The NFL has always had ambitious plans to extend its reach beyond the confines of the US. It’s also been keen to draw in new demographics.
In recent times it’s been highly successful on both counts thanks to its international expansion – now games are regularly played everywhere from the UK to Spain and beyond. And, in an unexpected twist, the relationship between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce has brought many Swifties into the NFL fold.
Ever since betting on sports was legalized in the US back in 2018, there has also been an increasing interest in the NFL, with more and more people choosing to make watching a game a little more interesting by placing a wager or two on sites like DraftKings.
Like all sports, American Football, and the betting around it, has its own vocabulary and jargon that takes newcomers a little while to get into. If you’re a rookie to the sport, hopefully what follows will help to demystify some of the things you’ll hear about the game. So if you want to discover the difference between throwing a Hail Mary or a Hospital Pass, read on.
Game play
Most of the jargon that you’ll hear will be about the way in which the game’s being played as well as specific events in the game.
Some are plain confusing, and one example of this is the Blitz. While it sounds like an attacking move, it’s actually a defensive one. It involves four or more of the defense running at full speed towards the opposing quarterback in an attempt to tackle him and ultimately get hold of the ball.
Often, this can result in a Fumble. This is when the player who’s in control of the ball either drops it or has it knocked loose by the other team. If the defense then goes on to recover the ball, this is known as a Turnover.
As arguably the most important player on the field, great efforts are made to protect the quarterback. So, in the face of a Blitz or another attacking move, you might hear about a Pocket being formed. This involves the area formed around him by teammates to prevent a Sacking from occurring. This doesn’t mean the QB is set to be dismissed from the team – it just means that he is tackled and loses possession of the ball.
Types of pass
There are also various expressions for the sorts of passes that can be made in the course of play. One of the most dramatic of these is known as the Hail Mary. This is when the QB takes his chances with a very long up-field throw towards a receiver.
The hope is that this will result in a touchdown and is usually seen as quite a desperate move and a last-ditch attempt to either win or save a game. Its origins are obscure, but it’s thought to have been first said in the 1930s. Its most famous usage in the modern era came when the Dallas Cowboys QB Roger Staubach worked with wide receiver Drew Pearson to beat the Minnesota Vikings with the last throw of the game. Afterwards, he was quoted as saying, “I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary”.
Another, less hopeful, way of moving the ball around the field is known as the Hospital Pass. This is the sort of delivery that every receiver dreads. It’s likely that a number of the opposing team’s players are bearing down on him as the ball heads his way. If he’s lucky, he’ll make the catch and run with the ball, but if he’s not, well, you can guess the rest . . .
When you hear the expression Icing The Kicker, you might expect it to have the same connotations as a hospital pass. But it’s likely to have a far less violent outcome.
It actually refers to a tactical move from the opposition that involves calling a time-out just as the kicker is about to kick. It’s designed to break concentration and take momentum away from the opposition.
Types of player
We’ve all heard of the GOAT, even if there’s never general agreement about which player it might be. But there are two other expressions that you’ll probably hear being used too.
The first of these is the Locker Room Guy. He’s not the star of the show; in fact, he probably doesn’t play every game. But he’s one player who boosts morale thanks to his huge experience.
Then there’s the Bell Cow or the Workhorse of the team. Often a running back or a tight end, this is a player who gets more than his fair share of action with the ball. Every team needs one to succeed.
So there you have it. A quick introduction to football jargon. The more you watch, the more you’ll pick up – and soon you’ll be speaking it like an expert!
