What Are Special Teams In Football?

Watch this video on football special teams to learn more about the positions and their influence on a game.

Special teams are one of the most overlooked aspects of football, according to Will Hewlett, a football tech rep for DICK’S Sporting Goods.

Simply put, special teams refers to members of the roster who are on the field during kicking plays. This group includes kickers, punters, long snappers and any player involved in kick and return coverage.

When a punter is attempting his punt, 21 other players are on the field. Players on the punting team work to both prevent the kick from being blocked and cover the punt — and players on the opposing team work to slow them down.

A successful special teams unit should also be able to maintain good field position. They often include backup defensive and offensive players from the team lineup.

“Special teams is a great momentum changer,” Hewlett said. “It might be the one thing that breaks the will of the opposing team.