blitz A rush of the passer by a defensive linebacker or back.
booster In collegiate athletics, a person (typically an alumnus of the school) who supports a team or athletic program, often financially
conversion A successful attempt for a point or points after a touchdown or for a first down.
cornerback A defensive back positioned on the outside flank or “corner” of the defensive line.
down A play from scrimmage during which an offense attempts to advance the ball against a defense.
field goal A score of three points, made by kicking the ball over the crossbar and between the goal posts from ordinary play.
free agent A professional athlete whose contract or commitment to a specific team has ended, leaving him or her free to negotiate with other teams.
fumble To lose control of the football after establishing possession of it.
“gentleman’s agreement” An unofficial agreement among National Football League owners that kept African Americans out of the league between 1934 and 1945.
gridiron Football field, so named for the vertical yard lines marking the rectangular field.
hash mark The lines on a football field that mark one-yard increments.
huddle A gathering of football players, away from the line of scrimmage, that typically occurs before each play so that players can receive instructions for the upcoming down.
linemen Football players in the forward line of an offense or defense.
pocket On a passing down, the area behind the line of scrimmage and between the offensive tackles that allows the quarterback room to move and time to throw the ball.
punt To drop-kick the ball to the opposing side, which usually occurs on fourth down.
sack Tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage
safety A situation in which a member of the offense is downed behind his own goal line, which results in two points and possession of the ball for the opposing team.
scrimmage The possession of the football by one side for a determined period of time, as opposed to a scrummage (an older form of possession in gridiron football) in which teams continually alternate possessions. The imaginary line that is established by the position of the ball before a play is known as the “line of scrimmage.”
shotgun formation An offensive formation in which the quarterback stands a few yards behind the centre, as opposed to directly behind the centre, before the ball is snapped to him.
spotting In football, placing the ball at a specific spot where play has ended.
tackle To stop the forward progress of a ballcarrier by bringing him to the ground.
wing Also known as a wingback; a player who is positioned either behind or flanking an end of an offensive line; antiquated position.