Time to debunk the level shoulder myth

One of the cliche coaching points bouncing around private quarterback coaching is the idea that the shoulders should be level at the release point. Realistically, there is no real evidence to support this notion. I see some coaches say it makes you more accurate, or is better for a healthy shoulder, or creates better rotational velocity, or all of the above. What I really think is that it’s easy to visualize and simple to understand, so some coaches latch onto it. Now I want to be clear - I am not writing this to bash other quarterback coaches. I love the energy that so many coaches bring to the profession and their care for their quarterbacks. But, that doesn’t change the fact that level shoulders simply aren’t necessary or even correct.

Change in the angular relationship between the shoulders, hips, and ground is normal. In fact, it’s completely necessary. Look at any other throwing sport - baseball pitchers, javelin throwers, etc., in which the throwing arm is higher than the passive arm, and therefore the shoulders aren’t level. This is ok and necessary.

Take it a step further and look at any rotational movement, not just throwing. Look at a hitter in baseball, or a golf swing. The shoulders are not level through the motion or even through the point of the strike. And the reason is that these angular changes actually create speed and leverage.

Now before things get taken out of context, it’s important to two things:

1. It is clearly possible to have too much tilt of the shoulders. Just because I say that level shoulders are a myth doesn’t mean that there isn’t an opposite extreme which is also bad. Excessive tilt to try to falsely create an “over-the-top” motion can be very bad for shoulder health and performance.
   
2. It is possible to throw the ball well with flat shoulders. Many low arm-angle throwers like Mahomes will have pictures frozen at the release, and you will see level shoulders. If you break down a lot of film on those guys, you will also see times when they don’t have level shoulders. Just because there are specific anecdotal examples of someone throwing well with level shoulders doesn’t make it a permanent rule for all. Anecdotal evidence is not a good reason to make large conclusions.
   

So what do I find to be correct? In simplest form, the throwing shoulder will end up slightly higher than the passive shoulder at the release point. To be more specific, the shoulder plane at release should be equal to the angle of the upper arm, meaning the upper arm is an extension of the shoulders, which is best for shoulder health and putting the least amount of stress possible on the rotator cuff.

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