How to Run a Post-Corner Route Jerry Rice Style

Reading time: 3 – 4 minutes

It goes without saying that Jerry Rice was a freak of nature, but I’m gonna say it anyway.  The guy was unreal.  A man among boys — and this is the NFL that we’re talking about.  Before the Calvin and Andre Johnsons, the Brandon Marshalls, the Larry Fitzgeralds, even before TO and Randy Moss, there was Jerry Rice — and he caught touchdown passes.  That’s what he did.  One time, a journalist asked Jerry, “Jerry! What is your profession!?”  And Jerry just ran a streak route straight past 3 live cheetahs with bloody steaks tied to his torso and caught a touchdown.

Ok I made that last part up, but he probably could have.

Now that you are fully aware of Jerry Rice and his cyborg like capabilities, allow me to introduce my favorite flag football wide receiver route; the post-corner route.  The post-corner has made many defenders look like they were in a tragic leg-press accident, where the knees and ankles buckle and they collapse face first in the dust they’ve just been left in.  You want to make defenders look like that?  Me too.

To pull off this trick, you have to be able to run the route exceptionally well.  Your technique needs to be polished, and your timing should be on point.

Watch and learn from the master himself, and then we’ll break down the film.

The Post-Corner Route Breakdown

1. He gets off the line with some speed, and takes about 6 hard strides right at the defender.  This causes the defender to get into a backpedal, and to be honest, he probably got into it a little early…but it’s Jerry Rice!
2. Jerry straightens up his body slightly, then makes a nice hard cut to the post and immediately whips his head around to look for the ball.  This is key because it sells the post route.  The defender has to react fast to be able to make a play on the ball.  Because of the separation that was created with the first part of the route, the defender knows he is going to need to have exceptional closing speed, so he’s going to be running hard towards the middle of the field, where he thinks the ball will be.
3. As the defender is reacting to the post route, Jerry takes 3 or 4 more steps to let the defender build up a little momentum towards the middle of the field, and then he makes a sharp dig towards the corner.  Watch how quickly he changes direction.  The defender is left standing there by himself, looking foolish, with nothing to defend but his dignity.

The ball was incredibly overthrown in this case, but a well thrown pass would have been yet another touchdown.

Play this video back a few times to get a good feel for the timing of the route.  When you’re practicing this, focus on creating good separation from the defender, and making really crisp cuts.  You’ll be faking out cheetahs and catching  touchdowns in no time.