How American Football Works: The Beginner’s Guide

Dec 18, 2023

3 min read

Updated: Oct 10

American football is a game of territory and possession. One team’s offense tries to move the ball toward the opponent’s end zone. The defense tries to stop it, force a kick or take the ball away. In the NFL, each side normally has eleven players on the field.

Part of Football 101. Explore the guide to choose your next topic.

You do not need to memorize every penalty before enjoying a game. Begin with who has the ball, which direction that team is moving, the down and the distance needed.

The field and the next ten yards

The field has 100 yards between the goal lines and a ten yard end zone at each end. Yard numbers increase toward midfield, then decrease toward the opposite goal.

An offense normally gets four downs to advance ten yards. Reaching the target earns another series. First and ten means the first down of a series with ten yards needed; third and two means two yards remain with third down next.

A team failing on fourth down normally gives the opponent possession. That is why teams often punt on fourth down, although punting is a choice rather than a requirement.

What happens on a play

Most offensive plays start with a snap. The quarterback may hand the ball to a runner, attempt a pass or run. Blockers create space and protect the play while defenders try to close that space.

A team may throw one legal forward pass during the down, subject to the passing rules, including the requirement concerning the line of scrimmage. Eligible receivers can catch it and advance. An incomplete forward pass ends the play. A backward pass or fumble can remain live.

An NFL runner is ordinarily down when an opponent’s contact brings a body part other than a hand or foot to the ground. Other events, including going out of bounds, forward progress being stopped or giving up, can also end the play. A loose ball does not always mean the whistle should sound.

How teams score

A touchdown is worth six points. It is followed, when required, by a try: a successful kick earns one point, while advancing the ball into the end zone on the try earns two.

A field goal is worth three points. A safety ordinarily awards two points to the opponent when the offense is responsible for the ball becoming dead in its own end zone under the safety rules.

A punt seeks field position rather than points. A kickoff uses different rules to restart play after specified scores and at the start of halves. After a safety, the team that conceded the points makes a safety kick.

Possession and time

An interception occurs when a defender catches a pass. A recovered fumble can also transfer possession. Each new possession gives the other offense a chance to move and score.

NFL regulation has four fifteen minute quarters, but stoppages make the actual game much longer. A play can continue after the clock reaches zero. Tied regular season and playoff games use overtime rules with different time limits.

If you want to start playing, an organized beginner or flag program is a practical entry point. Flag, youth and college rules can differ from the NFL explanation here. Learn the format’s rules and skills with the people who run that program.