NFL’s Troy Vincent on rule changes and dealing with criticism: 'It's about preserving the game'

The kickoff is one of the most exciting plays in the NFL, and this year, it is going to look a lot different.

NFL owners approved a new kickoff play that moves most of the kicking and return teams downfield to reduce the number of high-impact collisions and concussions. The radical revamp comes as the league tries to walk a fine line between maintaining the speed and aggression of the game that fans cherish and protecting players from devastating injuries.

It's a delicate balancing act for the NFL, which needs to keep its massive multibillion-dollar machine running by keeping fans and sponsors engaged. It's also a major responsibility for Troy Vincent, executive vice president of Football Operations, who is responsible for overseeing policies and procedures on the field.

“It’s about preserving the game that Americans have come to love while being responsible for protecting players from unnecessary risk,” Vincent told Yahoo Finance.

Vincent knows there is a lot on the line to get this balance right.

Americans in every demographic group say football — not baseball — is “America’s sport,” according to a Pew Research Center survey. The NFL is an economic powerhouse: Its 32 teams are collectively valued at $163 billion — almost as much as the NBA and MLB combined.

Fans can and do disagree with Vincent about on-field rule changes. In fact, they sometimes directly email him their opinions.

But Vincent emphasized that leadership requires executives to make difficult decisions and stick with them even if they come under attack.

“Leadership is lonely,” he said, adding that executives should not bend to popular opinion and pressure. “Your compromises today become your standards tomorrow.”

The journey from player to executive

What fans cannot question is the insight and experience Vincent offers as a veteran of the game.

Drafted in 1992, Vincent played 15 seasons as a cornerback in the league with Miami, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and Washington. Today, at 53 years old, he still boasts the thick neck and broad shoulders that helped earn him five Pro Bowl appearances.

His journey to the NFL — first as a player and now as an executive — wasn’t a likely one, given his childhood in a neighborhood in Trenton, N.J., that he refers to as “Little Beirut.”

Raised by his mother, grandfather, and grandmother, Vincent recalled a community scarred by poverty and crime and pockmarked with abandoned homes. He watched his mother suffer in abusive relationships.

“There were not a lot of positives outside of my grandparents,” he said.

At 16 years old, Vincent embraced Christianity, a decision he said helped him overcome that environment and achieve success on and off the football field.

“It is the foundation of my leadership,” he said, noting that faith influences how he communicates and manages conflict. “It is the foundation of my family. I have been married to my wife, Tommi, for 30 years.”

He said that dedication grounds him in what can be a challenging job. Criticism about how the NFL has evolved can be fierce.

Last November, future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady made headlines when he said there is “a lot of mediocrity in today’s NFL.” Brady cited coaching, player development, and rule changes designed to protect players from injury.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers echoed that criticism, attributing rule changes in the league to what he called “a softening of society.”

Vincent said such legendary players earned the right to voice their opinions and added that they should speak up and hold the league’s gatekeepers accountable.

Despite the criticisms, Ted Keith, assistant managing editor at Sports Business Journal, said the NFL's business continues to impress. Ratings and fandom, he added, are “astronomical.”

There's good reason why the NFL is referred to as the king of sports. According to Nielsen, the Super Bowl in February between Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers was the most-watched program in US television history, averaging 123.7 million viewers across television and streaming platforms. Forbes estimated the NFL could reap more than $126 billion in TV money by 2033.

However, Keith noted there are also potential long-term challenges for the league.

Tweaking policies and procedures on the field won't alter the fundamental nature of the game, he argued. Football is an inherently violent sport, and moms and dads across the country are now increasingly concerned about the risks of their children playing football.

“The only thing that could impact the sport is if people stop playing it,” Keith said. “That is a danger. And many parents now don’t want their kids playing because of the concussion issue.”

For his part, Vincent is optimistic about the sport and its future. He sees the NFL as a great unifier of the country and as a communal experience transcending race, gender, and age.

“I see the beauty of the sport and what the game can do to unite people,” he said.

Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices.

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance