Sports
How the new kickoff rules opened doors for some of the league’s most dynamic players
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The NFL wanted to add excitement to the game.
As a result, on a list that is represented by some of the league’s premiere players like Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor and Christian McCaffrey, it’s Tennessee Titans rookie Chimere Dike that sits on top.
Dike and the Dallas Cowboys‘ KaVontae Turpin are among the NFL’s top five in all-purpose yards thanks to the kickoff rules changes in 2024 before they were slightly tweaked in 2025 — an incentive to bring back the return game. It gave players like New York Jets return man Isaiah Williams a better chance of making the roster. It has also helped increase the value for veterans like Turpin, who signed a three-year, $13.5 million contract extension in March.
The 2024 rule changes introduced the new dynamic formation to increase returns and boost safety (43% reduction in concussion rates) because players are aligned closer to each other to reduce high-speed collisions. The league also moved the touchback spot from the 20-yard line to the 30. However, the leaguewide return rate of 32.8% was still the league’s lowest since at least 2000, and the touchback rate of 64.3% was the league’s highest over the same period.
So the league moved the touchback spot to the 35-yard line in 2025, and data has shifted. Teams have elected to put the ball in play rather than drill it deep in the end zone for a touchback. Through Week 14, the kick return rate has surged to 77.4%, more than doubling last season’s 32.8% rate, and through the first four weeks, the league saw its highest rate (78.3%) in 19 years at the time.
For players like Dike and Turpin, they are being asked to handle kick and punt return duties while also being a part of the offense. Having such an involved role is demanding for any player.
Dike has had to step up at times as a receiver, where he has 34 receptions for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Turpin has done the same, with 21 catches for 286 yards and a touchdown.
“Not many people can do kick return, punt return and [play] receiver too,” Titans special teams coordinator John Fassel said. “[Dike] gets the ball thrown to him, punted to him and kicked to him. He’s an incredibly valuable weapon because he can do all of that.”
Entering Week 15, Dike was leading the league in all-purpose yards (1,984), kick return yards (1,323) and yards per punt return (19.9). He’s on pace to pass Lionel James (2,535 in 1985) for fourth in all-purpose yards in a single season since 1941, and he has an outside shot at the all-time record (2,696) set by Darren Sproles and to pass former Titans wide receiver Derrick Mason’s number of 2,690, which is second all time.
“His all-purpose yards are all earned,” a surprised Fassel said when informed of Dike’s record pace.
Although the kick return average is down from last season (25.9 yards from 27.6), the change has resulted in more total return yards (42,613 and counting from 25,385). The league has also seen 91.4% of the returns go beyond the 20-yard line, the most over the past 25 years.
“[Dike’]s really excelled as a returner, and I think he has done some really good things as a wide receiver,” Mason told ESPN. “He’s learning how to play the game from a special teams standpoint, how to see the field as a returner. So he’s going to be able to operate on offense in spaces that would be hard for some of the other wide receivers to do. He’s used to finding holes and isn’t afraid of contact.
“He’s a strong runner. He breaks tackles, which is why he’s a good returner. All those things are good for him. He may end up being the steal of the draft [Round 4, pick 103] because he’s coming on as a receiver. With his return skills, he’s going to be a guy that, to me, will be a weapon like Percy Harvin.”
AS FOR WILLIAMS‘ path, he was signed off the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad on Sept 10. Williams had a nightmarish game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. It was a Monday night game where he fumbled on a kickoff, and he fielded a punt at his own 3-yard line at the end of the game, ruining any chance of a long drive and comeback.
The Jets cut Williams a few days later, but they re-signed him to the practice squad on Oct 6. He was saved by first-year Jets coach Aaron Glenn, who crossed paths with Williams when he signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in April 2024 before the Bengals claimed him off the practice squad that November. Glenn always had an affinity for Williams, who was promoted to the active roster on Oct 18.
Glenn called Williams’ return to the team, “A great redemption story.” Since his second chance with New York, Williams has two touchdowns on punt returns, becoming the third Jet in history to do so in the same season. He and Dike are the only two players to have a 70-yard return on a punt and kickoff.
“I feel like all of it was really a blessing,” Williams told ESPN. “Looking back at it, I learned and grew from it, but I found out on Friday [that I was cut]. You go through that [Miami] game and you practice the next three days — Wednesday, Thursday, Friday — and you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m about to have an opportunity to redeem myself.’ Then you come out of practice on a Friday, realizing you got cut.
“In my head, I’m like, ‘Dang, I might be done for the year. I might be on somebody’s practice squad.’ When I signed back, my biggest thing was, ‘I’m going to come back and just compete, work. Whatever happens, happens.’ Then I ended up getting an opportunity.”
Williams joined Dike, New England Patriots returner Marcus Jones, and Jacksonville Jaguars returner Parker Washington as the only players to have at least two punt returns for a touchdown. This is the first year since 2019 in which at least one player has had multiple punt returns for a touchdown in a season.
TURPIN FORCED HIS way onto the Cowboys’ roster as a return man in 2022 after toiling in the Indoor Football League, Fan Controlled Football League, Spring League and European Football League from 2019 to 2021. His breakthrough came in 2022 when he was named the USFL’s Most Valuable Player in its inaugural season.
“He came in and tried it out,” said Fassel, who was Turpin’s special teams coordinator with the Cowboys at the time. “We signed him, and he was at practice that same day.”
Turpin scored two touchdowns in the second preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The first was on a 98-yard kickoff return in the first quarter, and the second was on an 86-yard punt return in the second quarter.
“It was like, ‘Well, he’s a returner. Get him out of the game,'” Fassel said. “He made the team in like two weeks.”
Fassel said Turpin’s vision made him one of those returners he gave the freedom to veer away from the direction the play was called. For instance, if there was a return right and Turpin saw a lane open to his left, he had the green light to cut it back and make a play.
“I learned a lot from him, where I had to make sure I don’t ever tell Turp where to run,” Fassel said with a smile.
At 5-foot-9, 173 pounds, Turpin’s toughness and courage stood out to Fassel and his assistant special teams coach, Rayna Stewart, when they were in Dallas. Dike (6-1, 196 pounds) is bigger than Turpin, and Stewart sees the same traits in the Titans’ returner.
“It takes a lot of courage to go back there and be willing to run through the smoke or to the ring of fire,” Stewart told ESPN.
Rookie returner Myles Price‘s 1,548 all-purpose yards rank seventh in the league, and his Minnesota Vikings are set to face Turpin and the Cowboys on Sunday.
Price will try to keep pace with Dike and Turpin (1,620 yards), as the three are the only players who’s primary yardage in the top 10 for all-purpose yards comes from returns, but unlike Dike and Turpin, Price is solely a return man at this point in his career.
“It’s pretty cool to think about [leading the NFL], but as [Fassel] puts it, ‘Stats don’t matter until the end of the year,'” Dike said. “At the end of the year, it would be a cool moment because coming into the league, you try to make an impact.”
NFL Nation reporters Rich Cimini and Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.
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IndyCar rookie Caio Collet was involved in a terrifying crash toward the end of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday afternoon with Felix Rosenqvist and Pato O’Ward fighting for first place.
Collet got loose in Turn 2 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and overcorrected just enough to send his vehicle into the wall. His right rear caught fire as he skidded down the track and onto the grass.
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Caio Collet drives a Combitrans AJ Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet through turn three during practice on Miller Lite Carb Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 22, 2026. (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire)
Emergency personnel came over to put the fire out and help Collet out of his car.
He was able to walk away from the scary wreck, but track officials called for a red flag. The red flag stopped the race and gave drivers a breather for what would be a total shootout for the final few laps.
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Caio Collet leads the field during the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis on May 24, 2026. (Michael Conroy/AP)
Collet will fall down the leaderboard as he didn’t finish the race.
The A.J. Foyt Racing driver was making his first appearance in the Indy 500. He graduated into the NTT IndyCar Series after finishing second in the Indy NXT Series last year. He won three races on the Indy NXT Series in 2025.
The Brazilian came into the race in 21st place in the IndyCar standings with 70 points through six starts. He has yet to finish in the top 10 in his first season.
David Maluka talks with Caio Collet before practice for the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis on May 18, 2026. (Michael Conroy/AP)
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The 2026 Indy 500 already featured more than 50 lead changes and was one of the more competitive events in recent memory.
Felix Rosenqvist won the race on the final lap.
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When the NASCAR Cup Series went to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600 in 2025, Ross Chastain got into Victory Lane after closing at +1800 to be the outright winner.
Chastain’s impressive win came after leading only eight laps on the day.
Which driver will take the checkered flag when the series goes back to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend for one of NASCAR’s Crown Jewels?
Here are the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 24.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600
Denny Hamlin: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)
Tyler Reddick: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Kyle Larson: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Christopher Bell: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Chase Briscoe: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
William Byron: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
Carson Hocevar: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
Ryan Blaney: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Chase Elliott: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Brad Keselowski: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Ty Gibbs: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Ross Chastain: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Chris Buescher: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Bubba Wallace: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Alex Bowman: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Austin Dillon: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Joey Logano: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Connor Zilisch: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Austin Hill: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Austin Cindric: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Ryan Preece: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Michael McDowell: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Corey Heim: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Erik Jones: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Shane van Gisbergen: +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total)
AJ Allmendinger: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Daniel Suarez: +17000 (bet $10 to win $1,710 total)
Josh Berry: +18000 (bet $10 to win $1,810 total)
John Hunter Nemechek: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Zane Smith: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)
Ty Dillon: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Noah Gragson: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Todd Gilliland: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)
Riley Herbst: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)
Cole Custer: +80000 (bet $10 to win $8,010 total)
Katherine Legge: +90000 (bet $10 to win $9,010 total)
Timmy Hill: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Cody Ware: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Here’s what to know about the oddsboard:
The Favorite
Denny Hamlin is coming in hot off an All-Star Race win at Dover. And while it wasn’t a points race, coming into Charlotte after starting from the pole and leading 103 laps in last week’s exhibition could give him the momentum he needs to grab the checkered flag at the Coke 600. His first and only win at this race came in 2022. In 2025, he started 20th but finished 16th after posting the best lap of the day at 29.37 and leading 53 laps.
One to Watch
Tyler Reddick is having an incredible season. He’s gotten into Victory Lane five times, including the first three races of the year. Cup qualifying got rained out, so Reddick will start from the pole today at Charlotte in accordance with league rules. On the season, Reddick has led 201 laps and has eight finishes in the top five. In 2025, he finished the Coca-Cola 600 26th after leading only one lap.
Sports
Pakistan’s Faisal Shafi becomes first local runner to achieve provisional eighth marathon star
KARACHI: Pakistani runners turned the streets of Cape Town into a landmark chapter of the country’s growing marathon movement as Karachi’s Faisal Shafi and British-Pakistani runner Huma Rehman achieved the eighth star, although currently a provisional star, at the 2026 Cape Town Marathon, a race expected to become the next Abbott World Marathon Major.
Competing against a backdrop of Table Mountain, the Pakistani contingent produced a significant collective performance on the global marathon stage.
More than 27,000 runners participated in the event, but for Pakistan’s marathon running community, the spotlight belonged to a small group of runners representing the country’s running community in the world’s most scenic marathon courses.
Karachi-based Shafi emerged as the central figure of the story. Completing the 42.195-kilometre race in 3 hours, 35 minutes and 37 seconds, Shafi became the first Pakistan-based runner to complete eight World Marathon stars, a milestone considered among the rarest achievements in recreational endurance running.
“This is my eighth star,” Shafi told Geo News after crossing the finish line.
“The eighth Major was actually supposed to happen in Cape Town last year, but due to bad weather, the marathon was cancelled.”
The Cape Town Marathon currently remains in the candidacy phase for Abbott World Marathon Major status.
Organisers announced before the race that every finisher would receive a provisional Major star, similar to the pathway Sydney followed before officially becoming a Major.
Once Cape Town passes its final assessment and is officially inducted into the World Marathon Majors, the provisional star will automatically convert to a fully recognised star, retroactively counting toward your Major
The development effectively made this year’s Cape Town Marathon one of the most historically significant races outside the existing Major circuit. If officially approved, Cape Town would become the first African race to join the elite series alongside Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Sydney.
For Shafi, it was beyond personal achievement.
“I am the first eight-star finisher from Pakistan and the first person to complete eight stars while living in Pakistan,” he said.
“This is a huge leap for Pakistan in marathon running because eight stars is a very elusive achievement. Even globally, only a few hundred people may have completed eight stars.”
Shafi’s run itself reflected the composure of an experienced marathoner. He crossed the halfway mark in 1:39:56 and maintained a disciplined pace through the opening 30 kilometres, consistently running between 4:44 and 4:46 per kilometre before the challenging latter stages tested the field.
While Shafi carried Pakistan’s headline moment, British Pakistani runner Huma Rehman produced one of the strongest performances among the Pakistani-origin participants. She completed the race in an impressive 3:31:34, finishing ahead of Shafi overall and becoming the first British Pakistani runner to secure the eighth world star milestone.
Her race was a masterclass in rhythm and consistency. After reaching 5km in 25:52, Huma gradually accelerated through the course, clocking 51:36 at 10km and 1:16:45 at 15km before crossing halfway in 1:46:43. Remarkably, she maintained almost identical pacing deep into the latter stages of the race, covering 30km in 2:30:52, reaching 35km in 2:56:08 and crossing 40km in 3:20:53, averaging almost exactly five minutes per kilometer across much of the second half of the marathon, a sign of elite endurance management on a demanding course.
Pakistan and the overseas Pakistani community had six representatives in the marathon. Karachi’s Hina Shaukat produced a personal-best performance of 4:31:23, while Lahore runner Amina Sibtain completed her first-ever marathon in 4:44:51. Kashif Zulfiqar crossed the line moments later in 4:44:54.
Canadian Pakistani runner Ziyad Rahim completed the race in 6:54:33.
Hina Shaukat said that the Cape Town marathon was the proudest finish of her running career.
“It was my third marathon, and I was able to shave 40 minutes off my PR,” she said.
“My family was there at the finish line, and they made this one extra special. The photos may not look fast, but the clock definitely was. This was, undoubtedly, my proudest finish yet,” she told Geo News.
Beyond the results, however, the race symbolised something larger for Pakistan’s slowly expanding marathon running culture. Community running events in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore have witnessed rapid growth in recent years, and Faisal Shafi believes milestones like Cape Town can inspire even more people to embrace marathon running.
“God willing, more people will now be inspired towards marathon running,” he said. “Just like the recent One Run event in Karachi, where so many people participated, I believe this sport will continue growing in Pakistan.”
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