Football Pulling Guard

What is a Pulling Guard in Football?

A pulling guard is a guard who moves to a different assignment rather than blocking straight ahead, as they do in most plays. A pulling guard occurs when a guard runs behind the offensive line to the opposite side of the field, ideally pulling a defensive member with him.

What is Pulling in Football?

Pulling in football is when a player leaves their usual position to do something different on the field, such as covering a different player. You might hear this phrase as a player being “pulled” or “pulled out of position” to another area of the field. Pulling is typically performed by guards in football.

Why Do Guards Pull in Football?

Sometimes, pulling a defender is enough of a tactic to create an open space for a pass, but other times the guard pulls to block a defensive lineman unexpectedly. The pull is often referred to as a sweep because a guard sweeps from one sideline to the other. This strategy is used in many sports to evade defenders or create open space in the playing area.

Pulling Guard Skills

In order for a guard to excel at pulling, they have to be a very quick and agile runner. They must be able to cover distances in a short amount of time, or else the pull won’t be successful. Since they also do quite a bit of tackling, they must be a strong player with enough force to bring down an opponent.