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GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Pro Bowl goal posts just looked weird.
The NFL trotted out experimental goal posts that were much narrower than regulation, and the uprights were much higher, too.
Adam Vinatieri was not a fan.
The Indianapolis Colts kicker, one of the most accurate ever and probably the kicker with the best chance to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday (Jan Stenerud is the only full-time kicker in the Hall), missed two extra points and a field goal to the narrow goal posts. The NFL narrowed the goal posts from 18.6 feet to 14 for the Pro Bowl. They also had kickers attempt extra points to the 15-yard line for a 33-yard try instead of the normal 20-yard attempt. All of Vinatieri's misses were barely wide.
"I probably would have made all my kicks today and walked out of here feeling a little happier than I am now," Vinatieri said.
Kickers have gotten much better over the years. Extra points are automatic and field goals were made at better than an 80 percent clip this past season. Adjusting the goal posts and/or moving the distance for extra points would bring those percentages way down.
"It's a game changer," Vinatieri said.
In a league that likes scoring, this is a rare move to suppress it. Vinatieri said if the NFL follows through on making it tougher on kickers, there will be changes in strategy.
"I doubt there will be as many 50-yard field goals attempted, because your percentages are going to be way down," Vinatieri said. "That's another thing you have to think about. If you want to move extra points back, if you want the skinny posts, you have to be prepared for the results."
Is that what we want? Do we want more missed extra points deciding games? It wouldn't be a better game for a team to score an apparent game-tying touchdown in the final minute, just for a kicker to miss a 33-yard extra point to skinny goal posts. Nobody has ever asked for kickers to have a bigger impact on games. "More missed field goals and extra points" has never been pitched as a way to improve the NFL game. But it seems we're headed toward some type of rule change.
Vinatieri said he was disappointed with how he kicked in the Pro Bowl, taking responsibility for his misses. He also said he sees the "wheels of change" turning and wouldn't be surprised if new rules are implemented for the regular season in the near future. The NFL experimented with longer extra points in the preseason too.
"Any time you make our job more difficult, no kicker is going to sign off on that, no kicker is going to be happy with that," Vinatieri said. "Ask a receiver if they take their gloves off because they catch the ball too well."
Vinatieri, who is 42, is close to wrapping up a great career. He has an 83.7 percent success rate on field goals in his 19 seasons. If the NFL goes forth with some of these rules changes for kickers, it's hard to imagine anyone coming close to that mark again.
"I feel bad for the young bucks who will have to deal with that their whole career," Vinatieri said.
The NFL trotted out experimental goal posts that were much narrower than regulation, and the uprights were much higher, too.
Adam Vinatieri was not a fan.
The Indianapolis Colts kicker, one of the most accurate ever and probably the kicker with the best chance to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday (Jan Stenerud is the only full-time kicker in the Hall), missed two extra points and a field goal to the narrow goal posts. The NFL narrowed the goal posts from 18.6 feet to 14 for the Pro Bowl. They also had kickers attempt extra points to the 15-yard line for a 33-yard try instead of the normal 20-yard attempt. All of Vinatieri's misses were barely wide.
"I probably would have made all my kicks today and walked out of here feeling a little happier than I am now," Vinatieri said.
Kickers have gotten much better over the years. Extra points are automatic and field goals were made at better than an 80 percent clip this past season. Adjusting the goal posts and/or moving the distance for extra points would bring those percentages way down.
"It's a game changer," Vinatieri said.
In a league that likes scoring, this is a rare move to suppress it. Vinatieri said if the NFL follows through on making it tougher on kickers, there will be changes in strategy.
"I doubt there will be as many 50-yard field goals attempted, because your percentages are going to be way down," Vinatieri said. "That's another thing you have to think about. If you want to move extra points back, if you want the skinny posts, you have to be prepared for the results."
Is that what we want? Do we want more missed extra points deciding games? It wouldn't be a better game for a team to score an apparent game-tying touchdown in the final minute, just for a kicker to miss a 33-yard extra point to skinny goal posts. Nobody has ever asked for kickers to have a bigger impact on games. "More missed field goals and extra points" has never been pitched as a way to improve the NFL game. But it seems we're headed toward some type of rule change.
Vinatieri said he was disappointed with how he kicked in the Pro Bowl, taking responsibility for his misses. He also said he sees the "wheels of change" turning and wouldn't be surprised if new rules are implemented for the regular season in the near future. The NFL experimented with longer extra points in the preseason too.
"Any time you make our job more difficult, no kicker is going to sign off on that, no kicker is going to be happy with that," Vinatieri said. "Ask a receiver if they take their gloves off because they catch the ball too well."
Vinatieri, who is 42, is close to wrapping up a great career. He has an 83.7 percent success rate on field goals in his 19 seasons. If the NFL goes forth with some of these rules changes for kickers, it's hard to imagine anyone coming close to that mark again.
"I feel bad for the young bucks who will have to deal with that their whole career," Vinatieri said.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab