Cowboys fans will love KaVontae Turpin’s fierce reaction to NFL’s fair-catch rule

The NFL improved multiple new rules at the owner's meetings this week. It'll be interesting to see whom the Dallas Cowboys carry as their "emergency" QB on game days, but that change doesn't impact the team's roster cutdown.

What might impact roster decisions, though, is the new fair-catch rule. With the league striving toward eliminating kickoffs altogether, it will spot the ball on the receiving team's 25-yard line if there's a fair catch behind the receiving team's 25-yard line.

In turn, the value of certain special teams players, including blockers, gunners and return specialists. While dangerous, kickoffs are one of the most exciting aspects of the sport. That -- exciting -- is the perfect description of Cowboys lead return man KaVontae Turpin.

Cowboys fans are worried this new rule could mean bad news for Turpin's chances of making the roster for a second straight year.

Turpin, though, isn't bothered. In fact, the 2022 Pro Bowler had a savage response to the unexpected change at Thursday's practice.

Cowboys' KaVontae Turpin unfazed by NFL's new fair-catch rule on kickoffs

You have to love Turpin's confidence.

We do hope, however, that he was joking around by saying he's going to return anything and everything. Mike McCarthy and John Fassel will likely be in his ear about that throughout OTAs and training camp, but it's this fearless attitude that endeared Turpin to the fan base as a rookie.

Turpin burst on the scene as one of the NFL's most exciting return specialists. Only five players averaged more yards on kickoff returns than Turpin's 24.19 yards. He didn't take any to the house, but his longest went for 63 yards and he often injected a spark in a lifeless Cowboys offense by ripping long returns.

Like any rookie, Turpin experienced some hiccups in year one. He muffed a couple punts toward the end of the season and his decision-making as far as taking kicks out of the end zone when it wasn't called for annoyed fans, but those miscues set the stage for maybe the most heartwarming moment of the campaign.

Doesn't get much better than that.

Ironically, talk of Turpin getting cut has picked back up following this rule change. We wouldn't bet against the former TCU playmaker. He was the only taking returner reps at Thursday's practice and he's surprisingly been involved in the offense early on in OTAs.

A lot can change before Week 1, but it seems like Turpin's role on the Cowboys is growing.

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