special teams
Punt and kick
Special teams refers to the units in American football that handle kicking plays—kickoffs, punts, field goals, and extra points.
These squads take the field only for specific situations, distinct from the regular offensive and defensive units.
A team's special teams coordinator designs plays for these moments.
By extension, special teams can describe any group assembled for particular tasks: The company formed special teams to handle the merger.
Points from a kick
- puntKick before landing
- kickoffOpening play in football
- placekickerFootball scoring specialist
- punterOne who kicks footballs
extra point · touchback · onside kick · hang time · tee · boot · leg strength · accuracy
Player who hikes for kicks
- holderOne who possesses
- specialistExpert in one field
- blocking backPlayer who creates running lanes
- shieldHandheld defensive armor
wingback · wedge · return specialist · gunner · vice · snapper
One who fires artillery
- jammerSignal-blocking apparatus
- containHold within limits
- tacklingForcefully stopping an opponent
- pursuitAct of chasing something
lane discipline · hang time · vice · force · fill
Endzone down, offense restarts
- fair catchUncontested punt fielding
- downedBrought low, consumed
- out of boundsBeyond permitted limits
- yard lineFootball field distance stripe
end zone · red zone · territory · pinning · starting position · backed up
Short kickoff meant for recovery
- fake puntDisguised offensive play
- shield wallLinked defensive barrier formation
- timeoutBrief suspension of play
- formationCreation or arrangement
Advancing a caught kick
- returnerOne who comes back
- punt returnerPlayer catching kicked balls
- kick returnerPlayer fielding kickoffs
- runbackBall carrier's advance
touchdown · breakaway · cutback · vision · elusiveness · house call · muff · fielding
field goal
Points from a kick
- puntKick before landing
- kickoffOpening play in football
- placekickerFootball scoring specialist
punter · extra point · touchback · onside kick · hang time · tee · boot · leg strength · accuracy · distance
long snapper
Player who hikes for kicks
- holderOne who possesses
- specialistExpert in one field
- blocking backPlayer who creates running lanes
shield · wingback · wedge · return specialist · gunner · vice · snapper
gunner
One who fires artillery
touchback
Endzone down, offense restarts
- fair catchUncontested punt fielding
- downedBrought low, consumed
- out of boundsBeyond permitted limits
yard line · end zone · red zone · territory · pinning · starting position · backed up
onside kick
Short kickoff meant for recovery
- fake puntDisguised offensive play
- shield wallLinked defensive barrier formation
- timeoutBrief suspension of play
punt return
Advancing a caught kick
- returnerOne who comes back
- punt returnerPlayer catching kicked balls
- kick returnerPlayer fielding kickoffs
runback · touchdown · breakaway · cutback · vision · elusiveness · house call · muff · fielding · setup
- footballfootball, touchdown, field goal, quarterback, end zone
- hockeypuck, hockey, ice hockey, pucks, field hockey
- hockey termsman advantage, penalty kill, shorthanded, offensive zone, point shot
- football practicepractice, drills, scrimmage, conditioning, warm-up
- Football Coachinghead coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, coaching staff, playbook
- RamsSoFi Stadium, St. Louis Rams, Inglewood, Hall of Famers, championship wins
special teamsstandard units
team, special, teamwork, teams, specially, teammate, teamed, specialize, specialized