Special teams are units that are on the field during kickoffs, free kicks, punts, and field goal and extra point attempts. Most special teams players are second- and third-string players from other positions.
Special teams are unique in that they can serve as offensive or defensive units and that they are only seen sporadically throughout a game. Special teams include a kickoff team, a kick return team, a punting team, a punt blocking/return team, a field goal team and a field goal block team.
There are also specialized players on these teams, including:
* Kicker (K) — Handles kickoffs and field goal attempts.
* Holder (H) — Usually positioned 7-8 yards from the line of scrimmage, he holds the ball for the placekicker to kick. The holder is often a backup quarterback or a punter.
* Long snapper (LS) — A specialized center who snaps the ball directly to the holder or punter. The long snapper is often a backup tight end.
* Kick returner (KR) — Returns kickoffs.
* Punter (P) — Kicks punts.
* Punt returner (PR) — Returns punts.
* Gunner — A player on kickoffs and punts who specializes in running down the field very quickly in an attempt to tackle the kick returner or the punt returner.
* Wedge Buster — A player whose goal is to sprint down the middle of the field on kickoffs. While ideally, their goal is to reach the kick returner, their immediate goal is to disrupt the wall of blockers (the wedge) on kickoffs, preventing the returner from having a lane in which to get a substantial return. Being a wedge buster is a very dangerous position since he may often be running at full speed when coming into contact with a blocker.
Because these aspects of the game can be so different from general offensive and defensive play, a specific group of players is drilled in executing them. Though fewer points are scored on special teams than on offense, special teams play determines where the offense will begin each drive, and thus it has a dramatic impact on how easy or difficult it is for the offense to score.