Football Players Terms Part 2

These football players terms, lingo and jargon are part of sports gamerisms, Define Your Game!
Football, part 2 continues for football players and fans who dream of the bomb that saves the game.

Football Players Terms: F

• Fair Catch:  a receiver can call for a fair catch that blows the play dead when the ball is received. Defensive players cannot tackle this offensive player after the call.
• Fair Catch Interference: penalty that occurs when the defense gets too close to a player receiving a punt.
• False Start: happens when an offensive player moves prior to the ball hike.
• Field Goal: a kick worth three points. How many times has this successful play been a game winner?
• Field Position: occurs when the offense takes control of the ball.
• First and Ten: the first of four downs with ten yards to go.
• First Down: awarded when the offensive teams gains ten or more yards on a given play.
• Flag Football: a form of football where the player is ruled down when a flag is pulled off by a defender rather than tackling them.
• Flanker: football players terms for a wide receiver.
• Flood: football jargon for a play where all players go to one side of the field.
• Forward Pass: a pass going downfield in front of the quarterback.
• Forward Progress: the point a player reaches prior to being tackled and where the ball is spotted.
• Foul: rule violation resulting in a penalty.
• Franchise: team ownership.
• Free Agent: term for expired contract player who can then select other team offers.
• Free Kick: a punt that takes the place off a kickoff after a safety.
• Free safety: a player on defense who is the last line of the defense and therefore, plays the furthest downfield.
• Front Four: another name for the defensive line. Depending on the team, can be considered the 'fearsome four'.
• Fullback: player who plays in front of the running back who is used for blocking, but will run or catch occasionally.
• Fumble: the loss of the ball while in play by a player advancing or in possession of the ball.
  
  

Football Players Terms: G

• Game Ball: typically refers to an award given to the most valuable player by the team after the game has ended.
• Goal Line: the line that divides the field of play from the end zone.
• Goal Line Stand: referred to when the defense stops the offense for consecutive downs when they are inside the five-yard line.
• Goalpost: the posts or uprights where the ball must be kicked in between the two to score an extra point or field goal.
• Going for It: football jargon for team decision to attempt a first down on the next play instead of punting. Failure of the strategy results in losing ball possession. Either way, this action makes for exciting football.
• Gridiron: another term for the football field.
• Guard: the outside players on the offensive line.
• Gunner: special teams players whose primary job is to race down the field to tackle the player returning a punt or kickoff.
  

Football Players Terms: H

• Hail Mary: football jargon for a deep pass thrown as a last resort with little chance of succeeding, but when it does--'tis a beautiful sight to see.
• Halfback:  another term for a running back.
• Handoff: the act of the quarterback handing the ball to a player so they can advance the ball by running.
• Hands Team: lingo used to recover an onside kick.
• Hang Time: period of time that a punt remains in the air. Counting seconds=1, 2, 3...
• Heisman Trophy: annual award for the finest college football player in the U.S.
• Hike: the transfer of the ball from the center to the quarterback on his command.
• Hitch and Go: a route run by a receiver where they fake back to the quarterback and go deep.
• Holder: the player who holds the ball for the kicker.
• Holding: the act of obstructing a player by physically restraining another player, normally by grabbing their jersey.
• Home Field Advantage: game played at team's hometown venue.
• Home Game: played at team's hometown venue.
• Huddle: a grouping of the players to plan offensive or defensive plays.
• Hurry-up Offense: football jargon for offensive run in a quick manner where there is no time to substitute or huddle.  Used in time sensitive situations at the end of games mainly.
  

Football Players Terms: I - K

• Illegal Procedure: illegal movement by an offensive player prior to the snap.
• In bounds: field area inside end and sidelines. Keep those feet in, in and yes, in!
• Incomplete Pass/Incompletion: a pass thrown by the quarterback but not caught.
• Intentional Grounding: illegal throw of the ball to a spot on the field where there is no receiver.
• Interception: a turnover where an opposing defensive player catches a ball thrown by the quarterback resulting in a change of possession.
• Kickoff: change of possession that occurs after a score in which the team that scored kicks the ball to the other team in order to determine field position.
• Kick Returner: someone who returns kickoffs.
  

Football Players Terms: L

• Lateral: a pass thrown backwards to a teammate when that player is past the line of scrimmage.
• Linebacker: a player in the middle of the defense that can rush the quarterback, drop back into coverage and stop the run.
• Lineman: a football term for offensive and defensive players on the line closest to the ball.
• Line of Scrimmage: the line where the ball starts each play and then is advanced down the field as the offense moves the ball toward the end zone.
• Live Ball: occurs when the football is put into play or kicked.
• Long Snapper: football lingo for player who specializes in hiking the ball longer distances in order to be kicked.
• Loose Ball: a fumble. Ok, who's got it?

Football Players Terms: M

• Man in Motion: the player who is in motion on offense prior to the snap.  Typically, only one player is allowed in motion at a time.
• Man-to-man Coverage: defensive scheme in which each player is assigned one offensive player to guard.
• Midfield: refers to the 50-yard line.
  

Football Players Terms: N

• Necessary Line: area that the offensive team must travel to receive a first down.
• Neutral Zone: the space between the ball and the defensive line, prior to the snap.
• Nickel Back: the fifth cornerback on the field.
• Nickel Defense: lingo for defensive scheme utilizing five cornerbacks.
• Nose Guard: the central player on the defensive line who lines up opposite the center.
• Nose Tackle: another name for nose guard.
  

Football Players Terms: O

• Offending Team: football team that committed a foul.
• Offense: the team trying to score and score and score and...
• Offensive Pass Interference: blatant obstruction keeping the defense from catching the ball.
• Officials: those in charge of keeping order in the game and enforcing rules.
• Offside: occurs when the offense moves across the neutral zone prior to the ball being snapped.
• On Downs: loss of ball possession.
• Onside Kick: action where the kicking team tries to recover after ten yards.
• Open Receiver: player who is not well protected by the opposing team, thus open to a play.
• Option:  football jargon for a play in which the quarterback keeps the ball and runs with the option of pitching it to his running back.
• Out of Bounds: field area outside end and sidelines. Further play is not continued.
• Overtime: extra period of play that happens when the score is tied at the end of the game.
  

Football Players Terms is followed by terms P - Z
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