How To Throw A Spiral - A Quarterback Tutorial

Great quarterbacks make it easy for their receivers to catch the ball. And that starts with a good, clean spiral. Wouldn’t it feel amazing to throw a deep pass downfield like quarterbacks Drew Brees or Tom Brady?  The better the spiral, the farther you can throw the football. Here are 3 tips to throw the perfect pass: 

• Finger placement

Make sure the middle finger is placed directly on the white ring, below the laces. The thumb should be on the opposite side of the football. Then put your ring finger and pinkie on the laces. The index finger will provide stability.  

• Body positioning

You should point your forward shoulder toward the player. When you’re ready to throw, step directly at your target. Remember that the target is not necessarily where the receiver is, but where he’s going to be. That is the point of reception.

• Motion

As you throw the ball, make sure to roll your hand over and finish the throw toward your opposite thigh. Your index finger is used for control, so it should be the last finger to touch the ball. Have a smooth, complete follow through, making sure to watch the ball travel to your point of reception.

Do not get frustrated if when you first try this method it does not come out as a perfect spiral. The key with anything in sports is to continue to practice until you get it right. Every athlete has different throwing mechanics, and as an athlete you must adapt the coaching to what fits your best and your body mechanics.  

Also, do not become a robot when practicing these throwing mechanics.  Allow for your body to remain fluid as your practice throwing a spiral.  The more fluid you are in motion, the more practical it is, which will allow for you to apply the mechanics when you are playing at full speed.  

• Overall Throwing Mechanics

Once you get your throwing mechanics down, below are a few videos that you can watch consisting of quarterback training by legendary quarterback coach Jordan Palmer.  Jordan Palmer was a record breaking quarterback at University of Texas - El Paso (UTEP Miners), and went on to play several seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Tennessee Titans.  Coach Palmer is one of the best quarterback coaches in the industry as he worked with NFL quarterbacks Mark Sanchez, Josh Allen, Deshaun Watson, Joshua Dobbs, and Sam Darnold.

A key component to becoming an elite quarterback is to have great footwork to allow for efficient movement, proper timing, and a quick release, in addition to throwing a perfect spiral.  Quarterbacks need to ensure that they are putting themselves in the best position to allow for their wide receivers to make a play on the ball. A quarterback must possess the proper mechanics!

If you follow the above steps, you’ll be throwing a spiral in no time. Find a friend or a parent and start practicing. The more you grind, the better you’ll be. For more tips and videos, join the PlayMaker email list. Let us know your thoughts below!