Undrafted Stars: From the Checkout Line to the Goal Line

Today, we finish our look at undrafted free agents (UFAs) who clawed their way onto the NFL playing field and became stars.  Our last two players profiled are both quarterbacks—but their similarities end there.

KURT WARNER

Iowa Barnstormers, 1995-1997

Amsterdam Admirals, 1998

St. Louis Rams, 1998-2003

New York Giants, 2004

Arizona Cardinals, 2005-2009

Kurt Warner’s route to the NFL elite had more twists than a barrel full of pretzels.  Warner went undrafted after graduating from Northern Iowa University in 1994.  He was invited to the Green Bay Packers’ training camp but was released before the start of the regular season; since he was competing with Brett Favre (who started for the Packers for over 15 years), Mark Brunell (who played in the league nearly 20 years), and 1994 Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer, you could say the odds were not in Kurt’s favor.

Stocking shelves at a grocery store in Cedar Falls, Iowa was not going to pay the bills for long, so he decided to return to the Northern Iowa football team as a graduate assistant coach.  He also signed with the Iowa Barnstormers, a team in the Arena Football League.  Warner had an impressive career in the AFL, being named to the All-Arena team (the AFL’s equivalent of the Pro Bowl) twice and leading his team to consecutive Arena Bowl appearances.  Kurt was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2011.

After a freak spider bite on his throwing elbow prevented a tryout with the Chicago Bears in 1997, Kurt finally got an NFL contract in 1998.  He was hired by the St. Louis Rams, who promptly sent him to Amsterdam to play QB for the Amsterdam Admirals, a team that was in the now-defunct NFL Europe.  He was brought back to St. Louis for the 1998 NFL season, as the third-string QB.

Warner finally got a starting gig in the NFL in 1999 when the Rams’ starter, Trent Green, was injured prior to the start of the season.  With little time to work with the rest of the offense, expectations were not high.  Warner proved the doubters wrong, and in convincing fashion.  Achieving numbers that put him near the top of the record books, he threw for over 4,300 yards with 41 touchdown passes; with super stars like running back Marshall Faulk and wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Tory Holt, the Rams offense earned the nickname “The Greatest Show on Turf.”  Their crowning achievement was victory over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV; Warner earned both the Super Bowl and league MVP awards.

After leaving the Rams in 2003, Kurt Warner was signed by the New York Giants; however, he lost the starting jobs after the first two games of the 2004 season to Eli Manning, and we all know how things have turned out for Eli.  Kurt chose to become a free agent after the season, he found a second home with the Arizona Cardinals.  Like his career, his tenure with his new team began with fits and starts:  he was named the starter, but lost the starting job after a groin injury; when his replacement, Josh McCown struggled, he was put back in the starting position.  In 2006, he was benched in favor of rookie Matt Leinart after the first three games, and the two men would exchange roles several times over the course of that season, and the next.

The quarterback situation in Arizona was finally resolved in 2008.  Warner responded to his new-found security with stellar performances, ending up with over 4,500 passing yards for 30 TDs.  Not only did Warner lead his team to their first post-season home victory since 1947, but he navigated them through a story book playoff run, leading them to their first ever Super Bowl, Super Bowl XLIII.  Unfortunately, the Cardinals lost a heartbreaker to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23.

Walking off the field after Super Bowl XLIII

Since retiring after the 2009 season, Kurt has had a very full calendar.  He’s been on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, been an analyst for NFL Network, has made numerous TV appearances and is slated to host a new reality series on USA Network called The Moment.  The recipient of the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2008, Warner and his family have devoted themselves to many charitable causes, primarily through his First Things First Foundation.

If you want to learn more about Kurt Warner's Cinderella story, you can vote to have it told as NFL Network's "A Football Story" this Saturday.  Click on this link to vote:  http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8292a8cb/article/fans-choice-which-a-football-life-do-you-want-to-see_content_stream?campaign=Ext_Email_1st10_Daily_Ctl_Opt 

Other Notable UFAs of the 1990’s:

John Randle (1990), defensive tackle:  Minnesota Vikings,  1990-2000 and Seattle Seahawks, 2001-2003 (pictured below)

Adam Vinatieri* (1996), placekicker (and another Amsterdam Admirals alum):  New England Patriots, 1996-2005 and Indianapolis Colts, 2006-present  

Priest Holmes (1997), running back:  Baltimore Ravens, 1997-2000 and Kansas City Chiefs, 2001-2007 (right)

Jeff Saturday** (1998), center:  Indianapolis Colts, 1999-2011 and Green Bay Packers, currently

TONY ROMO

Tony at Eastern Illinois

Despite a stellar college career at Eastern Illinois University (a Division I-AA school), Tony Romo went undrafted in the 2003 NFL draft.  Like Kurt Warner, his name wasn’t called over draft weekend; otherwise, their careers don’t have much else in common. 

 

Romo was signed as a UFA by the Dallas Cowboys soon after the draft and he settled into his role as a third, then second-string quarterback until the 2006 season.  That season began with veteran Drew Bledsoe as the starter for the Cowboys.  Bledsoe had signed on with the team the previous year and had led the team to an improved record and hope for the future.  Unfortunately for Drew, his performance dropped off significantly in 2006 and he would be replaced by Tony Romo halfway through the season.  Romo, and the Cowboys, never looked back and Bledsoe was released at the end of the season; he announced his retirement in April 2007.***

Romo was comfortable at the helm of the Cowboys’ offense, and it showed.  Winning six of the remaining ten games of the season, the Cowboys made it to the playoffs and Romo finished the regular season with 2,900 passing yards for 19 touchdowns and an impressive passer rating of 95.1.  Unfortunately, the Cowboys would lose in the first round of the playoffs when Romo fumbled the placement on a field goal attempt just before the final minute of the game.**** 

 

Unfortunately, the 2006 season became the start of a pattern in Romo’s career:  seasons starting with stellar performances by Romo, who appears to be leading a cohesive offensive team; then missteps by Romo late in the season that either have the Cowboys limping into the playoffs, or being left out of the postseason entirely.  As a starter, Romo has a dreadful record in the month of December:  2-5 in 2006 (with a loss in the first game of the playoffs), 2-2 in 2007 (another loss in the team’s first playoff game); 1-3 in 2008 (no playoffs); 3-2 in 2009 (losing in the second round of the playoffs); and 1-4 in 2011.*****

Romo’s late season collapses are a bit of a mystery, considering the impressive statistics he has managed to put together over his short career to date.  Tony owns several team records, including the number of games with three or more TD passes (24), games with 300 or more passing yards (32), and season passing yards (4,483 in 2009).  His career passer rating of 96.9 is second in the NFL (behind only Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers who has a 104.1 rating).

Many theories have been advanced by the media and fans to explain Romo’s late-season collapses:  detractors offer lack of maturity, composure and/or leadership as explanations; supporters blame lack of cohesion between owner Jerry Jones and his head coach of the moment, the rest of the offense and poor offensive strategy; and everyone likes to gab about off-field distractions (like his much-discussed relationship with Jessica Simpson, which ended in 2009). 

Cowboys devotees certainly hope Romo can shake off the December doldrums in 2012, but until then, they’ll continue to be his biggest defenders, and sharpest critics.

Other Notable UFAs of the 2000’s:

Antonio Gates (2003), tight end:  San Diego Chargers, 2003-present 

[Gates was featured in our Stars and Legends post on tight ends.]

Kris Dielman (2003), left guard:  San Diego Chargers, 2003-2011

[Dielman is also another Naptime Huddle star and was noted as a retiree earlier this offseason]

Wes Welker (2004), wide receiver:  San Diego Chargers, 2004 (looks like the Chargers had good scouts in 2003 and 2004); Miami Dolphins, 2004-2006; and New England Patriots, 2007-present

[Click here for Welker’s profile in our wide receiver Stars post.]

I hope you've enjoyed our look at undrafted free agents who have made it big over the years.  When you hear about your favorite team signing a UFA, ask yourself--will he be the next Kurt Warner or Night Train Lane?

*Vinatieri has made appearances in other Naptime Huddle posts for his ice-cold performances under pressure.  Click here for his appearance in “Super Bowl Game Changers." 

**Since it was widely anticipated that Jeff Saturday would retire this offseason, especially with Peyton Manning moving to Denver, Jeff appeared in our first post on this year’s retirees.  Click here to read that post. 

***Of course, this wasn’t the first time Bledsoe would be supplanted by a rising star—the first time was at the end of his tenure in New England.  Tom Brady stepped in for an injured Bledsoe in the second game of the 2001 season and Drew would never start a game for the Patriots again.

****This spectacular error merited a spot in Naptime Huddle’s series “Super Bowl Game Changers”; click here for the post that includes Romo’s “Ruh roh.”

*****Romo’s 2010 season ended on October 25th when a hit by New York Giants linebacker Michael Boley broke his left clavicle.

Football Zodiac: Year of the Quarterback

Early last year, ESPN announced its programming initiative, “Year of the Quarterback,” with the intent to focus on this high-profile position throughout 2011.  Anointing the year in that way turned out to be quite prophetic, given all of the drama surrounding the league’s quarterbacks last season.  With the NFL Scouting Combine now in full swing, all 32 teams in the NFL are already looking ahead to April’s draft and next season.  Some will be looking especially close at the new crop of quarterbacks coming out of college. 

To get you ready for what should be a dizzying offseason, I tried to place all of the teams into three categories when it came to their quarterback situations during the 2011 season—Calm Seas (i.e., the quarterback situation is steady and stable), Stormy Seas (i.e., there are issues at QB, due to either injury or performance) and Completely Rudderless (i.e., the QB situation was a complete disaster)—and how they performed in 2011.  Are the two connected?  You be the judge:

Calm Seas:

Atlanta Falcons, Matt Ryan:  Finished at a respectable 10-6, losing in the Wildcard Round of the playoff to the New York Giants

Baltimore Ravens, Joe Flacco:  12-4 record, losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Conference Championship

Buffalo Bills, Ryan Fitzpatrick:  Despite an incredible start to their season, Fitzpatrick’s performance dropped way off after a big hit he suffered against the Redskins on October 30th, and the Bills finished with a dismal 6-10 record.  It is widely believed that Fitzpatrick played with broken ribs.

Carolina Panthers, Cam Newton (right):  Had a 6-10 record, a decent record considering they had a rookie at quarterback

Chicago Bears, Jay Cutler:  Finishing 8-8, the Bears were on a roll until Cutler injured his thumb and missed the last five games of the season.

Cincinnati Bengals, Andy Dalton:  9-7, behind a rookie QB who wowed fans and critics with his veteran-like performances; they lost to the Houston Texans in the Wildcard Round of the playoffs

Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo:  Always a focus for criticism, especially late in the season, Romo led his team to an 8-8 season, missing the playoffs by losing to the Giants in the last game of season.

Detroit Lions, Matthew Stafford:  Finished with a brilliant 10-6 record, with a finally-healthy Stafford able to find a rhythm with future Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson; they lost to New Orleans in the Wildcard Round of the playoffs.

Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers:  Almost achieving perfection, the Packers finished 15-1, and lost to the Giants in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

New England Patriots, Tom Brady:  Firmly planted in the captain’s chair, Brady once again took his team to the championship after a 13-3 season, only to see his receivers drop pass after pass in a loss in Super Bowl XLVI to the New York Giants despite his stellar performance.

New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees (left):  A perennial powerhouse behind their fearless leader, the Saints finished 13-3, losing to the upstart San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round.

New York Giants, Eli Manning:  Fighting through early-season criticism, Manning proved once again why he deserves to be ranked among the brightest stars at the position, helping his team claw its way to a 9-7 record, through the playoffs and finally beating the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.

New York Jets, Mark Sanchez:  Only in this category because it applies to last season, the Jets finished a disappointing 8-8, leaving the press to speculate on the level of the team’s commitment to its “Sanchise”.

Philadelphia Eagles, Michael Vick:  Like the Jets, the Eagles could not live up to their preseason hype, finishing at .500 with an 8-8 record.  However, it was their backup QB, Vince Young, who didn’t help matters, proclaiming them the “Dream Team” in the preseason.

Pittsburgh Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger:  The model of consistency, Big Ben led the Steelers to another great record, 12-4, losing in an upset to the Denver Broncos in the Wildcard Round.

San Francisco 49ers, Alex Smith:  Rejuvenated by a fiery head coach with a winning mentality, Smith boldly led his team to a 13-3 record, losing in the NFC Championship Game to the Giants.

San Diego Chargers, Philip Rivers:  Even if he weren’t a talented athlete, Rivers and his head coach Norv Turner, appear to be entrenched in their positions by sheer inertia; they led the team to an average 8-8 record.

Maybe he should focus more on throwing the ball...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Josh Freeman:  The Bucs seem to be firmly behind Freeman, despite his poor numbers in 2011, which resulted in a 4-12 season.  Things could get interesting, though, if they find an accomplished free agent willing to sign on as a backup and Freeman continues to struggle in 2012.

Tennessee Titans, Matt Hasselbeck:  A seasoned veteran signed by the Titans in 2011, Hasselbeck quietly took the Titans to a winning 9-7 record.  However, with Peyton Manning possibly on the free agent market, Hasselbeck may need to make some noise early in 2012 to justify his job.

è Note that only three of these teams had losing records in 2011, and one of those was with a rookie QB at the helm.

Stormy Seas:

Arizona Cardinals, Kevin Kolb and John Skelton:  As with the 2011 preseason, it looks like there will continue to be a competition between Kolb and Skelton; Skelton took over the last half of 2011 due to injuries to Kolb, and the tandem led the Cardinals to an average 8-8 finish.

Cleveland Browns, Colt McCoy, Seneca Wallace:  The Browns have hung their hopes on the young McCoy, who missed the last three games of the season with a concussion.  Wallace did not impress as a backup, and the Browns finished 4-12.

Denver Broncos, Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow:  The Tebow phenomenon has been well document this year, with Tebow’s genuine leadership and miraculous finishes taking the Broncos to an 8-8 record, an upset victory in the Wildcard Round and loss to the Patriots in the Divisional Round.  However, the Broncos still belonged in this category, and may still be there in 2012, because Tebow never has gotten an unequivocal endorsement from the Broncos administration.   

Houston Texans, Matt Schaub, T.J. Yates, Matt Leinart:  I’m not sure I’d want to be Houston’s QB after last season.  Schaub was injured in Week 10 and then Leinart broke his collarbone the next week.  Yates performed admirable stepping into fracas, ultimately leading the team to a 10-6 record, eventually losing to Baltimore in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.  The Texans belong in this category only for last season; Schaub should be ready to start the 2012 season, but look for a battle between Yates and Leinart for the #2 position.

Schaub and Yates

Miami Dolphins, Matt Moore, Chad Henne:  Taking over after Henne was injured in Week 4, Matt Moore led the Dolphins to a disappointing 6-10 record.  The Henne Era seems to be over in Miami, so whether the Dolphins will remain in the Stormy Seas category in 2012 remains to be seen.  Keep an eye on this situation, however, as free agent QB Matt Flynn (currently with Green Bay) has previous experience with the new coach in Miami, Joe Philbin. 

Minnesota Vikings, Donovan McNabb, Christian Ponder:  The failure of the McNabb Experiment in Minnesota put rookie QB in the unenviable position of having his first NFL start against the dominant Green Bay Packers.  With star running back Adrian Peterson hobbled with injury, Ponder was never able to get much traction and the Vikes finished with a forgettable 3-13 record.

Oakland Raiders, Jason Campbell, Carson Palmer:  Injuries created a QB carousel in Oakland, requiring the Silver and Black to pull Carson Palmer from the brink of retirement so he could turn in multiple multiple-interception performances.  Despite this and being the most penalized team in the league, the Raiders still managed to scratch out an 8-8 record.

St. Louis Rams, Sam Bradford, Kellen Clemens:  Again, this team will probably change categories with the return of a (hopefully) healthy Sam Bradford in 2012.  But, with Bradford plagued by injuries all season, the Rams were clearly a house of cards unable to support him, finishing 2-14.

Seattle Seahawks, Tavaris Jackson:  Jackson doesn’t exactly have a stellar history in the league to date, so don’t be surprised to see the ‘Hawks make a change before the 2012 season, after finishing 7-9 in 2011.

A familiar sight this past season.

Washington Redskins, Rex Grossman (right), Josh Beck:  It’s been ages since the Redskins have had stability at quarterback and this year, like so many others, the inconsistency showed, as the ‘Skins finished with a dismal 5-11 record.

Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Cassel, Kyle Orton:  After being replaced by Tim Tebow in Denver, Kyle Orton moved to Kansas City after starter Matt Cassel was knocked out with a hand injury.  The team finished 7-9 and the offseason will, at a minimum, bring competition for Cassel.

è Note that only one of these teams, Houston, had a record better than .500.

Completely Rudderless:

Indianapolis Colts, Curtis Painter, Dan Orlovsky:  There’s not much left to say about the situation in Indy that hasn’t already been said.  Repeatedly.  Over and over.  For months.  Simply put:  2-14 without Peyton Manning.

Jacksonville Jaguars, Luke McCown, Blaine Gabbert:  The Jags cut veteran QB David Garrard less than a week before the 2011 season began, and the second-guessing began almost immediately.  McCown was ineffective in his two starts and rookie Gabbert failed to impress; the result was a 5-11 record.  To say that this QB situation is up in the air would be an understatement.

Best NFL Quarterbacks, Past and Present

Today’s lesson is intended to educate you on a bit of NFL history, as well as acquaint you with some of the top stars in today’s NFL.  This is the first in a series of posts where I will talk about the current stars in each position, and some of the people that have played that position in the past.  Which players are the “best ever” can be debated endlessly, and is largely subjective.  I’m not trying to do that here; I’ll leave that to your judgment.  However, there are certain names every football fan should know, and I’m hoping to enlighten you on who they are.

First up, the quarterbacks:

Today’s Stars:

Tom Brady:  New England Patriots, 2000-present.  Brady attended the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) where he (inexplicably) shared the quarterback job with Drew Henson.  He was drafted by the Patriots with the 199^th pick overall (the sixth round of the draft).  He got the starting position after veteran Drew Bledsoe was injured in the second game of the 2001 season, and he’s been their starting quarterback ever since.  He has won an incredible three Super Bowls and holds the record for, among other things, the most touchdown passes in a regular season.

Peyton Manning:  Indianapolis Colts, 1998-present.  Manning attended the University of Tennessee and is the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, and the older brother of Eli Manning, the current quarterback for the New York Giants.  Peyton’s records include the most NFL Most Valuable Player (“MVP”) awards with four.  He is also an advertising giant, appearing in numerous commercials for a wide variety of products.  It is estimated he earned $15 million in endorsement money in 2010.* 

 Great Quarterbacks in History

Johnny Unitas:  Unitas played most of his career for the Baltimore Colts and his career spanned three decades, from the 1950’s into the 70’s.  In 1958, the Colts beat the New York Giants for the championship in sudden death overtime, the first overtime game in the NFL and referred to as the “greatest game ever played.”  He set several records during his career, and his 47-game touchdown streak still stands as the best.

Joe Namath:  New York Jets, 1964-1977.  Namath attended the University of Alabama and was drafted by the New York Jets (he spent his last season with the then-Los Angeles Rams.  Namath was a brash, charismatic player.  He won two championships and is famous for guaranteeing (and delivering) a championship victory against the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, 1969 (against Johnny Unitas).

Roger Staubach:  Dallas Cowboys, 1969-1979.  Staubach attended the U.S. Naval Academy and was drafted by the Cowboys in 1964 (he didn’t play until 1969 because of his military commitment).  He played under the legendary Cowboys coach Tom Landry and led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl victories, and four total Super Bowl appearances.

Joe Montana:  San Francisco 49ers, 1979-1992 (retired 1994).  Montana played for Notre Dame and was drafted by the 49ers in 1979.  Montana won an incredible four Super Bowls for the 49ers, establishing the 49ers as the dominant team of the 1980s.  The most significant single play of Montana’s career is referred to simply as “The Catch.”  At the end of the NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys, Montana engineered a game-winning 89-yard drive that culminated in a pass to receiver Dwight Clark, who made a spectacular leaping catch at the back of the end zone. 

John Elway:  Denver Broncos, 1983**-1999.  Elway attended Stanford University and was drafted number one overall by the Baltimore Colts, who traded him to the Broncos.  Elway won two Super Bowls, and appeared in five.  Though he had many incredible games and statistics, his standout highlight was his execution of “The Drive” on January 11, 1987, in which he led the Broncos on a 98-yard, five-minute drive in the AFC Championship game against the Cleveland Browns.  The resulting touchdown tied the game and the Broncos went on to win the game by a field goal in overtime.

Dan Marino:  Miami Dolphins, 1983-2000.  Marino attended the University of Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Dolphins.  He spent his entire career in Miami, and although he never won a Super Bowl, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, holding at one time most of the passing records a quarterback can achieve.

Brett Favre:  Green Bay Packers, 1991-2011.  Favre (pronounced like “starve”) attended the University of Southern Mississippi and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, but traded to Green Bay in 1992 where he was quarterback and local hero until 2007.  Favre has been the subject of much criticism in recent years.  When he retired from the Green Bay Packers after the 2007 season, the Packers moved on, grooming Aaron Rodgers to take over as quarterback.  However, just before the start of the 2008 season, Favre wanted back into football.  He was hired by the New York Jets and then the Minnesota Vikings.  The move to the Vikings was difficult for Packers fans as the Vikings are in the same division as the Packers and therefore a big rival for several decades.  However, no one can dispute that Favre is one of the all-time greatest quarterbacks.  Over a 20-year career, Favre won one Super Bowl, appeared in two and won an incredible eight NFC North division championships.  He holds several records, including most career touchdown passes, most career passing yards, and most consecutive starts at 297, a record which many people feel will never be broken.  Because of his sometimes reckless approach to the position of quarterback, Favre also holds the record for most fumbles and times sacked.

 *Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/specials/fortunate50-2010/index.html.

**The NFL draft in 1983 is often referred to as the Quarterback Class of 1983 because an incredible six quarterbacks were selected in the first round.  Despite the importance of the quarterback position, it is rare to have more than two or three picked in the first round of the draft.  This is due, in part, to the longevity of quarterbacks compared to other positions; many can play 10 to 15 years or more, while other players, like running backs, last only 5 or 7 years.

The Quarterback, Offensive Linemen and Holding

Today, I’d like to introduce some of the players on the field; specifically, the quarterback and offensive linemen.  It is with these guys that every play starts, so it’s important to understand what they do.

As I described in my post about the basics, the object of the game is to advance the ball toward the opponent’s end zone in an effort to score touchdowns and field goals.  The player in charge of getting the ball down the field on a play-by-play basis is the quarterback (QB).  You can think of the quarterback as the general, captain, foreman, manager, all-around boss of the offense.  On each play, he will throw the ball to a receiver, hand it to a runner, or keep the ball himself and run with it.  Before each play, the quarterback receives a signal from the head coach (via headphones in his helmet) on which play to run.  However, each play includes options that the quarterback can choose based on how the opponent is positioned or reacts to the actions of the offense.  For example, on a passing play, each receiver on the field will run a different route.  The quarterback can decide who to throw the ball to based on which receiver has the best chance of catching the ball, or scoring.  Therefore, a quarterback must not only be athletic and accurate with his throwing, but he also needs to be intelligent and able to process what he sees within a few seconds.

Since the quarterback is so important, it seems like a good strategy for the defense would be to chase him around, pressure him, or even tackle him so he can’t throw or might even drop the ball.  Right?  Right!  That’s why the quarterback is protected on each and every play by the offensive line.  The offensive line consists of: the center; right and left guards; and right and left tackles.  These athletes are typically very large in stature (tall AND weighty) and very strong.

The center is where you’d expect him to be:  in the middle of the five players.  The quarterback stands behind the center at the beginning of every play, and the center’s primary job is to deliver the ball to the quarterback to start the play.  This delivery is called the snap.  The center will standing in a squat with one hand on the football, which is resting on the ground just in front of him.  At a predetermined signal given by the quarterback, the center brings the ball behind him, through his legs, and gives it to the quarterback.  The quarterback can either be right behind the center with his hands palms-open between the center’s legs (no giggling, please), or he will be standing a few yards behind the center (called the shotgun formation), where he will catch the ball from the air. 

The rest of the offensive line will line up shoulder-to-shoulder with the center along an imaginary line behind the football (called the line of scrimmage).  Next to the center are the right and left guards, with the right and left tackles at the ends of the line.  All five will stay in a squatting position, typically in a “three-point stance” (i.e., with two feet and one hand on the ground) until the snap.  If they move at all before the snap, a penalty called a false start will be called, and the offense will be moved back five yards.*

At the snap, the offensive line will lunge forward and make contact with the players on the other team whose job it is to “rush” the quarterback by breaking through the offensive line and attempt to tackle the quarterback (or, failing that, give chase).  The offensive line wants to prevent this and will attempt to push those players back away from the quarterback (called blocking).  You’re probably wondering why they don’t just grab hold of the players on defense and throw them to the ground.  If they do, they commit a penalty called, appropriately, holding.  In football, it is illegal for a player on offense (other than the player with the ball) to grab and hold an opponent in an attempt to impede his progress.  To minimize the risk of committing this penalty, an offensive lineman should keep his hands inside the frame of his opponent (in other words, not grabbing him by the shoulders, wrapping his arms around his waist, etc.).  A holding penalty costs the offense ten yards, which are marked off from the point where the holding occurred (the line of scrimmage when committed by an offensive lineman).

So, this is what happens within the first few seconds of each play, and the players critical to these precious moments.  There are several other key actors, and potential penalties, related to the offense, but all in good time…

*Remember the discussion about downs?  If it’s first and ten and the offense commits a false start penalty, they will be moved back five yards and it will then be first and fifteen.