Dave Toub, a special teams coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, mocked President Donald Trump in a recent viral clip, following Trump’s criticism of the new kickoff rule.
“He has no idea what’s going on,” Toub said.
Newsweek has contacted the White House and the Kansas City Chiefs for comment outside of regular working hours via email.
Why It Matters
The NFL brought in a new dynamic kickoff rule last season, and this rule has now been made permanent.
The rule seeks to make kickoffs, which have long been one of the most dangerous plays in the game, safer. Under the old rules, the team kicking began at their 35-yard line and attempted to kick the ball as far downfield as possible, while the receiving team tries to move the ball up the field as far as they can. The two teams running at each other at top speed means that collisions can occur, and these can potentially be disastrous.
Under the new rule, the ball is still kicked from the team’s 35-yard line. However, every player on the team that is kicking, aside from the kicker themselves, now lines up with one foot at least on the 40-yard line of the returning team, and players must wait to move until the ball either hits the ground or is touched by a returner inside of the 20-yard line.
The president posted on Truth Social in September and urged the NFL to get rid of the rule, which he described as “ridiculous looking” and said it was “at least as dangerous” as the old version.
What To Know
During a press conference on Thursday, a clip of which has been shared by the official account for the radio station, Sports Radio 810 on X and viewed over 240,000 times, Toub responded to Trump’s criticism of the kickoff rules.
Loading twitter content…
“He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at. He has no idea what’s going on with the kickoff rule. So take that for what it’s worth,” Toub said.
“And I hope he hears it,” Toub added.
The league has mostly been pleased with the kickoff rule. It led to the rate of kickoff returns increasing from a record-low 21.8 percent in 2023 to 32.8 percent last season, and reduced the rate of injuries on what had been the game’s most dangerous play.
The league has said the rate of concussions dropped 43 percent on returns, with a significant reduction as well in lower-body injuries.
Trump, though, is nonplussed. In September, he described the rule as “the exact opposite of what football is all about,” and dubbed it “Sissy’ football.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social in September: “’Sissy’ football is bad for America, and bad for the NFL! Who comes up with these ridiculous ideas? It’s like wanting to ‘roll back’ the golf ball so it doesn’t go (nearly!) as far. Fortunately, college football will remain the same, hopefully forever!!”
One social media user wrote on X, in response to Toub’s remarks: “Like most fans, Trump might not know the technical details of the KO the way an NFL coach should, but I think he voiced what NFL fans are feeling about the KO—it sucks and is weird. Dave Toub, why act like such an arrogant tool?”
Another social media user wrote on X: “I’m now a big fan of Dave Toub.”
What’s Next
The president is yet to respond to Toub’s remarks.