A placekicker is a football player whose specialty is kicking the ball when it's placed on the ground or held steady by a teammate. When a football team attempts a field goal, the placekicker runs up and boots the ball through the tall yellow goalposts to score points. Placekickers also kick off to start each half of the game and restart play after scores.

The name comes from the fact that the ball is placed in position before the kick, either on a small plastic tee or held upright by another player called the holder. This is different from a punter, who drops the ball and kicks it before it hits the ground.

In professional football, placekickers are specialists who focus almost entirely on kicking. They practice hitting targets from different distances and angles, training their legs to deliver powerful, accurate kicks even under pressure. A good placekicker can score from 50 yards away or more. In crucial moments, when the game comes down to a single kick with seconds left on the clock, the placekicker faces enormous pressure. Miss, and your team might lose. Make it, and you're the hero. That's why placekickers spend thousands of hours perfecting their technique, building the leg strength and mental toughness needed for those high-stakes moments.