Kick returner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he 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 be kneeling down in the end zone after catching the ball, which gives his team the ball at their own 20-yard line to start the drive.
He is usually one of the faster players on the team, often a backup wide receiver, defensive back, or running back.
A kick returner might also double as a punt returner as well.
[edit] Notable NFL kick returners
- Phillip Buchanon
- Eddie Drummond
- Dante Hall
- Devin Hester
- Desmond Howard
- Dave Meggett
- Eric Metcalf
- Brian Mitchell
- Rick Upchurch
- Allen Rossum
