Gunner (American football)
Encyclopedia
In American football
, a gunner, also known as a shooter or kamikaze, is a player on kickoffs and punt
s who specializes in running down the sideline very quickly in an attempt to tackle the kick returner or the punt returner. Gunners must have several techniques in order to break away or "shed" blockers, and have good agility in order to change their running direction quickly. Gunners on the punt team also must be able to block or catch.
Gunners typically also play positions as defensive back
s, cornerback
s, wide receiver
s, or running back
when not on special teams, often as backups.
Gunner may also refer to the one or two players assigned to block the gunner of the punting team.
The NFL Pro Bowl features a "Special Teamer" position, along with a kicker, punter, and kick returner. This is often the gunner considered to be among the best. Recent Pro Bowlers include Kassim Osgood
, Brendon Ayanbadejo
, Hanik Milligan
, Larry Izzo
, David Tyree
, Montell Owens
, Jonathan Casillas
, Stefan Logan
, Anthony Madison
and Sean Morey. Steve Tasker
, a 7-time Pro Bowler, is considered to be the top gunner in NFL history.
These two eligible receivers on the kicking team -- the gunners -- are allowed to start running down field as soon as the ball is snapped. The gunner's job is to try to get down the field as fast as the kicked ball and tackle whoever catches it. In the best case, they get there just before the ball and make the other team afraid to try to catch it. When a team lines up to punt, the other team lines up in a defense that is designed to also receive a punt. There will be one player lined up about 40 yards back; he is the receiver, the player designated to catch the punt. There will also be a few players lined up on the gunners. If the defense lines up two defenders on each gunner, then they are hoping to slow the gunners down, catch the punt, and try to run the punt back for a long gain or even a touchdown. If there is only one defender lined up on each gunner, then the receiving team has extra players rushing the punter, and they hope to block the punt.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, a gunner, also known as a shooter or kamikaze, is a player on kickoffs and punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
s who specializes in running down the sideline very quickly in an attempt to tackle the kick returner or the punt returner. Gunners must have several techniques in order to break away or "shed" blockers, and have good agility in order to change their running direction quickly. Gunners on the punt team also must be able to block or catch.
Gunners typically also play positions as defensive back
Defensive 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 are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
s, cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
s, wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
s, or running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
when not on special teams, often as backups.
Gunner may also refer to the one or two players assigned to block the gunner of the punting team.
The NFL Pro Bowl features a "Special Teamer" position, along with a kicker, punter, and kick returner. This is often the gunner considered to be among the best. Recent Pro Bowlers include Kassim Osgood
Kassim Osgood
Kassim A. Osgood is an American football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003...
, Brendon Ayanbadejo
Brendon Ayanbadejo
Oladele Brendon Ayanbadejo is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins....
, Hanik Milligan
Hanik Milligan
Hanik Milligan is an American football safety for the National Football League who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, Larry Izzo
Larry Izzo
Lawrence Alexander Izzo is a retired American football Linebacker and special teamer and current assistant special teams coach for the New York Giants. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 1996...
, David Tyree
David Tyree
David Mikel Tyree is a retired American football wide receiver and special teams player. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse University. Tyree has also played for the Baltimore Ravens...
, Montell Owens
Montell Owens
Montell Ernest Owens is an American football fullback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was signed by the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Maine. He was listed in the Top 200 Players in the NFL Today by NFL Power Rankings 2011...
, Jonathan Casillas
Jonathan Casillas
Jonathan Casillas is a NFL linebacker for the New Orleans Saints. He went undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft, but was later signed as a free agent...
, Stefan Logan
Stefan Logan
Stefan Logan is a wide receiver, running back and return specialist for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
, Anthony Madison
Anthony Madison
Anthony David Madison is an American football defensive back and is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
and Sean Morey. Steve Tasker
Steve Tasker
Steven Jay Tasker is a broadcaster for CBS Sports, who previously was a wide receiver/gunner in the National Football League. He was drafted in the ninth round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He played college football at Northwestern...
, a 7-time Pro Bowler, is considered to be the top gunner in NFL history.
Role
On punts there will be two offensive players on the punting team lined up close to the sideline. These are called gunners. According to the NFL Rules Digest:
During a kick from scrimmage, only the end men, as eligible receivers on the line of scrimmage at the time of the snap, are permitted to go beyond the line before the ball is kicked.
These two eligible receivers on the kicking team -- the gunners -- are allowed to start running down field as soon as the ball is snapped. The gunner's job is to try to get down the field as fast as the kicked ball and tackle whoever catches it. In the best case, they get there just before the ball and make the other team afraid to try to catch it. When a team lines up to punt, the other team lines up in a defense that is designed to also receive a punt. There will be one player lined up about 40 yards back; he is the receiver, the player designated to catch the punt. There will also be a few players lined up on the gunners. If the defense lines up two defenders on each gunner, then they are hoping to slow the gunners down, catch the punt, and try to run the punt back for a long gain or even a touchdown. If there is only one defender lined up on each gunner, then the receiving team has extra players rushing the punter, and they hope to block the punt.