A few new rules for the 2023 season were passed by NFL owners at their recent meeting. Some of them like Thursday Night Football flex scheduling will have no impact on Madden.
However, the big change that has the NFL world abuzz is the new rule requiring a fair catch on a kickoff resulting in the ball being placed at the 25 yard line, no different than a touchback.
You can love or hate the rule for the NFL but when this change is implemented in Madden 24, it will finally solve one of the most frustrating tactics in Madden sometimes referred to as the “scum kick.”
If you’ve played more than a handful of Madden games online you’ve undoubtedly run into someone who on every kickoff kicks it high and to about the 12 yard line. This forces your fullback to become the return man.
At best maybe you are able to advance the ball to the 20 yard line. At worst, your fullback gets hitsticked and fumbles.
Now you’ll be able to just signal for a fair catch and have the result be the same as a touchback.
While this is a seemingly minor rule change, for those of us who play Madden often it is a welcome relief.
EA is usually pretty good about implementing these rule changes so we expect to see it Madden 24.