Trick Football Plays

When people think of trick football plays, they usually think of the offense running the trick football plays. However, there are trick plays that can be run by special teams too. These trick plays can be run on kick and punt returns and they can also be run on punts and field goal attempts.

The most common trick play on return plays is the reverse. For this play, a returner receives the ball and begins to run one way. Another player then runs in behind the ball carrier and takes the handoff or a pitch. Then the new ball carrier runs around the opposite side. This play will work if the punt or kickoff team doesn’t stay where they belong and they over pursue to the first returner.

Another less common of the trick football plays is when the returner begins to return the ball on one side of the field and then stops and throws the ball all the way across the field to another returner. This play actually worked in a playoff game a few years ago when the Tennessee Titans looked like they were going to lose the game. The play worked, the Titans won, and it’s now known as “The Music City Miracle”.

Occasionally a team will try a trick football play on a field goal or an extra point. One of the best trick football plays on a field goal or extra point was run by the Dallas Cowboys several years ago. This play involved snapping the ball to the holder. The kicker ran up to the ball like he was going to kick it but instead of kicking it he took a handoff from the holder and ran right up the middle for a touchdown.

Other trick football plays on kickoffs involve pitching the ball back to the kicker and letting him try to run or throw the ball, having the holder try to run or throw the ball, or having the punter try to run or throw the ball. Also, on punts the most common fake usually involves snapping the ball to a blocker in the backfield and letting him try to run for the first down or the touchdown.

On punting plays, the punting team usually has a man out wide on each side of the line of scrimmage. These players are referred to as gunners. Sometimes the punt block team will fail to put a man on one or both of the gunners. Sometimes it’s a breakdown by the return team but other times the return team is trying to block the punt. When one of the gunners is uncovered it tempts the punting team to simply let the punter throw the ball out to the gunner. Sometimes this happens and ends up being a big play for the punt team.

Trick football plays don’t happen very often but when they do happen they’re always very exciting. Most of the time people only think of trick plays that the offense runs. However, there are plenty of trick plays that the special teams can run. These trick football plays occur on kick and punt returns, punts, and field goal and extra point attempts.