First let me acknowledge that this is like comparing a Ford Pinto to a Aston Martin, but I was the backup long snapper in high school so I can understand the difficulty of the position. The reason that I was the backup was because no matter how much I practiced at it, I couldn’t get a good snap off consistently. It sounds really easy and you’d think that it’s one of those skills that anyone could master with enough practice but it’s harder than you think to throw a 15 yard spiral between your legs (to the punter) or a 7 yard spiral to a one foot target (on a FG).

Here’s a quick story about the only time that I ever snapped in an actual game. Our regular snapper got hurt somehow and I was going to have to snap on a punt late in the game as our team clung to a slim lead. The coach called a timeout and gathered the punting unit around and laid out the scenario: “Ok guys, Martinez is out so Golden is going to have to snap. Hold your guys a second or two longer just in case.” In the end the snap bounced one time but the punter caught a lucky bounce and got off a solid punt. Thankfully that was the only time I had to long snap and it certainly wasn’t the highlight of my high school football career but it’s made me appreciate the position. (Oh and just for the record, being a backup long snapper wasn’t my only position on the team).

The high end NFL specialists have the ability to place the laces in the proper spot (laces up for the punter, toward the goalpost on FG or XP tries) and this greatly reduces the margin of error since the punter or holder does not have to fiddle with the ball while trying to do their assignment. I played against Kendal Gammon while in high school and he was a monster at that level but only went to college at Pittsburgh (ks.) State. He was physically over matched at the pro level but had the uncanny skill of controlling the placement of the laces and became one of the first “specialists” as a long snapper at the NFL level, first with the Steelers and next with the Chiefs. It would be nice to have a position player to long snap as well but this skill must be relatively rare as I am sure the coaches have the same thought and Warren is still here and Gammon before him. With all of the games we have lost in the last decade due to special teams play, the last thing I want to worry about is the snap!
Gammon sold a long snapping instructional video in which he consistently long snapped a football from the opposite free throw line and made 3/4 court shots with the FOOTBALL! Good stuff. I was lucky to get it to the damn QB………oh well.

I’ve often wondered the same thing, and thanks to all for answering it for Rose and the rest of us, but I have a similar question, and this seems like the place to ask it.

Why are some returners labled punt returners and some kickoff returners, with some not being allowed to do the other. Is it the angle of the approaching ball and some guys just can’t catch a ball flying nearly verticaly at them, or is it something to do with the blocking and contact or tiring a guy out? Is one easier than the other? I know from my experience that I’m not the guy you wanna put back there, but I can scoop up a bouncer after it hits pretty good.