American Football Rules

American football is a team sport played with an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The objective is to score more points than the opposing team within the allotted time. Here's a breakdown of the fundamental rules:

The Game and How to Play

• Teams and Field: Two teams of 11 players each are on the field at a time. The playing field is 100 yards long with a 10-yard "end zone" at each end.

• Offense and Defense: The team with the ball is the "offense" and tries to advance it down the field. The team without the ball is the "defense" and tries to stop the offense.

• The Goal: The offense's ultimate goal is to move the ball into the opponent's end zone to score a touchdown.

• Downs: The offense gets four attempts, called "downs," to advance the ball at least 10 yards.

  • If they succeed, they earn a "first down," and the count of four downs resets.

  • If they fail to gain 10 yards in four downs, they lose possession of the ball. On the fourth down, a team will often punt the ball away to the opponent to gain a better field position, or attempt a field goal if they are close enough to the end zone.

How to Score Points

• Touchdown (6 points): A touchdown is the most valuable score. It's achieved when a player carries the ball into the opponent's end zone, or catches a pass while in the end zone. The defense can also score a touchdown by intercepting a pass or recovering a fumble and running it back to the opponent's end zone.

• Extra Point or Two-Point Conversion (1 or 2 points): After a touchdown, the scoring team gets one more play from a short distance from the goal line.

  • Extra Point (1 point): The team can kick the ball through the uprights of the goalpost for one point.

  • Two-Point Conversion (2 points): The team can try to get the ball into the end zone again with a run or a pass play.

• Field Goal (3 points): If the offense is close to the opponent's goal line but can't get a touchdown, they can attempt a field goal. The team's kicker kicks the ball through the uprights for three points.

• Safety (2 points): A rare scoring play where the defense tackles an offensive player who has the ball in their own end zone. This awards the defense two points.

Common Penalties

A penalty is called when a rule is violated, and an official throws a yellow flag to signal the foul. Penalties result in a loss of yardage for the offending team. Some common penalties include:

• False Start: An offensive player illegally moves before the ball is snapped.

• Offsides: A defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped.

• Holding: A player illegally grabs or restrains an opponent who doesn't have the ball.

• Pass Interference: A defender makes illegal contact with a receiver to prevent them from catching a pass.

• Roughing the Passer: A defensive player makes illegal contact with the quarterback after they have thrown a pass.

Player Positions

Teams are typically divided into three units: offense, defense, and special teams.

Offense: The offense is focused on moving the ball and scoring.

• Quarterback (QB): The leader of the offense, who receives the snap and either hands the ball off, throws a pass, or runs with it.

• Running Back (RB): A player who primarily runs with the ball but can also catch passes.

• Wide Receiver (WR): Players who run downfield to catch passes.

• Offensive Line: A group of five players whose main job is to block for the quarterback and the ball carrier.

Defense: The defense tries to stop the offense.

• Defensive Line: The players on the line of scrimmage who try to tackle the ball carrier or pressure the quarterback.

• Linebackers (LB): Players who line up behind the defensive line and are responsible for tackling, rushing the quarterback, and defending against passes.

• Defensive Backs (Cornerbacks and Safeties): Players who cover wide receivers and try to prevent catches.

Special Teams: These players are on the field during kicking plays.

• Kicker (K): Kicks field goals, extra points, and kickoffs.

• Punter (P): Kicks the ball away to the opponent on fourth down.