y do people make fun of kickers my grand father was 210 lbs he was a kicker and a linebacker and defensive end

Question

and one time on a kickoff he went sprintin to the ball carrier gave him such a big hit he gotta concusion

Answer 1

Nowadays they're looked at like they're soft. Back when your gramps played, that was not the case as most players played multiple positions. Like QB would also be kicker in many cases. I don't buy that kickers aren't part of the team, on my teams they ran drills with the WRs or the DBs, they ran laps and sprints, and were always in the weight room with us all. They worked harder than a lot of people, because they also played on the soccer team too, so starting in November they had to do that.

But like I said, when your grandpa played, it was more common for kickers to have larger roles on teams, and there's no shame in that.

When I was a senior, the kicker on my team was being recruited for D1 soccer scholarships and looked at by a couple D2 football programs for kicking. On our third to last game on a kickoff, he was running down the field, made a tackle, and tore his ACL on his kicking leg, effectively ending his soccer and football career. The next two games our replacement kicker mised all FGs and a couple extra points, and we lost both games by less than a TD. Maybe coaches don't want kickers to tackle because they are more important than most people will admit.

Answer 2

People make fun of kickers cause they are so much smaller than everyone else. Thats why if a kicker makes a good tackle, everyone goes crazy cause you dont see it very often. Alot of kickers just fall to the ground and hope that the person falls into them. But yeah, you have the skilled positions like recievers and you have defensive people, and then you have kickers. Now, im not taking away from kickers. They dont get enough credit for what they do. They are kicking a ball that would make most people's feet hurt so bad. Those balls are pumped up to the max pretty much and they are nailing them. Think about it, if it wasnt for kickers, where would the patriots be today?

Answer 3

As most people said, your grandpop was one of the old schoolers that played many different positions. Even being the kicker, he had no problem ripping someone's head off with a tackle.

Most coaches don't want the kickers to make tackles. Maybe this scenario will make it a little more clear.

You have one of the best kickers on your team. On a kickoff, the returner flies through the wedge and has only the kicker to beat. Would you sacrifice your kicker, who has won multiple games for you, with the possibility of getting injured for 1 month+ just to prevent 6 measily points? I think not, and I don't think most coaches would.

And for the ignorant people who think soccer players are wimps, try getting up a someone rams their cleite(?) in your shin. Can anyone say OUCH!

Answer 4

Your grandfather played in a much different era, obviously. In his time it was probably fairly common for many players to play several different positions, not to mention that 210 pounds for a LB or DE in this era is waaaaaaaaay too small. Many running backs and recievers weigh that much these days.

Kickers have a very unforgiving job- when they do it successfully, no one gives them much credit (they're supposed to make those extra points and most of the field goals) and when they miss everyone wants to jump on them. And of course, a long field goal attempt for the win is a pressure-packed moment. Having said that, ever see one of today's kickers attempt a tackle when a kick returner breaks a long one? Pretty pathetic. I'm sure that many kickers are good atheletes, but they are the one player on a football field who can expect to avoid contact almost the entire season, and football is after all a contact sport.

Answer 5

Today's kickers are paid a couple million to spend all practice hitting field goals. With the exception of maybe Janikowski, most of them don't have any tackling skills. Back in the day, every player on the field was tough. Now kickers are wimps and most QBs aren't far behind.

Answer 6

People think it takes no talent to be a kicker. Like you don't have to have a strong leg, and perfect technique. They're wrong.

Answer 7

Kickers get babied that's why they get made fun of. They spend most of their time on the side lines because the coach is afraid they will injure that glorious kicking foot of theirs.

Answer 8

Sometimes its the kickers who win the games. So I'm not one of them.

Answer 9

Who's your grand father?? Lou "The Toe" Groza??

Answer 10

cause they can't tackle and are wimps. A soccer player plays kicker at our school and soccer players are wimps and fake injuries.