What position is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback? The answer is Center. The center is the innermost player on the offensive line and begins nearly every offensive play by snapping the ball backward between the legs to the quarterback.
The snap is more than a simple handoff. Before it, the center often studies the defensive alignment and makes protection calls, helping the offensive line identify blocking responsibilities. After the snap, the center blocks interior defenders, including powerful defensive tackles or nose tackles.
Most quarterbacks receive the ball directly under center or several yards behind the line in a shotgun formation. The center may also snap to a punter or holder on special teams. Those specialists are called long snappers because they deliver accurate, longer-distance snaps.
A common mix-up is confusing the center with the quarterback, who calls signals and receives the snap, or with the guard and tackle, who line up beside the center and primarily block. The term “snap” also explains why a quarterback receiving the ball directly is said to be “under center.”