Football Team Captain Responsibilities: The Complete Playbook
Team captains in football have an enormous responsibility. The captains set the tone for the entire team. Their leadership and communication skills are a critical part of their overall success. The ultimate leader is the head coach. They establish the team goals, they’re responsible for on-the-field strategy, they motivate and mentor their players, and they must create a shared culture of success. The team captains are responsible for delivering the coaches’ message on and off the field. Team captains set leadership examples other players are expected to emulate. Good sportsmanship, sacrificing for the greater good, and staying calm and confident under pressure are some characteristics of a good captain.
Understanding the Football Team Captain Role
Typically, there are multiple captains on a football team. In the National Football League (NFL), 6 players can be chosen as team captains for a game. Teams sometimes have more than 6 captains. Players that are team captains wear a white C on their jersey with stars on it. The number of stars on their jersey correlates to the number of years they’ve been a captain. After 5 seasons of being a captain, the white C is replaced with a gold C. Some captains choose not to wear the Cs because they don’t want to be seen as different from their teammates. Occasionally, teams won’t designate formal captains. In those situations, leadership develops naturally within the dynamics of a team.
Captains are typically selected by the head coach or voted on by their teammates. In college football, captains tend to be either juniors or seniors. College teams typically have multiple captains.
Some teams select different captains every week, or they might have 1 or 2 revolving picks, with the others being permanent slots. Below are some on-the-field duties that team captains perform.
Coin Toss: At the beginning of a game, the referee flips a coin. Teams usually designate a player to call the coin toss. The designator is always from the visiting team. That means the player gets to tell the referee if they’re choosing heads or tails.
Defer/Receive: If a team wins the toss, they can either choose to receive the kickoff or defer, which means they’ll receive the kickoff in the second half. One captain typically communicates to the official their choice, which has been decided by the coaches before the toss.
Penalties: A team captain indicates to the officials if they want to accept a penalty. Teams can decline a penalty if it's in their best interest. The captain communicates with the coach about whether to accept or decline the penalty, and then they’ll relay their decision to the official.
Core Leadership Responsibilities
Often, the quarterback is one of the captains on a football team because they play the most important and demanding position on the team. All quarterbacks have to possess the physical and mental skills to play their position. They must have a strong arm to throw the football accurately, possess quick decision-making skills, and be able to read and react to defenses. The nature of their position requires them to have the intangible skills that make them potential captains. Most players don’t become captains in their first season. It usually takes at least a year, or sometimes years, for players to prove to the coaches and players that they could be captains. Below are some qualities a good captain must possess.
Respect: Captains must earn the respect and admiration of their teammates. An accomplished player with superior physical skills won’t make a good captain if they set a bad example on or off the field. It’s an earned honor to be chosen as captain.
Integrity: A captain often has to take a position that might not be popular but that they think is best for the greater good of the team. The captain must be able to articulate their position in a way that their teammates can support even if they don’t necessarily agree with it.
Loyalty: A captain must support their teammates in difficult situations. Teammates need to know the captain has their back.
Communication Skills: Captains need to be able to talk to their teammates in a way that builds trust and defuses potential conflicts. Captains must create a sense of confidence in the way they carry themselves and speak.
Personal Responsibility: Captains must be accountable to their teammates. If there’s a breakdown on the field and it’s their fault, they need to tell their teammates it’s their fault. Conversely, if a player or players aren’t giving maximum effort, it’s the captain’s job to let them know they need to pick up their performance. A good captain will take public responsibility for a loss while refusing personal credit and praising their teammates in victory.
Inspirational: If team morale is sagging or if a player is struggling, a captain should try to lift them up by example or through words that resonate with them and give them optimism. Sometimes, captains will give pregame or halftime speeches to motivate the team.
Composure: Captains should be the epitome of grace under pressure. When a team faces a pivotal moment in a game, they need to be calm, reassuring, and accomplished. Their teammates need to believe in the captain.
Decision Making: Captains on both offense and defense will often confer with the coaches on plays to use during the games in practice. Captains typically consult with coaches on what plays to call in a critical game situation. They must be honest and push back if they don’t believe in the play called.
Liaison: Captains will often represent the players’ voice to the coach if an issue arises that must be addressed. For instance, if players are physically worn down from intense practices, a captain could go to the coach and request that practices be shortened.
Effort: Captains should consistently give maximum effort. They have to lead by example. They’re never late for practice, they study the playbook, and they’re actively involved in game strategies.
Not every good player who has exemplary sportsmanship and good “intangibles” is suited to be a team captain. Some players don’t want to be in the spotlight. They prefer to work quietly in the background. Being a captain is a demanding job that a player must embrace.
An excellent set of captains can make the difference between a good team and a great one. Captains set the tone every day for the standards a team needs to meet to be championship caliber. Without leadership from the best players, it’s difficult to consistently succeed.