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Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub responded to President Donald Trump’s criticism of the NFL’s new kickoff Thursday as the team prepares for its game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Trump has expressed his dislike of the NFL’s kickoff rule, which became permanent this year. The most recent criticism came when he appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” last week, calling him “terrible.”
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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (left) watches as U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with a young fan as he attends the NFL football game between the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium November 9, 2025 in Landover, Maryland. (John McDonnell/Getty Images)
“He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at,” Toub said when asked about it during his press briefing. “He has no idea what’s going on with the kickoff rule. Take that for what it’s worth. And I hope he hears it.”
Trump was on the ESPN broadcast for a Veterans Day special and offered more criticism of the rules.
“I think it’s so terrible. I think it’s so humiliating, and I think it hurts the game. It hurts the pageantry,” Trump said. “I told (NFL commissioner) Roger Goodell, and I don’t think it’s any safer. I mean, there’s always guys crashing into each other.”
In September, the president called the dynamic kickoff rule “sissy football.”
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Kansas City Chiefs assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Dave Toub leaves the field after warmups before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Arrowhead Stadium on August 24, 2019. (Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports)
“The NFL needs to get rid of this ridiculous new kickoff rule,” he wrote on Truth Social. “How can they make such a big and radical change so easily and quickly. It’s at least as dangerous as a ‘normal’ kickoff, and it looks like hell.
“The ball moves, and the players don’t move, which is the exact opposite of what football is. ‘Sissy’ football is bad for America and bad for the NFL! Who came up with these ridiculous ideas? It’s like trying to ‘back up’ the golf ball so it doesn’t go (almost!) that far. Luckily, college football will stay the same, hopefully forever!!”
The NFL said the dynamic kickoff system is safer and produced more kickoff returns.
Kansas City Chiefs assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Dave Toub on the sideline during the game against the New York Giants on September 21, 2025 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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The rule stated that the ball is kicked from the 35-yard line, but each player on the kicking team must wait at the 40th until the ball touches the ground or is touched by a returner inside the 20-yard line.
