Getty Images: Icon Sportswire / Contributor

Football Lingo 101: Test Your Knowledge

To understand football, you have to also learn a lot of the terminology, and much of the terminology also have slang equivalents, so that makes the learning curve even steeper. So try your luck on this quiz. If you 'bomb' it, don't be too upset. Just go enjoy a tasty turnover!

By Dave Morrissey Issue with this quiz?

Dave Morrissey

Dave is an accomplished economics instructor with over two decades of experience in the prestigious International Baccalaureate program. His students have consistently ranked in the top 10% annually, and one year they achieved the highest overall class average in the world. This outstanding achievement led a UK publisher to request that he write a textbook, an offer he declined in favor of creating sports quizzes, which he found more engaging.

In addition to his teaching career, Dave is also a former high school football coach, having won a couple of local championships. While he wishes he had won more, he continues to be deeply involved in football as a scout, recruiter, and social media creator for a university football team.

Dave's passions extend beyond the classroom and football field. He is an avid fan of live music and international travel, often combining these interests. He has traveled to Spain, England, Iceland, and Chile to see bands perform. His greatest pride and joy is his daughter, who has recently excelled in powerlifting. In just a few years, she has become the Canadian record holder for the bench press in her weight class and finished second overall in the combined national event (bench, deadlift, and squat) in Moose Jaw in March 2024. She will be representing Canada at the World Bench Competition in Austin, Texas, in May 2024.

A die-hard fan of the Las Vegas Raiders, Dave has experienced his share of sports heartache, having seen them play in seven NFL cities with six losses. His all-time favorite athlete is Don Mattingly, reflecting his deep love for sports that spans many arenas.

Football Lingo 101: Test Your Knowledge

What is another name for a football helmet?

Which of these is a slang term for a long pass?

What term describes a situation when the QB changes the play at the line of scrimmage?

What sland term describes a QB who takes the snap and then immediately dives ahead?

What term describes a situation when one defensive lineman loops around another?

In Canadian football, a missed field goal that travels out of the end zone is called a _____.

What term describes a long pass thrown at the very end of a half or game?

What slang term describes when a LB or DB rushes the passer?

What term describes an attempted field goal that hits an upright and bounces back?

What is another name for a PAT ('point after touchdown')?

What slang term describes a QB who lines up about 5 yards behind the center?

What term describes an interception returned for a touchdown?

What food term is another name for a fumble or interception?

What term describes the area around the QB where he is attempting to pass?

What is the nickname for the area of the field between the 20 yard lines and the goal line?

What term describes a QB who is throwing fast-paced, accurate passes?

What term describes a situation when a punt returned immediately drops a punt?

What term describes a punt goes into a team's end zone?

What term describes a formatioin where a running back lines up behind the center and receives a shotgun snap?

What term describes a punt that goes out of bounds inside a team's 20 yard line?

More Sports Content We Think You'll Love

Dave Morrissey