ENRUES
Glossary

Interception

Terms

What it is

An interception happens when a defender catches a pass thrown by the offense. His team takes possession at once, and he may run the ball back.

In a game

Interceptions often come from a tipped pass, a bad read or pressure that makes the quarterback throw early.

More detail

A defender who intercepts the ball can return it until he is tackled, goes out of bounds or scores. A defender who catches the ball in his own end zone can kneel, and his team takes over at its 20-yard line. An interception returned for a touchdown is called a pick-six.

Animated play

101020203030404050504040303020201010END ZONEEND ZONEXXXXXInterception!Turnover: the defense has the ballThe quarterback drops back to throw.He throws toward his receiver on the sideline.A defender gets there first, catches it and runs the other way.

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

  1. The quarterback drops back and throws to a receiver running along the sideline.
  2. A defender reads the throw, jumps in front of the receiver and catches the ball. That is an interception.
  3. The defense now has the ball and runs it back the other way. The receiver tries to stop him.
  4. The runner is tackled where he is brought down, and his team becomes the offense from that spot.