What Is a Lateral in Football? Backward Pass Rules Explained

A lateral in football is a pass that travels sideways or backward from the point where the ball leaves the passer’s hand. The NFL rulebook calls it a backward pass. Unlike a legal forward pass, a lateral can happen anywhere on the field, can be thrown by any runner, and can be used more than once on the same play. The biggest difference is simple: if a lateral hits the ground, the ball stays live.

That final point is why laterals can create spectacular touchdowns and disastrous turnovers. A dropped forward pass normally ends the play. A dropped lateral is a loose ball that either team can recover and, in most situations, advance.

What officially counts as a lateral?

The NFL Football Operations glossary defines a lateral as a pass that goes sideways or backward. The 2026 NFL rulebook uses the formal term backward pass and says a runner may throw one at any time.

The path of the ball determines the ruling. The location of the receiver does not decide it by itself. A receiver can be slightly ahead of the passer and reach back for a ball that traveled sideways. That can still be a legal lateral. If the ball itself moves toward the opponent’s goal line from the release point, it is a forward pass.

A perfectly sideways pass is treated as a backward pass. Broadcasters often call both sideways and backward throws laterals, which is why the familiar term is useful even though the rulebook language is more precise.

How a lateral works

Any runner who possesses the ball can throw a lateral. It may happen behind or beyond the line of scrimmage, before or after a change of possession, and at any point while the play remains live.

Teams use laterals in four common situations:

• An option pitch, when a quarterback forces a defender to choose between the runner and a trailing back.

• A designed trick play, such as a hook and lateral after a completed forward pass.

• A final play, when the offense needs a touchdown and must keep the ball alive after the clock reaches zero.

• A return after an interception or fumble recovery, when a defender pitches to a teammate with a better path.

The offense may still throw one legal forward pass later in the play if the forward pass has not already been used and the passer remains behind the line of scrimmage. That is what makes option pitches and some trick plays legal. Once a legal forward pass has crossed the line and been caught, players may continue the play with laterals, but they cannot throw another forward pass.

Lateral vs. forward pass

Rule question	Legal forward pass	Lateral or backward pass
Direction	Toward the opponent’s goal line	Sideways or backward
Where it may be thrown	From behind the line of scrimmage	Anywhere on the field
Number allowed	One legal forward pass per down	No set limit
If it hits the ground	Incomplete and dead	Live loose ball
After a turnover	Not allowed	Allowed

This difference connects directly to the NFL fumble rules. A backward pass that reaches the ground remains available to either team. The throwing team does not get the safety of an incompletion.

How to read the direction on television

The offense moves toward the top of each panel. Sideways and backward passes are legal laterals; a forward throw is not.

In the diagram, the offense is moving toward the top of the field. A sideways or backward arrow is legal. A forward arrow is not a lateral. The ball’s path from the release point matters more than where the two players’ feet appear on the screen.

Replay angles can make this difficult. A player running forward may release the ball backward while momentum carries both players downfield. The best television angle is usually one that shows a yard line across the entire field. Freeze the ball at release, then compare where it first reaches the teammate, the ground, or the sideline.

Original Football Nation cover and teaching diagram. Both visuals were created with AI under Football Nation editorial direction and checked against the NFL rule.

Why laterals are risky

The reward is another runner in space without ending the play. The risk is immediate loss of possession.

That tradeoff explains why teams do not pitch the ball constantly. Football players wear equipment that limits the easy passing motion seen in rugby. Teammates also have blocking assignments, defenders arrive from different angles, and one inaccurate toss can become a turnover. Coaches usually want a lateral only when it is designed, clearly communicated, or worth the desperation risk.

A normal screen pass can look similar near the line, but a forward screen becomes incomplete if it hits the ground. A backward screen remains live. Watch the ball’s first movement before deciding which rule applies.

Real example: the Music City Miracle

The clearest famous example came in the AFC Wild Card game on January 8, 2000. Buffalo had taken a 16 to 15 lead with 16 seconds remaining. On the kickoff, Tennessee moved the ball to Frank Wycheck, who threw across the field to Kevin Dyson. Dyson ran for the winning touchdown.

Officials reviewed whether Wycheck’s throw traveled forward. The ruling stood as a legal lateral, and Tennessee won 22 to 16. The NFL later ranked the Music City Miracle as its No. 4 greatest play.

The play teaches the central rule. Dyson’s body position looked ahead of Wycheck, but that was not the deciding point. Replay focused on the football’s path. This is also why a lateral finish can be a better last chance than a Hail Mary when the offense is too far from the end zone for one throw.

Common mistakes and misconceptions

The first mistake is assuming every underhand toss is a lateral. Throwing style does not matter. An underhand pass can travel forward, and an overhand pass can travel backward.

The second is believing a lateral must occur behind the line of scrimmage. It can happen anywhere. The line limits a legal forward pass, not a backward pass.

The third is treating a dropped lateral like an incompletion. Players must continue until an official rules the ball dead. Standing still after a backward pass hits the turf can hand the opponent a recovery.

The fourth is focusing only on the receiver. The official judges the ball’s direction. Camera perspective, player momentum, and yard line angles can fool the eye.

Frequently asked questions

How many laterals are allowed on one play?

There is no set limit. A team may throw multiple sideways or backward passes as long as each one is legal and the play is still live.

Can you lateral after crossing the line of scrimmage?

Yes. A runner may throw a backward pass beyond the line of scrimmage. A forward pass from beyond the line would be illegal.

Can the defense throw a lateral after an interception?

Yes. After a defender gains possession, that player becomes a runner and may lateral to a teammate. This is legal after an interception, fumble recovery, or other change of possession.

What happens when a lateral hits the ground?

The ball remains live. Either team may recover it, and either team may usually advance after recovery. That is the practical rule every player and fan should remember.

Can a lateral go out of bounds?

Yes. A backward pass that goes out of bounds between the goal lines becomes dead and returns to the inbounds spot. During a play that starts after the two minute warning, a backward pass out of bounds before a change of possession carries a loss of down and five yard penalty under Rule 8, Section 7, Article 2.

Is a pitch the same as a lateral?

A pitch is a common type of lateral when the ball travels sideways or backward. If a pitch travels forward, it is judged under forward pass rules.

Football Nation takeaway

A lateral is the familiar name for a sideways or backward pass. It can happen anywhere, any runner can throw it, and a team can use more than one on the same play. The essential broadcast cue is the ball’s direction from the release point. If it goes forward, it is not a lateral. If a legal lateral hits the ground, keep watching because the ball is still live.