as a holder with the snap on the way Compared to other
American football positions, the holder is one of the most trivial positions, requiring precision in the receipt of a snap and placement of a ball in a short time, but requiring far less physical talent than a
skill position and much less bulk or strength than a
lineman. Each NFL team is only allowed to have 53 players on their gameday roster. Because of this, it is exceptionally rare for a team to reserve a roster spot solely for a placekick holder; most teams will instead use a player who plays another position to double as the holder. One notable exception was
Patricia Palinkas, the first woman to have played American football professionally in a predominantly male league; Palinkas played holder (and no other position) during her short time as a pro player. On most teams, the holder is either the team's
punter or the backup
quarterback. Some high school football teams will place a
wide receiver or
running back at the holder position because of their good hands (this is not unheard of at other levels;
Steve Tasker, a wide receiver and
punt gunner, also played holder at various times in his NFL career, as does his son
Luke Tasker, also a wide receiver. Others include tight end
Jay Novacek, and safeties
Paul Krause and
Keith Lyle).
Punter kicker
Joe Nedney prepares to kick an extra point with punter
Andy Lee as the holder, 2008 In today's NFL, most teams use their punter as a holder.
New England Patriots' head coach
Bill Belichick explained that punters are generally holders for the reason that punters and kickers usually have more time together to game plan, watch film, and are able to have more reps during practice than a player who has to play another position. Additionally, punters are already accustomed to handling snaps from the long snapper.
Backup quarterback The rationale for having a backup quarterback holding is that the quarterback is accustomed to receiving snaps from the center and long snaps from the
shotgun formation. The quarterback also provides a threat for a fake field goal since the quarterback can throw a pass on such plays. Additionally, in the event of a bad snap and an aborted kick attempt, the holder might have to become the quarterback for the play, so having an actual quarterback helps in that regard. Before the 2010s, in the NFL, backup quarterbacks generally held for field goal kicks. However, such usage has remained rather common in collegiate football. Many times a quarterback who was a
redshirt freshman will serve as the holder their sophomore year. It is also common in other professional leagues such as the
Arena Football League (where there is no punting and are thus no punters) or the
Canadian Football League, where roster size restrictions generally result in one person serving as both placekicker and punter. punter
Brad Maynard (#4) holds for
placekicker Robbie Gould.
Exceptions There are a few NFL teams that still use a quarterback as their holder.
New Orleans Saints – The Saints tend to run more fake field goals than any other team, and due to that they generally keep a backup in as their holder (this keeps opposing defenses in more of a zone coverage, and also helps to prevent blocked field goals). Their holders for a period were quarterback
Luke McCown and punter
Thomas Morstead. In 1970, Saints kicker
Tom Dempsey kicked a 63-yard field goal, which for many years thereafter was the all-time record. Dempsey's holder was a defensive back named
Joe Scarpati. There has been an
urban myth going around during the intervening decades that the holder on this legendary kick was the team's colorful starting quarterback,
Billy Kilmer.
Dallas Cowboys – When
Tony Romo was signed by the Dallas Cowboys, he was their backup quarterback, and as the backup quarterback, part of his job was to be the team's holder. Romo was replaced by the punter in 2010, but due to many mishandled snaps, which resulted in missed field goals, Romo returned as the team's official holder. The Cowboys hired a more experienced holder,
Brian Moorman, in 2012; Moorman left the team at the end of the season. Throughout the 1990s, starting
tight end Jay Novacek was the usual holder on kicks. During their first two Super Bowl seasons (
1970 and
1971), reserve running back
Dan Reeves, who was also an assistant coach, was the Cowboys' holder. Safety
Charlie Waters was the holder during the Cowboys' runs to
Super Bowl XII and
Super Bowl XIII in 1977 and 1978.
Danny White, who was both a quarterback and a punter for many seasons in the 1970s and 1980s, also served as the holder on occasion.
Las Vegas Raiders – The Raiders'
Matt Schaub was used as the holder during the 2014 season. Previously,
Daryle Lamonica (1967–69) and
Ken Stabler (1970–75) held for
George Blanda; when Blanda retired in 1976, the holding duties were assumed by punter
Ray Guy, who continued to do so through his retirement following the 1986 season.
Denver Broncos – The Broncos used to have former starting quarterback
Jake Plummer as their holder and continued to do so even after he was benched in favor of
Jay Cutler. When Plummer retired, the Broncos started to use their punter as their holder.
Washington Commanders – Starting quarterback
Joe Theismann held for
Mark Moseley from the mid-1970s until he suffered his career-ending broken leg during a
1985 Monday Night Football game vs. the
New York Giants. The injury did not happen during a field goal attempt: Theismann was
sacked while attempting a pass.
Seattle Seahawks –
Steve Largent, a wide receiver, was the kick holder, and in 1985, he ran in a muffed snap for an extra point.
Los Angeles Rams -- Safety
Nolan Cromwell, a
wishbone quarterback at
Kansas, was also a holder for most of his 11-year career (1977–87). During a December 1979 game vs. the
Minnesota Vikings, he scored touchdown on a fake field goal in overtime to give the Rams a 27–21 victory which clinched the
NFC West championship. ==Other responsibilities==