What Is a Squib Kick? Strategy Under NFL Kickoff Rules

Aug 20

2 min read

Updated: 6 hours ago

A squib kick is a deliberately low kickoff that bounces rather than giving the returner a comfortable ball to catch in the air. The usual objective is a difficult pickup and a short return. Recovery by the kicking team is not the main plan.

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A squib kick is a low kickoff deliberately driven or bounced along the field instead of being launched high and deep. The goal is usually to create an awkward pickup, force a blocker or upback to handle the ball, and let coverage arrive before the receiving team can organize a clean return.

The distinction from an onside kick is intent and procedure. An onside attempt is designed to regain possession and uses the NFL's declared onside setup. A squib is normally a placement choice within a regular kickoff.

Why use a low kick?

A football can take an awkward hop. A squib may force the returner to slow down, change direction or let another receiving player handle it. That delay can help coverage close the return lane. It can also keep the ball away from an especially dangerous returner, although a favorable bounce can deliver it straight to that player.

Late in a half, a live return can consume time. But the clock does not start merely because the kicker strikes the ball or it bounces. The applicable free kick clock trigger is legal receiving team contact in the field of play. A quick recovery and surrender may use very little time.

The modern NFL placement problem

Under the dynamic kickoff, the landing zone extends from the receiving team's 20 to its goal line. On an ordinary kickoff from the 35, a kick that first hits short of that zone becomes dead and lets the receivers choose possession at their 40; the rule includes other enforcement options. The old idea of rolling a kick through nearby upbacks therefore does not transfer cleanly to this format.

The kicker must combine the low trajectory with legal depth. A ball that lands in the zone can force a return or create a difficult pickup. If it then reaches the end zone, the result depends on the receiving team's actions and the touchback rules. A direct end zone kick has different consequences from a landing zone bounce.

Judge the tradeoff

Suppose only a few seconds remain. A squib that is fielded quickly at favorable field position may leave the opponent enough time for a decisive play. A placement error can be worse. The useful questions are where the kick first lands, who fields it and where the next offense starts. Low trajectory alone does not make a kickoff safe.

Examples and illustrations

Football Nation teaching diagram showing a squib kickoff bouncing low toward the NFL landing zone between an upback and a returner while coverage closes. — A modern squib kick must combine an awkward low bounce with legal placement. The ideal path reaches the landing zone and forces a difficult pickup before the return can develop. Original Football Nation diagram.

Keep learning

Short kickoff ruling: See the cost when a regular kick misses the landing zone.
Kickoff touchback spots: Compare direct end zone kicks with landing zone bounces.
Coffin corner punting: Explore a different way special teams use placement to limit returns.

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Rules reviewed October 10, 2026. Official 2026 NFL rulebook. Rule 6, Section 1 and Rule 4, Section 3.