Return specialist

Devin Hester, who is shown fielding a punt during special teams practice at the Chicago Bears' 2007 Training Camp, is one of the best return specialists in National Football League history.

A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a kicking specialist.

According to 2012 College Football All-America Team selection Venric Mark: "Returning punts is harder," Mark said. "You have to judge the ball more, you have to know when to fair catch and when not to. You can't be a superhero and try to catch everything. With kick returns, you catch the ball and — boom — you're going."

See also

• Kick returner
• Punt returner