What it is

A defender interferes with a receiver’s chance to catch a forward pass, by hitting, grabbing or blocking him before the ball arrives.

The penalty

The penalty is Spot foul (the ball moves to where it happened), plus an automatic first down. The ball is placed where the foul occurred, even if that is a long way downfield. If it happened in the end zone, the ball goes to the one-yard line. The offense also gets a first down.

More detail

The penalty can be worth more than a big gain. A defender who is beaten may take the penalty on purpose to prevent a touchdown. A defender is allowed to play the ball, so contact with a receiver is legal if the defender is also trying to get the ball.

Animated play

Blue circles are the team with the ball. X marks the other team. The yellow oval is the ball.

1. The quarterback throws deep toward the receiver.
2. The defender hits or grabs the receiver before the ball arrives, so he cannot make a play on it.
3. The officials flag pass interference. The ball is placed at the spot of the foul, which can be a long way downfield, and the offense gets a first down.