By Mike Sweatman
Retired NFL Special Teams Coach
How many Super Bowls have ended with one team taking a “safety” and then executing a “free kick”?
We were rewarded in Super Bowl XLVII with multiple exciting special teams’ plays:
A KO return for a TD, a defended fake FG, execution of the safety and free kick, excellent punting and kicking by the specialists and crisp punt returning by the returners. These exciting plays were the results of countless hours put in by the coaches and players to perfect the skills necessary for their execution. Let’s take a closer look at one of these plays, the intentional safety.
A team can take an intentional safety with either their offensive unit or their punt team. Depending on field position and game conditions, the safety can either be a “fast safety” or a “slow safety”. A “fast safety” is one where the clock is not so much a factor but ensuring the safety overrides the clock management. Executing the “fast safety” with the offensive unit involves snapping the ball to the QB in the shotgun formation and he then throws the ball out of the end zone past the end line. From the punt formation the snapper just snaps the ball over the punter’s head out of the end zone. This play is generally executed from the one or two yard line. After running this play in a game, expect questions in the locker room after the game from the media.
Let’s look at some of the coaching points for executing a “slow safety” with the punt team:
* This play can only be called by the head coach.
* Play caller in the huddle makes the call, “Take a safety on the center’s snap”.
* At the LOS the play caller calls the protection.
*At the snap, execute the protection called. Under the present rules “holding” is an option; however if the clock will run out, don’t commit a penalty.
* The punter ensures the catch (look it in, don’t be in a hurry to move) then sprints to the end line. Run down the end line and avoid being tackled as long as possible. Step out of the end zone before you get hit. Protect the ball with two hands.
* Some coaches teach the punter to always have the ball in his outside arm. The key is not getting hit.
Taking an intentional safety with your punt team has some degree of surprise and this may result in more time off the clock. Quite possibly you may catch the return team in a “return” or “hold-up” as they try to maximize field position. Perhaps the most important consideration for a coach to make in deciding between his offensive unit or punt team to take the safety is his level of trust.