What Football Playing Field White Lines Mean

White lines on a football field are critical to playing the game. By knowing what yard lines, hash lines, and end lines represent, you’ll have an easier time following the game.

The dimensions of a football field haven’t changed much through the years. The field has been 100 yards long and 531/3 yards wide since 1881. In 1912, the two end zones were established to be 10 yards deep and have remained so ever since. Consequently, all football games are played on a rectangular field, 360 feet long and 160 feet wide.

All over the field, you see a bunch of white lines. Every line has a special meaning, as shown here:

Football playing field

• The lines at each end of the field are called the end lines.
• The lines along each side of the field are called the sidelines.
• The goal lines are 10 yards inside and parallel to each end line.
• The area bounded by the goal lines and sidelines is known as the field of play.
• The field is divided in half by the 50-yard line, which is located in the middle of the field.
• The two areas bounded by the goal lines, end lines, and sidelines are known as the end zones.

The field also contains yard lines, hash marks, and lines marking the player benches.

Yard lines, at intervals of 5 yards, run parallel to the goal lines and are marked across the field from sideline to sideline. These lines stop 8 inches short of the 6-foot solid border in the NFL.

Yard lines give players and fans an idea of how far a team must advance the ball in order to record a first down. An offensive team must gain 10 yards in order to post a first down. Consequently, every 10 yards, starting from the goal lines, the field is numbered in multiples of 10.

In the NFL, the bottoms of these numbers are placed 12 yards from each sideline. The numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, and one 50-yard line are 2 yards in length. All these lines and numbers are white.

Hash marks mark each yard line 70 feet, 9 inches from the sidelines in the NFL. In high school and college football, the hash marks are only 60 feet from the sidelines. Two sets of hash marks (each hash is 1 yard in length) run parallel to each other down the length of the field and are approximately 18½ feet apart.

When the ball carrier is either tackled or pushed out of bounds, the officials return the ball in-bounds to the closest hash mark to where it’s spotted. Punted balls that go out of bounds are also marked on the nearest hash mark.

The hash marks are used for ball placement prior to most offensive plays so that more of the game can be played in the middle of the field, which makes the game more wide open. If the ball was placed 20 feet from where it went out of bounds rather than on the closest hash mark, offenses would be restricted to one open side of the field for many of their run and pass plays.

In other words, they would have to run or pass to the right or the left, and wouldn’thave the option to do both. But, when teams run the football and the ball carrier is tackled between the hash marks, the ball is declared dead at that spot and generally is placed where the ball carrier was tackled and stopped.

Player Positions in American Football

When two opposing American football teams meet on the gridiron (playing field), the player positions depend on whether the football team is playing offense or defense. Football pits the offense, the team with the ball, against the defense, which tries to prevent the offense from scoring. Each side lines up facing the other with the football in the middle.
The players on the offensive side of the ball include the
Quarterback: The leader of the team. He calls the plays in the huddle, yells the signals at the line of scrimmage, and receives the ball from the center. Then he hands off the ball to a running back, throws it to a receiver, or runs with it.
Center: The player who snaps the ball to the quarterback. He handles the ball on every play.
Running back: A player who runs with the football. Running backs are also referred to as tailbacks, halfbacks, and rushers.
Fullback: A player who's responsible for blocking for the running back and also for pass-blocking to protect the quarterback. Fullbacks, who are generally bigger than running backs, are short-yardage runners.
Wide receiver: A player who uses his speed and quickness to elude defenders and catch the football. Teams use as many as two to four wide receivers on every play.
Tight end: A player who serves as a receiver and also as a blocker. This player lines up beside the offensive tackle to the right or the left of the quarterback.
Left guard and right guard: The inner two members of the offensive line, whose jobs are to block for and protect the quarterback and ball carriers.
Left tackle and right tackle: The outer two members of the offensive line.
The players on the defensive side of the ball include the
Defensive tackle: The inner two members of the defensive line, whose jobs are to maintain their positions in order to stop a running play or run through a gap in the offensive line to pressure the quarterback or disrupt the backfield formation.
Defensive end: The outer two members of the defensive line. Generally, their jobs are to overcome offensive blocking and meet in the backfield, where they combine to tackle the quarterback or ball carrier. On running plays to the outside, they're responsible for forcing the ball carrier either out of bounds or toward (into) the pursuit of their defensive teammates.
Linebacker: These players line up behind the defensive linemen and generally are regarded as the team's best tacklers. Depending on the formation, most teams employ either three or four linebackers on every play. Linebackers often have the dual role of defending the run and the pass.
Safety: The players who line up the deepest in the secondary — the last line of defense. There are free safeties and strong safeties, and they must defend the deep pass and the run.
Cornerback: The players who line up on the wide parts of the field, generally opposite the offensive receivers.

By Howie Long and John Czarnecki

American football positions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A diagram showing an I formation on offense and a 4-3 formation on defense

In American football, each team has eleven players on the field at one time. The specific role that a player takes on the field is called his position. Under the modern rules of American football, teams are allowed unlimited substitutions; that is, teams may change any number of players after any play. This has resulted in the development of three "platoons" of players: the offense (the team with the ball, which is trying to score), the defense (the team trying to prevent the other team from scoring, and to take the ball from them), and the special teams (who play in kicking situations). Within those platoons, various specific positions exist depending on what each player's main job is.

Patriots agree to deal with TE Fred Davis

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Less than a week after being reinstated by the NFL, tight end Fred Davis found a landing spot.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday that Davis has agreed to a one-year deal with the New England Patriots, according to a source informed of the deal.

Davis was suspended indefinitely in February of 2014 for repeated violations of the NFL's substance-abuse policy. He missed all of last season.

The 29-year-old tight end earned career highs in 2011 with 59 receptions for 796 yards. Since that season he's compiled just 31 catches for 395 yards.

Davis joins a deep tight end group that includes Rob Gronkowski,Michael Hoomanawanui, Tim Wright, Scott Chandler and sixth-round pick A.J. Derby.

Once viewed as a Pro Bowl-level talent, Davis signing is another Bill Belichick special. If Davis doesn't wow, the Pats cut him and move forward. If he flashes some of his 2011 ability, they bought a bargain.

The latest Around The NFL Podcast reacts to the most recent "Deflategate" news and discusses the current state of all 16 NFC teams. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.

Odell Beckham Jr. goes wild over LeBron James winner

The Cleveland Cavaliers evened their playoff series with the Chicago Bulls on Sunday thanks to LeBron James, whose buzzer-beating jumper sealed a huge road win.

James has fans all over the world, but it's hard to imagine too many match the enthusiasm of Giantswide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who just about lost his damn mind while watching the final seconds of the Cavs' victory. Evidential proof:

Beckham's superstar status was sealed last December when James invited Beckham to dinner when the four-time NBA MVP was in town for a Knicks game. James said afterward that he "let (Beckham) pick my brain a little bit." How magnanimous of the King.

"He's just my favorite athlete," a beaming Beckham said the day after, according to the New York Daily News. "Just to be able to meet him and to be able to talk to him, and him to be able to share some words. It was a good time."

Let's hope ODB continues to document his delirious James fandom during the NBA playoffs.

The latest Around The NFL Podcast reacts to the most recent "Deflategate" news and discusses the current state of all 16 NFC teams. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW

Tim Nicot: Second Belgian player dies of cardiac arrest

Lower-league footballer Tim Nicot has become the second Belgian player to die of cardiac arrest in the past two weeks.

The 23-year-old left-back for fourth-tier Wilrijk-Beerschot was playing in a tournament in Hemiksem when he collapsed on Friday.

He was placed in an induced coma and his club confirmed his death on Monday.

In late April, Lokeren defender Gregory Mertens, 24, died after collapsing during a reserve game.

A club statement said Nicot "fought like a bear" and was the "idol of our supporters".

It described him as "always in a good mood, always making time for an umpteenth selfie with a fan".

Three years ago Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba, then 23, suffered a cardiac arrest in an FA Cup game with Tottenham. He was "in effect dead" for 78 minutes but survived, although he never played again.

Nicot's team-mate Wesley Snoeys said: "So many questions. Always the same question comes up: why why why? You left us far too soon. I will never forget you. Forever in my heart."

Jef Snyders, another Wilrijk-Beerschot player, added: "Football will never be the same anymore. Rest in peace mate."

Jerramy Stevens released from jail after DUI sentence

TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) -- Former Seattle Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens has been freed from jail in Los Angeles County after serving two days of a 30-day sentence for drunken driving.

Jail records show that Stevens was booked on Friday morning and released Sunday afternoon. He still must complete a two-year alcohol program and four years of probation.

Stevens, who's married to soccer star Hope Solo, was arrested in Manhattan Beach, California, in January while driving a U.S. women's soccer team van at night with the lights off.

Authorities said his blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit, and he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor drunken driving.

Solo was Stevens' passenger. She was suspended from the national team for 30 days for what were described as health-related issues.