Punt returner (PR) is a position on special teams in American football. In American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with

Description

The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position (or a touchdown if possible) by returning it. A punt in some codes of football especially American football and Rugby football, is performed when the ball is A touchdown is the primary method of scoring in American and Canadian football. 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 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:

• Call for a fair catch by waving one arm in the air before catching the punt. The end zone is a term used in both Canadian football and American football. A fair catch is a feature of American football and several other codes of football. 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 fumble 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. Fumblespng|300px|right|thumb|The rate of fumbles by running backs in the NFL has decreased steadily since the AFL-NFL merger.

• 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 touchback, go out of bounds 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. In American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by the Referee when the ball crosses into or through the end zone not in control of the team This is 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 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 safety. A safety or safety touch is a type of score in American football and Canadian football and is worth two points (with one very rare exception)

The position demands footspeed, quick reflexes, and good hands. Punt returners sometimes also return kickoffs and usually play other positions, especially wide receiver, defensive back and running back, although sometimes as backups. A kickoff is a method of starting a Drive in American football or Canadian football. A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage they A running back ( RB) is the position of a player on an American or Canadian football team who usually lines up in the offensive backfield. An analogous position exists in Canadian football, though differences in rules affect play considerably. In accordance with the Manual of Style (see) Canadian English is used throughout this article (see Canadian_English#Spelling) See Comparison of Canadian and American football for a complete discussion of the punt returner's role in the Canadian game. Canadian and American football are very similar as both have their origins in rugby.

External links

• About.com definition of punt returner
• National Football League rules digest sections relating to punt returners: Kicks from scrimmage and Fair catch
• Article on college punt returner Jim Leonhard which discusses many aspects of the position
• Comparison of Canadian Football League and National Football League rules

In American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with In accordance with the Manual of Style (see) Canadian English is used throughout this article (see Canadian_English#Spelling) In sports offense or offence (see American and British English spelling differences; pronounced with first-syllable stress also known as attack, is the In many team Sports defense or defence (see spelling differences) is the action of preventing an opponent from scoring In American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time Lineman in American football. (See also American and Canadian football position names. In American and Canadian football, a guard ( G) is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line In American and Canadian football, offensive tackles ( OT, T) are a part of the Offensive line. Center ( C) is a position in American football and Canadian football ( spelled centre in Canadian English) Lineman in American football. (See also American and Canadian football position names. Defensive tackle ( DT) is a position on the defensive line in American and Canadian football. Defensive end ( DE) is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football. Definition The nose tackle is a defensive alignment position for a Defensive lineman in American and Canadian football Placekicker, or simply kicker ( PK or K) is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the A punter ( P) in American or Canadian football is a Special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and Kickoff specialist ( KOS) is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterback ( QB) is a position in American and Canadian football. This article relates to Sports. For the Vietnam War bombing raids see Operation Linebacker and Operation Linebacker II. In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center (though he could also be a tackle guard In American football the holder is the player who receives the Snap during field goal and Extra point attempts A running back ( RB) is the position of a player on an American or Canadian football team who usually lines up in the offensive backfield. A halfback or tailback is an offensive position in American, and College football who lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible In American football, a fullback ( FB) is a position in the offensive backfield An H-Back (not to be confused with a Half-Back) is an offensive position in American football, and is also known as F-Back. In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage they A cornerback ( CB) (also referred to as a corner) is a positional role played by a member of the defensive team in American and Canadian Safety ( S) is an American and Canadian football position played by a member of the defense. In American and Canadian football, a kick returner ( KR) is the player on Special teams who is primarily responsible to catch Kickoffs A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football The tight end ( TE) is a position in American football on the Offensive team. In accordance with the Manual of Style (see) Canadian English is used throughout this article (see Canadian_English#Spelling) In American football, a nickelback is a Cornerback who serves as the fifth (in addition to the typical four defensive backs on the defense In American football, a dimeback is a Cornerback who serves as the sixth defensive back (fourth cornerback on defense In American football, a gunner (also often referred to as a "shooter" is a player on kickoffs and punts who specializes in running down the sideline very A formation in American football refers to the position players line up in before the start of a down. Part of the confusion with American Football position names is that they are based on the role the player normally has in the offense rather than necessarily his position at the start

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