The snap is performed at the start of each
American football play. It consists of the center? flipping the football backwards between his legs to the quarterback? (the ball does not have to be snapped to the quarterback but usually is unless the ball is to be kicked, in which case it is snapped to a punter? or kicker?). The long snap is a variation on the normal snap in which the receiver of the snap is several yards behind the center?: this is employed mainly on kicking plays or out of the [shotgun formation]?.