# Do other countries play American football professionally? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 31, 2018, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-countries-play-american-football-professionally/823792 "2018-10-31T18:20:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-countries-play-american-football-professionally/823792/21 "2018-11-02T03:21:35Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Most (if not all) of the Australian rules players who’ve come over to the NFL have become punters (one of two kicking specialists on an NFL roster, the other being “placekicker,” or simply “kicker”). And, yes, despite the name of the game being football, those are the only two positions on an American football team who can legally kick the ball in play. Not really true, I think anyone on the offense can do a pooch punt. Both Brady and Roethlisberger have done it and neither has the punter position. If a non-punter punts, it’s usually a QB because it’s supposed to be a surprise and the defense is less likely to suspect hijinx when a ball’s being snapped to the QB but really anyone behind the line of scrimmage can do it. That’s an aspect of gridiron football rarely seen and often forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-countries-play-american-football-professionally/823792/22 "2018-11-02T03:34:48Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Not really true, I think anyone on the offense can do a pooch punt. Both Brady and Roethlisberger have done it and neither has the punter position. Good point, and the “quick kick” used to be a staple of Randall Cunningham’s game, too. But, as you note, it’s still a play that’s a punt, just executed by a player who isn’t the team’s normal punter, and not from the traditional punting formation. So, I should clarify: in American football, the only times that a player can legally kick the ball are: - A try for a field goal or an extra point – this is pretty much always done as a placekick now, but the “dropkick” is still legal (last done by Doug Flutie in 2005) - A punt - A kickoff - A free kick (a fairly rare play, usually only done after a team has given up a safety) In the NFL, those plays are almost always handled by specialists (the kicker and the punter), but there is no rule disallowing other players from acting in those roles. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-countries-play-american-football-professionally/823792/23 "2018-11-02T03:56:14Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > It’s not only punters we are sending over now! That’s very true, and I’d forgotten that there are now a couple Australians playing other positions in the NFL, including Jordan Mailata, who’s an offensive tackle for the Eagles, and was their first round draft choice this year, despite never having played American football. There’s also Broncos defensive end Adam Gotsis, who played American football in Australia as well as collegiately at Georgia Tech. Also, there was Jarryd Hayne, a rugby player who played as a running back and punt returner for the 49ers in 2015, before returning to rugby. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-countries-play-american-football-professionally/823792/24 "2018-11-02T05:15:59Z")
Oh, and it’s doing pretty well in London/UK, especially the Jacksonville Jaguars (someone has to like them). ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-countries-play-american-football-professionally/823792/25 "2018-11-02T05:20:58Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Oh, and it’s doing pretty well in London/UK, especially the Jacksonville Jaguars (someone has to like them). The Jaguars were great last year. That was an anomaly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-other-countries-play-american-football-professionally/823792.md?page=1)