Goodell, NFL Consider Eliminating Extra Point
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – When the Eagles signed Chip Kelly to be the team's head coach, fans expected more attempts at two-point conversions than they were used to. If the NFL goes through a change it's considering, there may not be an option anymore.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is considering eliminating the extra point kick that occurs after touchdowns. Teams have the option of kicking a field goal spotted at the three yard line for one point, or running a play and trying to get the ball into the end zone for two points.
"The extra point is almost automatic," Goodell said. "I believe we had five missed extra points this year out of 1,200 some odd. So it's a very small fraction of the play, and you want to add excitement with every play."
"There's one proposal in particular that I've heard about," Goodell said. "It's automatic that you get seven points when you score a touchdown, but you could potentially go for an eighth point, either by running or passing the ball, so if you fail, you go back to six."
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said he'd be in favor of a change.
"I would be in favor of not seeing it be an over 99 percent conversion rate," Belichick said. "It's virtually automatic. That's just not the way the extra point was put into the game.
Former Eagles and Raiders fullback Jon Ritchie had another proposal. Ritchie suggested Monday night on The Artie Lange Show, where Ritchie is co-host, that perhaps teams would not be permitted to have a player who is exclusively a kicker. That player would have to be a position player who also kicks.