Kicking game · kickoffs, punts and returns
American football kickoffs and punts: fair catches, touchbacks and returns
A practical guide to kickoffs, punts, fair catches, touchbacks and onside kicks, including why NFL and NCAA procedures are not identical.
Kickoffs and free kicks
A kickoff is a free kick that puts the ball into play without a snap. The receiving team can return a live kick when the rules allow, while formation, landing-zone and touch rules depend on the competition.
Punts and field position
A punt is a scrimmage kick, usually used on fourth down to give up possession in exchange for field position. A punt changes possession but is not normally counted as a turnover in the turnover statistic.
Fair catch and touchback
A valid fair-catch signal protects the receiver and ends the return when the kick is caught. A touchback makes the ball dead behind the receiving team’s goal line and the next possession starts from the spot prescribed by that competition.
Onside kicks and NFL/NCAA differences
An onside kick is a free kick designed to give the kicking team a chance to recover the ball under special restrictions. NFL 2026 and NCAA football use different free-kick alignments, procedures and touchback details, so competition-specific rules should be preserved.