T23:06:24Z")

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I just heard that they changed the rules this year to where the kicking team must have at least 4 players on each side of the kicker on an onside kick where as they used to be able to load the side for effectiveness.

Why the change? Injuries?

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-rule-change-for-onside-kicks-this-year/509970/2 "2009-09-13T23:10:02Z")

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Wikipedia claims [this article](http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8104d93c&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true) has a cite, but I’m too sick to find it right now.

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**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-rule-change-for-onside-kicks-this-year/509970/3 "2009-09-14T03:12:05Z")

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Injuries. They’re also now in line with the college rule.