What makes a safety in football

At the same time, though, offenses of today's game have made playing safety even more difficult. No longer can a player be really good at coverage and not so good at tackling, or really good at tackling but not so good in coverage. Let's take a closer look at all the traits, roles and responsibilities, as well as some tips for players who want to be safeties. Free Download:. If you pay close attention when watching professional football, you'll often notice safeties running all over the field.

While this gives them more time to read the play and then react, it also requires them to run a lot farther than other positions to get in the correct spot. When the safety reads a play as run, he must attack the ball carrier as quickly as possible. When he reads the play as pass, he must pick up his receiver in man-to-man coverage or get to his coverage area in zone coverage.

If he's not, then he'll likely get to the spot on the field he needs to late, which will result in the offense potentially gaining big yardage. In plain terms, it means safeties need to be able to get to top speed quickly and do so after changing direction or from a complete stop.

Similar "burst" is needed from running backs , who are often doing the same thing as safeties do. Their general duties are much more akin to a linebacker. They need to see plays develop, read them, and then react. The challenge, of course, is that football is a fast game. If safeties take too long to react, then the play may already be by them.

So while a safety needs to be able to read and identify the proper play first before reacting, they must do so before actually seeing what's going to happen.

A safety needs to be able to recognize a run play before the quarterback actually hands the ball off. A safety must be able to identify a pass play, and then identify his specific coverage responsibility quickly. And he must do this while sometimes looking over or around all his teammates as well as opponents in front of him. He must have great peripheral vision as well, so that he can see players coming toward him and plays developing off to his sides.

The best safeties have the coverage skills that cornerbacks do with the toughness that linebackers have. Put more simply, they must be agile and athletic enough to cover receivers, but strong and tough enough to get in the trenches and make tackles.

They need to be able to take on blocks as they get closer to the line of scrimmage, shed those blocks, and then make tackles. Safeties often need to make tackles in the open field, which requires strength that players their size normally don't have. When safety is called, the referee will put his hands in the air like this. This means that there is a safety on the play, and the ball will go back to the other team, along with 2 points on the scoreboard. Once a safety is awarded to the defense for getting tackled or fumbling the ball out of their own end zone, the defense will be awarded 2 points.

They also will be awarded possession. This means that the offense will need to kick or punt the football to the opposing team. Safeties can affect an offense because they let up 2 points to the opposing team, and then they have to give the ball back to the opposing team.

Teams may choose whichever they want to do, kick or punt the football once they give up a safety. For example, punting the ball is more comfortable to kick in the air. An artificial or manufactured tee cannot be used. See b and Exception: For extension of either half, see g.

All rights reserved. Privacy Policy NFL. NFL Video Rulebook. Explore This Section. Rule 11 Section 5 Safety. SAFETY It is a Safety: if the offense commits a foul in its own end zone or; when an impetus by a team sends the ball behind its own goal line, and the ball is dead in the end zone in its possession or the ball is out of bounds behind the goal line.

Exceptions: It is not a safety: If a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is incomplete in the end zone. If that spot is in the end zone, the result of the play is a touchback, even if the ball is not on, above, or beyond the goal line.

If a player who intercepts, catches, or recovers the ball throws a completed illegal forward pass from the end zone, the ball remains alive. Different leagues have different rules about the type of shoes and cleats non-detachable or detachable players can use. Check with your coach and consult your league's guidelines about which types of shoes are allowed. All football leagues require players to use a mouthguard. Get one with a keeper strap that attaches it securely to the facemask.

Athletic supporter with cup. A cup helps male athletes avoid testicular injuries. Additional gear. Other items that you might want to consider include: padded neck rolls forearm pads padded or non-padded gloves "flak jackets" that protect the ribcage and abdomen If you need to wear glasses on the field, be sure they're made of shatterproof glass or plastic.

Safe Football Training Your coach should emphasize safe, fair play at practices and games. The coach and athletic trainer, if possible should be at all practices and games and: Limit the amount of contact during practices. Insist that players follow the current safety rules on tackling. Not allow helmet-to-helmet or helmet-to-body contact.

Insist all players use the right protective gear, particularly a helmet that fits well and is in good condition.