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123:) 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
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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.
244:. Howard is the only player ever to win Super Bowl MVP exclusively due to his special teams performance, setting Super Bowl records for longest kickoff return (99 yards), punt return yards (90), total return yards (244) and combined net yards (244). Incidentally, his 99-yard kickoff return in the game was the only kickoff return touchdown of his entire career.
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holds the NFL record for most all-purpose yards in a single game, set while playing for the Denver
Broncos (404 yards on December 10, 1995) with John Elway quarterbacking. One of the greatest return specialists of all time, he became the Chicago Bears all-time leading kick returner with 4,596 yards.
256:
played wide receiver and as a return specialist holds the record for the most all-time return touchdowns (20) and most all-time punt return touchdowns (14). He is the only primary return specialist to be enshrined in the Pro
Football Hall of Fame, and is widely considered to be the greatest return
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and be spotted at that point, or come to final rest in the field of play and be downed by a player on the punting team. This is the safest option, as it completely eliminates the chance of a fumble and ensures that the returner's team will get possession of the ball. However, it also provides an
319:
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. 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
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was an All-Pro running back who also returned punts and kicks for the
Chicago Bears. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977. He currently holds the record for the highest career kickoff return average at 30.56 yards per attempt. Brad Oremland of Sports Central called him the greatest kick
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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. However, rule changes during his tenure have greatly reduced the frequency of NFL kickoff returns. The most
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by waving one arm above his head before catching the punt. This means that the play will end once the catch is made; the punt returner's team will get the ball at the spot of the catch and no return attempt can be made. The fair catch minimizes the chances of a
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or injury because it ensures that the returner is fully protected from the opposing team, whose players may not touch the returner or attempt to interfere with the catch in any way after the fair catch signal is given. In the NFL, a fair catch also allows the
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opportunity for the punting team to pin the returner's team deep in their own territory by downing the ball or sending it out of bounds near the returner's end zone. This can not only give the return team poor field position, but can even lead to a
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in 2011. Sanders totaled 3,523 kick return yards in his career, including three touchdowns. Sanders held the record for most non-offensive touchdowns, 19 in total, until Devin Hester broke the record in the 2014
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142:. 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
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He had 9,788 NFL career kick returning total yards. He also holds the Denver
Broncos' franchise record for the most kick return yards in a single season, with 1,269 in 1995.
206:, who played running back in the NFL for 14 seasons, is the league's career leader in kickoff return yards (14,014) and punt return yards (4,999) by a very wide margin.
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is a
Canadian Football Hall of Fame member acclaimed as a game-breaking specialist who played longest in the CFL but also played in the NCAA, USFL, and NFL.
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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.
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played cornerback for multiple NFL teams and also played kick returner and a punt returner on special teams. Sanders was inducted into the
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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."
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holds the NFL record as the only player with two kickoffs of 100 yards or more returned for touchdowns in a single game.
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Avoid the ball and let it hit the ground. Under this option the ball will go into the returning team's end zone for a
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was one of the sport's first iconic faces, breaking onto the national scene with a 95-yard kickoff return against
442:"Northwestern's Mark attracting notice: Freshman likely to get nod returning kickoffs and will get shot at punts"
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played wide receiver and as a kick returner "was the most dangerous player in the NFL for a couple of seasons".
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77:. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most also play another position such as
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close to the returner by the time he catches the ball, or it appears the ball will go into his own
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returned the kickoff 109 yards and scored a touchdown, the longest run possible in NFL standards.
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401:' record for most punt return touchdowns, with 14. He currently remains the record holder.
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103:, "Returning punts is harder. You have to judge the ball more, you have to know when to
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to be used on the next play, even with no time on the clock remaining, to attempt a
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The kickoff returner position is often played by a small, faster player such as a
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for a complete discussion of the punt returner's role in the
Canadian game.
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494:"Cordarrelle Patterson ties NFL record with 109-yard kickoff return"
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List of
National Football League career kickoff return yards leaders
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List of
National Football League annual kickoff return yards leaders
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List of NCAA major college yearly punt and kickoff return leaders
382:, although sometimes as backups. An analogous position exists in
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American/Canadian football player who specializes in kick returns
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386:, though differences in rules affect play considerably. See
89:. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a
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football, the returner position was synonymous with the "
37:, the first and only return specialist inducted into the
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via free kick. However, this option is rarely exercised.
611:"Devin Hester passes Deion Sanders for return TD mark"
469:"Roger Goodell mulls idea of eliminating NFL kickoffs"
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has the NFL record for kick return touchdowns with 9.
597:"Football 101: The Rules of NFL Football Fair Catch"
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512:"Red Grange, Football Hero of 1920s, Dead at 87"
315:and to give his team good field position (or a
311:) has the job of catching the ball after it is
583:"Football Special Teams: How to Return a Punt"
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370:and usually play other positions, especially
388:comparison of Canadian and American football
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530:"The Best Kick Returners in NFL History"
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366:Punt returners sometimes also return
161:On October 27, 2013, wide receiver
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69:team who specializes in returning
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555:"Top 10 returners in NFL history"
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440:Greenstein, Teddy (2010-08-24).
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150:man"—a quarterback or halfback.
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153:In 2012, NFL commissioner
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231:Pro Football Hall of Fame
173:Notable kickoff returners
41:, fielding a punt during
39:Pro Football Hall of Fame
569:"Henry "Gizmo" Williams"
299:returning a punt in 2003
223:returner in NFL history.
257:specialist of all time.
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192:kick returner for the
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261:Cordarrelle Patterson
163:Cordarrelle Patterson
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194:Alabama Crimson Tide
49:' 2007 training camp
557:. 20 December 2007.
61:is a player on the
756:Kickoff specialist
534:sports-central.org
518:. 29 January 1991.
516:The New York Times
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91:kicking specialist
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771:Game manager
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537:. Retrieved
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395:Devin Hester
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380:running back
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267:Glyn Milburn
254:Devin Hester
190:All-American
181:Forrest Gump
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136:running back
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98:All-American
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35:Devin Hester
767:Dual-threat
763:Quarterback
748:Placekicker
738:Edge rusher
726:Nose tackle
539:January 12,
328:Call for a
274:Josh Cribbs
220:Gale Sayers
198:Bear Bryant
144:one platoon
101:Venric Mark
920:Formations
877:Receivers
855:Returning
847:Nickelback
835:Cornerback
781:Linebacker
453:2012-12-11
427:References
376:cornerback
344:field goal
330:fair catch
248:Dante Hall
210:Red Grange
132:cornerback
105:fair catch
65:unit of a
901:Tackling
889:Tight end
785:Snapping
656:Positions
478:March 17,
393:In 2014,
351:touchback
317:touchdown
297:Air Force
240:, MVP of
125:touchback
952:Category
935:Strategy
893:Slotback
885:Eligible
851:Dimeback
843:Halfback
825:Wingback
817:Fullback
405:See also
368:kickoffs
322:end zone
214:Michigan
75:kickoffs
913:Utility
743:Kicking
721:Linemen
703:Linemen
689:Defense
677:Offense
615:NFL.com
473:NFL.com
234:season.
188:was an
186:Forrest
165:of the
909:Upback
905:Gunner
867:Jammer
839:Safety
821:H-back
793:Holder
775:System
752:Punter
730:Tackle
716:Center
708:Tackle
397:broke
360:safety
335:fumble
313:punted
196:under
148:safety
871:Upman
830:Backs
712:Guard
353:, go
85:, or
71:punts
925:List
662:and
541:2016
480:2013
378:and
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658:in
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