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In recent years, the act of kicking a field goal -- one of the most routine and uneventful plays in football -- got somewhat exciting. I’m not talking about last-second attempts, which have always been exciting. I’m talking about a 34-yard field goal in the second quarter. 

It got somewhat exciting because extremely athletic defenders realized they could jump over the offensive line to get into the backfield to block kicks. So long as they didn’t land on an opposing player or use other players for leverage, it was entirely legal. And as previously mentioned, it’s unequivocally fun.

Plus, it’s something that Shea McClellin -- a former first-round pick of the Bears who recently helped the Patriots win Super Bowl LI -- is actually good at:

Unfortunately, the NFL might ban the field goal leap. According to Mark Maske of the Washington Post the league’s competition committee is “likely” to propose a rule that would ban field goal and extra point leaps. That report is not sitting well with two players. 

Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner and safety Kam Chancellor saw Maske’s report. So, they responded on Twitter.

Wagner made a fair point: It’s fun and everyone -- the fans and players -- likes it.

Chancellor added that kids like it.

He also called it a “game of politics” and proceeded to hit the NFL with the classic, never old “No Fun League” burn.

It should come as no surprise to hear those two players criticize the league over the rule proposal, because they’re both really good at jumping over the trenches to block field goals. In January 2015, in a playoff game against the Panthers, Chancellor did it on back-to-back plays. 

And here’s footage of Wagner doing it this past season:

They’re both right. Those plays are fun. I don’t think anyone would disagree.

The issue, however, is apprently player safety, which is something the players are understandably considered about. Here’s what NFLPA president Eric Winston told PFT Live:

“The jump-over rule on the field goal concerns me,” Winston said. “I would say that there’s a chance for a big injury on that play. Just for the jumper getting his legs caught up and landing on his head and for the offensive linemen in between the ‘A’ and ‘B’ gaps. If that guys and gets his legs hit and falls on someone’s leg, those are big injuries. Those aren’t sprained-ankle sort of injuries.”

OK, I guess that makes sense, though it’s worth pointing out that it’s still legal for players to hurdle over defenders when running with the football, which also seems like it could end in “a big injury.” But considering that quote came from the NFLPA president, it seems to be the official stance of the players.

The bottom line is that, while the field goal leap a really fun play, the game of football, which is already inherently dangerous, will survive without it. It’s a quick and simple fix, unlike most of the league’s problems related to player safety.

This isn’t the only rule proposal related to player safety the league will consider this offseason. Troy Vincent, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, said that the competition committee “is also exploring ways -- including considering immediate ejections or suspensions -- to take dangerous hits out of our game.”

If passed, I’m guessing the players’ collective response to that rule change will be interesting.