Special Teams as a Distinct Phase of the Game
American football is commonly described as three separate games happening within the same contest: offense, defense, and special teams. The first two phases receive most of the attention from casual observers, but coaches at every level treat special teams as an equally important unit with its own coordinator, its own practice time, and its own game plan. Roughly a quarter of all plays in a typical game involve special teams in some form, and the outcomes of those plays directly shape what the offense and defense face for the rest of the drive.
Special teams covers every play that begins with a kick: kickoffs, punts, field goal attempts, extra-point attempts, and the less common onside kick. Each of these situations brings a specific group of players onto the field, and each player in that group has a defined assignment. Understanding who those players are and what they are responsible for is the goal of this lesson.
The Kicker: Kickoffs, Field Goals, and Extra Points
The kicker is the specialist responsible for three distinct situations: the kickoff that starts each half and follows every score, field goal attempts when the offense is within range but cannot reach the end zone, and extra-point kicks after a touchdown. At most levels of the game from college through the NFL, the kicker is a dedicated position rather than a player who also plays offense or defense.
On a kickoff, the kicker places the ball on a tee at a fixed yard line and drives it downfield toward the opposing return unit. The objective is to kick the ball deep enough to limit the returner’s running room, ideally into or through the end zone to produce a touchback. Kickoff distance and accuracy are both relevant: a kick that lands at the five-yard line gives the returner space to build speed, while a kick that sails out of the back of the end zone results in an automatic touchback.
On a field goal, the kicker works with a long snapper and a holder. The long snapper fires the ball to the holder, who catches it, places it on the ground with the laces facing away from the kicker, and holds it steady while the kicker strikes it. The entire sequence from snap to kick takes roughly 1.3 seconds at the professional level, leaving almost no margin for error from any of the three players involved. Field goals are worth three points and are typically attempted when the offense is close enough to have a reasonable chance of success but has failed to score a touchdown.
The extra point, also called the point-after-touchdown or PAT, follows the same snap-hold-kick sequence as a field goal but from a much shorter distance. It is worth one point. Teams may instead attempt a two-point conversion by running or passing the ball into the end zone, so the kicker’s reliability on extra points is part of a broader strategic calculation the coaching staff makes throughout the game.
The Punter: Flipping Field Position on Fourth Down
The punter operates in a different situation from the kicker. A punt occurs on fourth down when the offense has decided it cannot convert for a first down and does not want to risk turning the ball over on downs in poor field position. Rather than attempting to advance the ball, the offense sends the punter onto the field to kick it as far downfield as possible, forcing the opposing offense to start its next drive far from the end zone.
Unlike a field goal, a punt is not kicked from a tee or held by another player. The long snapper delivers the ball directly to the punter, who catches it, takes one or two steps, drops the ball, and strikes it with the top of the foot before it hits the ground. This is called a drop punt or, in its most common modern form, a traditional punt. The punter has roughly two seconds from the moment the snap arrives to get the kick away before the opposing rush unit can block it.
Two qualities define an effective punt: hang time and placement. Hang time refers to how long the ball stays in the air. A punt that stays aloft for 4.5 seconds or more gives the coverage unit time to sprint downfield and surround the returner before the ball arrives. Placement refers to where the ball lands. A skilled punter can angle kicks toward the sideline to pin the returner near the boundary, reducing running lanes, or deliberately kick the ball out of bounds inside the opponent’s ten-yard line to prevent a return entirely. These are not simple physical skills, and developing them takes years of dedicated practice under qualified coaching.
How Coverage Units Work: Lanes, Contain, and Tackling the Returner
Every kick play involves two units: the team that kicks and the team that receives. The coverage unit is the group of players who sprint downfield after the kick to prevent the returner from gaining significant yardage. Their effectiveness determines whether a good kick actually results in good field position.
Coverage players are assigned specific lanes down the field. Think of the field divided into vertical corridors from sideline to sideline. Each coverage player is responsible for staying in their lane as they run downfield, which prevents the returner from finding a gap and breaking into open space. If a coverage player drifts out of their lane to chase the ball carrier, they create a running lane for the returner to exploit.
Two players on each coverage unit, typically positioned near the outside edges, are called gunners on punt coverage or fliers on kickoff coverage. These are usually the fastest players on the unit, and their job is to get downfield as quickly as possible and force the returner to commit to a direction. The remaining coverage players converge from their lanes to make the tackle or force the returner out of bounds.
Contain is a related concept. The outside coverage players must not over-pursue toward the middle of the field, because doing so allows the returner to cut back toward the sideline and gain extra yards. Maintaining outside leverage while closing on the returner is a discipline skill that requires practice and film study, not just athleticism.
Return Units: The Returner’s Role and Blocking Schemes
The return unit is the group of players whose job is to catch the kick and advance it as far upfield as possible. The player who catches the ball is the kick returner or punt returner, and the remaining players on the unit are blockers.
The returner’s first responsibility is to catch the ball cleanly. A muffed catch — one where the returner fails to secure the ball — can result in a fumble that the kicking team recovers, which is one of the most damaging turnovers in football because it typically gives the opponent excellent field position. After securing the catch, the returner reads the blocking in front of them and chooses a running lane, much like a running back reading a running play.
The blockers on the return unit set up in a formation designed to create a running lane in a predetermined direction. Common return schemes direct the returner toward one sideline, up the middle, or toward a specific gap in the coverage. Each blocker has an assignment: they must engage a specific coverage player and prevent that player from reaching the returner. Blocking on special teams is subject to the same rules as blocking elsewhere on the field, meaning blocks to the back or below the waist in certain areas are penalized.
The punt returner faces an additional decision that the kick returner does not: whether to call a fair catch. This is covered in the next section.
Touchbacks, Fair Catches, and Live Returns Explained
Three outcomes are possible when a kick arrives at the receiving team, and understanding the rules governing each is essential for following special teams play.
- Touchback: If a kickoff lands in or is caught in the end zone and the returner kneels or stays in the end zone, or if the kick travels through the end zone untouched, the play is ruled a touchback. The receiving team’s offense then starts its drive at a fixed yard line rather than at the spot where the ball was downed. The specific yard line for touchbacks has been adjusted by rule changes in recent years and should be verified against current NFL and NCAA rules, as the yardage differs between leagues and has changed more than once.
- Fair catch: On a punt or kickoff, the returner may signal a fair catch by raising one arm above their head and waving it while the ball is in the air. Once the signal is given, the coverage unit must allow the returner to catch the ball without contact. In exchange, the returner may not advance the ball after catching it. The offense then takes possession at the spot of the catch. A fair catch is a strategic choice: it protects the returner from a hard hit and guarantees possession at that yard line, but it sacrifices any return yardage.
- Live return: If the returner catches the ball without signaling a fair catch and is not in the end zone, the ball is live and the returner attempts to advance it upfield. The coverage unit attempts to tackle the returner as quickly as possible. The play ends when the returner is tackled, goes out of bounds, or scores.
A returner who signals a fair catch and then attempts to advance the ball, or who is contacted by a coverage player after a valid fair catch signal, results in a penalty. Coverage players must recognize the signal immediately and pull up, which requires discipline under the pressure of a full sprint downfield.
Field Position: Why Special Teams Outcomes Shape the Whole Game
Field position refers to where on the field a team’s offense begins its drive. Starting at your own ten-yard line means the offense must travel ninety yards to score; starting at the opponent’s forty-yard line means only forty yards stand between the offense and the end zone. This difference is enormous in terms of scoring probability and the pressure placed on the defense.
Special teams is the primary mechanism through which field position shifts. A punt that pins the opponent at their own five-yard line is just as valuable as a ten-yard offensive gain, because it forces the opposing offense to work the length of the field. A kickoff return that reaches the opponent’s forty-yard line gives the offense a short field and dramatically increases the likelihood of scoring. Conversely, a muffed punt that the kicking team recovers near the end zone can lead directly to points for the kicking team without the offense running a single play.
Coaches track field position statistics carefully. Teams that consistently win the field position battle through special teams tend to put less pressure on their offense and defense, because both units are operating from more favorable starting points throughout the game. This is why a blocked punt or a long return is treated as a momentum-shifting event even when no points are scored directly on the play.
The Specialist Athlete: Skills and Demands Unique to These Roles
Kickers and punters are genuine specialists who develop their skills through years of focused training. The physical demands of their positions are different from those of linemen or skill players, but they are no less real. A kicker must generate significant leg speed and strike the ball with precise contact to achieve both distance and accuracy. A punter must coordinate a catch, a controlled drop, and a full-leg swing in roughly two seconds while under pressure from a rushing defense.
The mental demands are equally significant. A kicker who misses a field goal in a close game must be ready to attempt another one later in the same game. A punter who shanks a kick — sending it off the side of the foot for a short, poorly directed result — must reset immediately and perform on the next opportunity. These positions require composure under pressure that is distinct from what most other positions experience.
Coverage and return players on special teams are often younger players or backups who are working to earn roster spots, but they are also sometimes veteran players who are valued specifically for their special teams ability. Speed, tackling reliability, and the discipline to hold a lane assignment are the core qualities coaches look for when building these units.
It is worth stating clearly: understanding the roles described in this lesson is a necessary foundation, but it does not prepare anyone to safely execute kicking mechanics, coverage tackling, or return blocking without in-person instruction and supervised practice. These skills involve physical technique and collision situations that require qualified coaching to develop safely.