Return specialist

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Devin Hester, the first and only return specialist inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, fielding a punt during special teams practice at the Chicago Bears' 2007 training camp Devin Hester in 2007.jpg
Devin Hester, the first and only return specialist inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, fielding a punt during special teams practice at the Chicago Bears' 2007 training camp

A return specialist or kick returner is a player on the special teams unit of a gridiron football team who specializes in returning punts and kickoffs. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most also play another position such as wide receiver, defensive back, or running back. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a kicking specialist.

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According to All-American Venric Mark, "Returning punts is harder. You have to judge the ball more, you have to know when to fair catch and when not to. You can't be a superhero and try to catch everything. With kickoff returns, you catch the ball and—boom—you're going." [1]

Kickoff returner

A kickoff returner (KR) is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible for catching the opposing team's kickoff and attempting to run it towards the end zone to score a touchdown. If the ball is kicked into his own end zone, the kick returner must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the air and determine if it would be beneficial to his team for a return. If he decides that it is not, he can make a touchback by kneeling down in the end zone after catching the ball, ending the play and starting the next play at the 25-yard line to start the drive.

The kickoff returner position is often played by a small, faster player such as a cornerback, running back or wide receiver. Backup players frequently assume this role so starting players on the offense take fewer hits as the kickoff returner position, and can play their regular positions. In the days of one platoon football, the returner position was synonymous with the "safety man"—a quarterback or halfback.

In 2012, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell proposed the idea of removing the kickoff play, and quoted that the "kickoff return is too dangerous for the game". The idea was met with criticism and the idea was eventually dropped. [2] However, rule changes during his tenure have greatly reduced the frequency of NFL kickoff returns. The most significant one was in 2011, when the NFL changed the starting position of the kickoff from the 30 to the 35-yard line, resulting in far more kickoffs going through the end zone or so deep into the end zone that the returner would usually take a touchback. In 2015, another rule change made the touchback give the receiving team the ball on their 25-yard line instead of the 20.

On October 27, 2013, wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson of the Minnesota Vikings returned the kickoff 109 yards and scored a touchdown, the longest run possible in NFL standards. [3]

Notable kickoff returners

Punt returner

Chris Sutton of Air Force returning a punt in 2003 Chris Sutton punt return Air Force vs Wyoming 2005.jpg
Chris Sutton of Air Force returning a punt in 2003

A punt returner (PR) has the job of catching the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position (or a touchdown if possible) by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while the ball is still in the air. [8] He must determine if it is actually beneficial for his team to attempt a return. If it appears that the players from the punting team will be too close to the returner by the time he catches the ball, or it appears the ball will go into his own end zone, the punt returner can elect not to return the ball by choosing one of two options:

Punt returners sometimes also return kickoffs and usually play other positions, especially wide receiver, cornerback and running back, although sometimes as backups. An analogous position exists in Canadian football, though differences in rules affect play considerably. See comparison of Canadian and American football for a complete discussion of the punt returner's role in the Canadian game.

In 2014, Devin Hester broke Deion Sanders' record for most punt return touchdowns, with 14. He currently remains the record holder. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair catch</span> American football rule

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kickoff (gridiron football)</span> Method of starting a drive in gridiron football

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devin Hester</span> American football player (born 1982)

Devin Devorris Hester Sr. is an American former football wide receiver and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL). The only primary return specialist to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he is widely considered to be the greatest return specialist of all time. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he was the first player in the university's recent history to play in all three phases of American football: offense, defense and special teams. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. In addition to Chicago, Hester also played for the Atlanta Falcons, the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks over his 11-season NFL career. He is also the only player to return the opening kick of a Super Bowl for a touchdown. Hester was selected to the NFL All-Decade Team for both the 2000s and 2010s.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cordarrelle Patterson</span> American football player (born 1991)

Cordarrelle Patterson, nicknamed "Flash", is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). A versatile utility player, he plays running back, wide receiver, return specialist, and occasionally on defense. Patterson played college football for the Hutchinson Blue Dragons before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers, where he earned first-team All-SEC honors. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, and the Atlanta Falcons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamal Agnew</span> American football player (born 1995)

Jamal Agnew is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is a free agent. He played college football at San Diego. On September 26, 2021, he tied the NFL record for the longest play with a 109 yard return off a missed field goal.

References

  1. Greenstein, Teddy (2010-08-24). "Northwestern's Mark attracting notice: Freshman likely to get nod returning kickoffs and will get shot at punts". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 2012-12-11.
  2. Rosenthal, Greg. "Roger Goodell mulls idea of eliminating NFL kickoffs". NFL.com. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
  3. "Cordarrelle Patterson ties NFL record with 109-yard kickoff return". CBSSports.com.
  4. "Red Grange, Football Hero of 1920s, Dead at 87". The New York Times. 29 January 1991.
  5. "The Best Kick Returners in NFL History". sports-central.org. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  6. "Top 10 returners in NFL history". 20 December 2007.
  7. "Henry "Gizmo" Williams".
  8. "Football Special Teams: How to Return a Punt".
  9. "Football 101: The Rules of NFL Football Fair Catch".
  10. "Devin Hester passes Deion Sanders for return TD mark". NFL.com.