Last season, fans were treated to a kicking clinic across the league, as kickers were put into focus more than ever before. The UFL announced that field goals of 60+ yards will be worth four points, a rule change the NFL should consider in the near future.
This is how UFL Head of Officiating Dean Blandino explained the reasoning behind the change:
“Kicking a 65-yard field goal is a lot harder than one from 35. Why should they count the same? So it promotes excitement. Those are really, really exciting plays, whether it’s an end to half or end of game, and it’s also going to change the strategy of the game as well.”
Long field goals have brought plenty of excitement to a part of football that most fans can do without.
According to NBC Sports, NFL kickers went 12-for-22 on field goals of 60 yards or longer in 2025. Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey hit three field goals beyond 60 yards last season, while Jaguars kicker Cam Little booted two of the longest field goals in league history.
Blandino is also correct that it would change the strategy of the game. For example, do you think Broncos coach Sean Payton would’ve taken the points early in the AFC Championship then, rather than going for it? What about earlier in the season, when Sean McVay went for it against the 49ers in overtime, losing his team the game?
If the NFL were to implement this change, everything we know about special teams and even offensive strategies would be tossed out the window. Plus, it would force more teams like the Rams to make changes focusing on improving their special teams. Teams with poor ST play, as Los Angeles has had for years, would be left behind, assuming they did nothing to emphasize getting better at the kicker spot sooner.
Implementing such a change would reward the teams with great kickers, and punish those who don’t.
With more kickers entering the league with strong enough legs to drill 60-yard field goals easily, it’s past time for the NFL to follow in the UFL’s footsteps. A 20-yard field goal should not be scored the same as a 60+ yarder, and it’s time to stop equating them. The league should jump at any chance to turbocharge offensive gameplay league-wide to keep fans engaged, and this would be another step towards doing just that.