UFL making changes on field goals, punts to boost offense - ESPN

The United Football League is taking two significant steps to turbocharge offenses as it prepares for its 2026 season.

It will award four points for any field goal of at least 60 yards and has banned most punts inside of the opponent's 50-yard line, according to a series of rule revisions the league announced Tuesday.

«We're always looking to innovate but also maintain the integrity and the foundation of the game,» said Dean Blandino, the UFL's head of officiating. «The game that we want and the game that we've strived for is exciting, with a good flow, good pace, not a lot of stoppages and really big plays. We're going to promote scoring.»

According to Blandino, the four-point field goal was largely the brainchild of Mike Repole, who joined the UFL last summer as an investor with full authority over business operations. Repole has taken a significant role on the football side as well, and he wanted to encourage teams to be as aggressive as possible once they cross midfield.

At that point, and even if a penalty pushes teams back to the other side of the 50, they will have to either go for it on fourth down or kick the long field goal. There is one exception: Punts inside the 50 are allowed after the two-minute warning in either half.

The NFL saw an explosion of field goal attempts from 60 yards or beyond over the past two seasons, and its teams converted 16 of 37 attempts over that time. Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey, an alumnus of spring football, has led the league with five such conversions.

«Kicking a 65-yard field goal is a lot harder than one from 35,» Blandino said. «Why should they count the same? So it promotes excitement. Those are really, really exciting plays, whether it's an end to half or end of