A safety kick in football is just like a normal kickoff, except that it happens only after a safety is scored.
Kickoffs happen behind restraining lines. Restraining lines show where the kicking team and receiving team must be on the field before the kick.
| REMEMBER: Punts, field goals, and extra points use the line of scrimmage. Kickoffs use restraining lines. |
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On a safety kick, the restraining line for the receiving team is the 45-yard line. The restraining line for the kicking team is the 35-yard line. That's 20 yards away instead of the normal 10 yards away on a kickoff.
| PRO TIP: Not many football fans know what a safety kick is and how it's different from a normal kickoff. It looks the same, but if you look carefully, the players line up on the field differently. |
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A safety happens when a team retreats into their own end zone with the ball and makes a mistake. The opposing team gets two points for this mistake. It's the only way the team on defense can score points in football.
