Why Would an NFL Team Take an Intentional Safety?

Aug 23

2 min read

Updated: 5 hours ago

A team may deliberately concede a safety when giving away two points creates a better chance of winning than attempting an ordinary play. The usual situation is a late lead, poor field position and very little time remaining.

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An NFL team takes an intentional safety when conceding two points creates a better chance to win than attempting a normal play or punt from its own end zone

The team conceding the safety must then make a safety kick from its own 20 yard line if play continues. The opponent receives the two points and the ensuing kick.

What the offense is buying

A punter trapped near his own goal line has limited operating space. A blocked punt, bad snap or short returnable kick can be more dangerous than a planned two point concession.

Instead, the punter can secure the snap, use legal live playing time and step out through his own end zone or otherwise become down there. The offense exchanges points for seconds and a different restart. The underlying safety rule remains the same; intentional describes the decision, not a separate kind of score.

The clock drains only while the play remains live and the applicable timing rule permits it. Defenders can pursue, strip the ball or score. The offense cannot treat deliberate holding as a free way to manufacture extra time: unfair clock manipulation and penalty rules still apply.

The score after the safety matters

Imagine a team leading by five points with a few seconds left, facing fourth down next to its own goal line. Conceding two leaves a three point lead. The coach must compare the risk of the resulting safety kick and any remaining possession with the risk of a normal scrimmage punt.

That example is not an automatic recommendation. A return, a remaining offensive snap or a different timeout situation can change the answer. Conceding two while leading by two would tie the game; doing it while leading by one would surrender the lead.

The restart is still a live threat

The team that gave up the safety can punt, drop kick or placekick without a tee for the safety kick. This is a free kick, not an ordinary fourth down punt. If time remains, the receiving team can still return it and potentially run another play.

The decision works only when the complete sequence is favorable: safe exchange, useful time consumed, acceptable score difference and manageable restart risk.