AP

The NFL’s effort to make the game safer has included reducing the total number of high-impact plays by making it easier to kick the ball off out of bounds. The NFL may now reduce the numbers of kickoff returns even more, without moving the kickoff point beyond the 35 yard line.

The Competition Committee has proposed changing a touchback from the 20 to the 25. The change would apply only to touchbacks occurring after a free kick.

This adjustment moves the break-even point on a kickoff return five yards farther down the field, which will tend to result in more touchbacks — and fewer kickoff returns.

So while the PAT process will likely continue to be more interesting than it was before 2015, the kickoff process could end up being far more boring.