Are kickers and punters the same player in the NFL?

DAZN

Published by Matt Astbury

28, Jul

Watch the NFL season on DAZN (ex. US, China)

Only two types of players are allowed to kick the ball in an NFL game, and that's the kicker and the punter.

Fans may expect these two roles to be carried out by the same player, but the roles of both positions require different skill sets.

DAZN NFL news explains the roles of both a kicker and a punter, and whether the same player plays both positions.

Are kickers and punters the same player in the NFL?

Kickers and punters handle different tasks, so teams use two separate players for each position. There are very few exceptions in the modern history of the game.

What are the responsibilities of a kicker?

The main responsibility for a kicker is to kick the ball at kickoff, attempt to score field goals, and attempt to score extra points.

When it comes to a kickoff, the kicker typically aims to get the ball as far down the field as possible, giving the receiving team very little chance of securing a good field position for the offense.

For a field goal, the kicker is tasked with kicking the ball over the crossbar and between the opposition team's uprights, scoring three points for their team.

The kicker is also responsible for kicking an extra point following a touchdown, where he makes his attempt from the 15-yard line.

Usually, the same player is tasked with executing kickoffs and field goals, but some teams have two players who specialise in either kickoffs or field goals/extra points.

What are the responsibilities of a punter?

The role of a punter is much simpler: kick punts.

A punt usually happens on fourth down when the offense hasn't gained the required distance in its first three attempts and decides not to go for it on fourth down.

While a punter needs to kick the ball as far and high as possible, they also, at times, need to maximise hang time and/or be accurate in punting the ball to a specific location close to the sidelines as they look to put the receiving team in a bad field position when their offense takes the field on the ensuing play.