# Punt on 3rd down.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punt-on-3rd-down/524269>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [January 9, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punt-on-3rd-down/524269 "2010-01-09T12:32:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punt-on-3rd-down/524269/41 "2010-01-13T02:38:22Z")

</div>

> [@Petey](#):
>
> I’m pretty sure this was a normal 4th down punt. Theismann was trying to fill in for the injured punter.

Video [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQor66RIbs8) (at 1:55).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AlphaWolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/da6949/32.png) [@AlphaWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlphaWolf)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2012, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punt-on-3rd-down/524269/42 "2012-10-25T09:26:16Z")

</div>

The only other conceivable reason for a team to punt on third down, is if a) it’s the last play of the game, with no hope of winning; and b) your punter is one punt short of a record. There are many horrible teams in the NFL this year, for instance. Since their punters always seem to be busy anyway, they might as well shoot for something !

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/punt-on-3rd-down/524269.md?page=2)