In American football
, a quarterback kneel
, also called taking a knee
, genuflect offense
, or victory formation
occurs when the quarterback
immediately kneels to the ground after receiving the snap
. It is primarily used to run the clock down
, either at the end of the first half or the game itself, in order to preserve a lead or a win. Although it generally results in a loss of a yard and uses up a down, it minimizes the risk of a fumble
, which would give the other team a chance to score.
The formation offers maximum protection against a fumble; should the center-quarterback exchange result in a fumble, a running back is lined up on either side of the quarterback, both to recover any fumble and protect the vulnerable kneeling player from being injured by defensive players who get through the line. Also, a player is lined up directly behind the quarterback, often much farther than a typical tailback would line up. This player's responsibility is to tackle any defensive player who may recover a fumble and attempt to advance it. Because of this essentially "defensive" responsibility, the tailback in this formation may actually be a free safety or other defensive player who is adept at making tackles in the open field.
The play has become accepted as a winners' privilege (thus the nickname "Victory Formation"), as well as a way of protecting players from injury.
The quarterback kneel allows a team that has overwhelmingly defeated an opponent who... Read More