Return specialist

There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most also play another position such as wide receiver, cornerback, or running back.

The kickoff returner position is often played by a small, faster player such as a cornerback, running back or wide receiver.

In the days of one platoon football, the returner position was synonymous with the "safety man"—a quarterback or halfback.

On October 27, 2013, wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson of the Minnesota Vikings returned the kickoff 109 yards and scored a touchdown, the longest run possible in NFL standards.

An analogous position exists in Canadian football, though differences in rules affect play considerably.