-A-

Audible: A play that is called after the original play was called by the quarterback. An audible is called at the line of scrimmage. The quarterback calls an audible because he sees a weak spot in the defense..

Blind Side: The opposite way a player is looking.

Blitz: When the linebackers or defensive backs rush the quarterback.

Block: To contact your opponent with any part of your body in an effort to give the quarterback more time or prevent the defense from tackling your teammate who has the ball.

-C-

Center: An offensive line position. The center is at the center of the line of scrimmage. The center snaps the ball to the quarterback.

Check Off: To call an audible.

Clipping: To hit an opponent from behind.

Coach: A person that usually calls the plays or leads the team.

Coin Toss: Before the game gets underway the captain of one team calls heads or tails. This decides who will get the ball first.

Completion: A pass that is legally caught.

Cornerback: A defensive player that usually covers a wide receiver.

-D-

Dead Ball: A ball that is no longer in play.

Delay of Game: To use more than the time on the play clock. Delay of game is a 5 yard penalty.

Draft: The selection of college players into the NFL.

-E-

End Zone: The area between the goal lines and the end lines. Also called the touchdown.

-F-

Face Mask: A mask worn by a player that protects the player's face.

Face Masking: A penalty when a player grabs another player's mask and brings him down. In pro football, there are two kinds of face masking penalties, intentional and unintentional. Intentional face masking is a 15 yard penalty. Unintentional face masking is a 5 yard penalty.

Fair Catch: When a receiver that is receiving a punt or a kickoff does not think it is safe to run it, he signals a fair catch. This means that opposing players cannot touch him, but he cannot run either.

Foul: To break the rules, a penalty.

Fumble: To lose or drop the ball.

-G-

Goal Line: The line that the ball has to pass in order to score a touchdown.

Gridiron: A term for a football field.

-H-

Hail Mary: A play where all the eligible receivers go downfield to try to catch the ball.

Hang Time: The amount of time in which the ball is in the air on a punt.

Halfback: A position in college that is related to a running back in the NFL.

Hand Off: To hand a ball off to a player.

Holder: The player who holds the ball for the kicker.

Huddle: When the players on the field come together to form the next play.

-I-

Illegal Motion: A motion by an offensive player before the snap. Illegal motion is a 5 yard penalty.

Incomplete: A forward pass that is not caught.

Interception: A forward pass that is caught by a defensive player.

-K-

Kick: To attempt to hit the ball with your foot in order to make the ball go forward.

-L-

Lateral: A pass that is not thrown in the direction of the opponent's goalpost.

Linebacker: Defensive players that line up behind the defensive linemen.

Line of Scrimmage: The yard line on which the ball is placed before the start of the play.

-M-

Man-to-Man Defense: The defensive strategy where the defense covers each opposing player rather than areas of the field. The opposite of Zone Defense.

Multiple offense: To use different offensive strategies. This is used so the offensive team can get the ball back.

-N-

National Football League: The NFL, the professional football league in the United States.

-O-

Offense: The team with the ball.

Official: The referee.

Offside: When a player is over the line of scrimmage before the play is started.

Onside Kick: A short kick. The plan is to get the ball back to the kicking team.

Overtime: When the time expires, and the game is tied.

-P-

Passing Game: An offensive strategy where the offense passes the ball.

Penalty: To punish someone for breaking a rule.

Pigskin: An old term for a football.

Playbook: A book containing all of a team's plays.

Post-Season: The playoffs.

Pre-Season: The season before the real season starts. Usually a team in the Pre-season makes all of their rookies play so the coaches can see how well they would do in the NFL.

Punt: When the offensive team kicks the ball to the defensive team, usually on 4th down.

-S-

Safety: A defensive player that is the farthest back from the line of scrimmage.

Safety: When a defensive player tackles the offensive ball-carrier in their own endzone. This gives the defensive team 2 points and the ball back.

Screen Pass: When a running back rolls out to get a pass right at the line of scrimmage.

Snap: A center waits for the quarterback to call out a signal.  When he does that the center hikes the ball.

Spearing: To hit a player with your helmet.

Special Teams: The group of players on the field anytime the ball is being kicked including kickoffs, punts, field goals, and point-after-touchdown attempts.

Spiral: The spin that a quarterback puts on the ball.

Substitution: When a tired player comes off and a fresh one comes in.

Super Bowl: The championship game for the NFL.

-T-

Tackle: To take down an opponent when that player has the ball.

Tight End: A offensive player that is on the end of the offensive line.

Time: The amount of minutes or seconds on the clock. The clock tells you how much longer you have to play.

Touchback: When the player who is receiving the ball either on a kickoff or punt downs the ball without leaving the endzone. The receiving team gets the ball on the 20 yard line.

Touchdown: When the team with the ball runs into the endzone and crosses the goal line. It is worth 6 points.

Turnover: When a team runs out of downs. A team gets 4 downs. A turnover can also be caused by an interception or a fumble.

-V-

Vince Lombardi Trophy: A trophy given to the NFL team that wins the Super Bowl.

-W-

Wide Receiver: A player that goes downfield to catch the ball that the quarterback throws.

-Y-

Yardage: A team can lose yardage or gain yardage depending on the play. The football field is divided into 100 yards.

-Z-