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Glossary

76 terms you'll hear on a broadcast, in plain English.

Audible: A play change the quarterback calls at the line of scrimmage before the snap.
Blitz: A defensive play that sends extra rushers, often linebackers or defensive backs, after the quarterback.
Bye week: The one week of the 18-week regular season when a team doesn't play.
Center: The offensive lineman who snaps the ball to start each play.
Clear bag policy: The NFL stadium rule limiting fans to one small clear bag plus a hand-sized clutch.
Coin toss: The pregame (and overtime) flip that decides which team chooses to kick, receive or pick a goal to defend.
Compensatory pick: An extra draft pick (rounds 3-7) given to teams that lost more qualifying free agents than they signed.
Cornerback: A defensive back who usually covers wide receivers.
Dead ball: A ball that is not in play, between downs or after the whistle.
Division: A group of four teams within a conference; each conference has East, North, South and West divisions.
Down: A single play; the offense gets four downs to gain 10 yards.
Down by contact: A runner is down when a defender's contact puts any body part other than hands or feet on the ground.
Dynamic kickoff: The kickoff format, made permanent in 2025, in which most players line up close together and can't move until the ball lands.
Encroachment: A defender crossing into the neutral zone and touching an opponent or the ball before the snap; 5 yards.
End zone: The 10-yard scoring area at each end of the field.
Extra point: A one-point kick attempted from a snap at the 15-yard line after a touchdown.
Fair catch: A catch of a punt after the returner waves an arm, giving up the right to run in exchange for protection from being hit.
False start: An illegal movement by an offensive player before the snap; 5 yards.
Field goal: A kick through the uprights and over the crossbar, worth 3 points.
First down: Earning a new set of four downs by reaching the line to gain.
Franchise tag: A one-year, high-salary tender a team can use on one pending free agent per year to keep him.
Free agent: A player whose contract has ended and who may sign with another team (unrestricted with four or more accrued seasons).
Fumble: When a player with the ball loses possession before the play is over; either team may recover.
Hail Mary: A long, desperation pass into a crowd of players near the end zone, usually at the end of a half.
Hash marks: Short lines marking each yard between the yard lines, used to spot the ball.
Holding: Illegally grabbing or restricting an opponent; 10 yards on offense, 5 yards and an automatic first down on defense.
Huddle: The players' quick gathering between plays to call the next play.
Injured reserve (IR): A list for injured players that removes them from the 53-man roster for at least four games.
Interception: A defender catching a forward pass thrown by the offense.
Kickoff: The free kick that starts each half, overtime, and play after a score.
Landing zone: The area from the receiving team's goal line to its 20-yard line where a kickoff must land.
Line of scrimmage: The imaginary line through the front tip of the ball that neither team may cross before the snap.
Line to gain: The spot 10 yards beyond where a series began; reaching it earns a first down.
Linebacker: A defender lined up behind the defensive line who stops runs, rushes or covers.
Long snapper: The specialist who snaps the ball back to the punter or holder on kicks.
Muff: A failed attempt to catch a loose ball, usually a kick, that either team can recover.
Neutral zone: The space between the two lines of scrimmage, the length of the ball.
Nickel: A defensive setup with five defensive backs instead of the standard four.
Offside: A player being beyond the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped; 5 yards.
Onside kick: A short, declared kickoff the kicking team tries to recover itself.
Overtime: Extra time when a game is tied: one 10-minute period in the regular season, 15-minute periods in the playoffs.
Pass interference: Illegal contact with a receiver while a pass is in the air.
Pick-six: An interception returned for a touchdown.
Play clock: The 40-second (or 25-second) countdown the offense has to snap the ball.
Pocket: The protected area the offensive line forms around a passing quarterback.
Practice squad: Up to 17 players (one international) who practice with a team but aren't on the 53-man roster.
Punt: A kick, usually on fourth down, where the punter drops the ball and kicks it before it hits the ground.
Quarterback: The offensive leader who takes the snap and hands off, runs or passes.
Red zone: The area inside the opponent's 20-yard line, where scoring chances are highest.
Replay assist: A system that lets replay officials help correct clear, objective errors during a game.
Reseeding: Re-ordering playoff matchups after the wild-card round so the top seed faces the lowest remaining seed.
Rookie wage scale: The system that sets drafted rookies' pay by draft slot.
Roughing the passer: An illegal hit on a quarterback after or while he throws; 15 yards.
Sack: Tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw.
Safety (position): A deep defensive back, either a free safety or a strong safety.
Safety (score): Two points for the defense, usually for tackling a ball carrier in his own end zone.
Salary cap: The limit on what a team can spend on player salaries in a season ($301.2 million in 2026).
Score bug: The on-screen box showing score, time, down and distance, and timeouts.
Secondary: The defensive backs as a group: cornerbacks and safeties.
Snap: The center's backward pass that starts a play.
Special teams: The units on the field for kicks: kickoffs, punts, field goals and extra points.
Strength of schedule: The combined win percentage of a team's opponents, used in tiebreakers and draft order.
Tight end: A player who lines up next to the offensive line and both blocks and catches passes.
Timeout: A stoppage a team calls to halt the clock; each team gets three per half.
Touchback: A kick or turnover that ends in the end zone, giving the ball to the receiving team at a set yard line.
Touchdown: Getting the ball into the opponent's end zone; 6 points.
Trade deadline: The last day teams can trade players during the season (Nov. 10, 2026).
Try: The single bonus play after a touchdown, for 1 point (kick) or 2 points (run or pass).
Turnover: Losing the ball to the other team by fumble or interception.
Turnover on downs: Losing the ball by failing to make a first down on fourth down.
Two-minute warning: An automatic stoppage with two minutes left in the second and fourth quarters.
Two-point conversion: A run or pass from the 2-yard line after a touchdown, worth 2 points.
Undrafted free agent: A player not chosen in the draft who may sign with any team.
Wide receiver: A fast pass-catcher who lines up near the sideline.
Wild card: A playoff spot (seeds 5-7) for one of the three best non-division-winners in a conference.
Yellow line: The TV-only graphic showing where the offense needs to reach for a first down.