What Is The Endzone In Football?

The endzone in football refers to the scoring area at either end of the field. The endzone is ten yards deep fifty-three yards wide. This area of the field is marked with a thick white line along all its edges as well as two bright orange pylons at the front of the endzone.

The front line of the end zone is referred to as the goal line. In order for a touchdown to be scored the ball must simply break the plane of the goal line as opposed to crossing it.

The reason endzones were created in football was due to the forward pass. Previously players would simply continue running until they reached the goal line and a touchdown would be awarded.

Once forward passing was introduced to the game players needed an area of the field they could run to in order to catch touchdown passes.

Once the endzone was created players were able to use these extra ten yards to get open for a touchdown pass.

The uprights are located just outside the back of the endzone. They are used when a team is looking to convert a field goal or extra point conversion.

The uprights are located outside of the endzone so that players do not run into them during the play.

When a team is within twenty yards of the endzone it is often called the redzone. This area of the field is important because it is where the majority of points are scored from.

Rules That Involve The Endzone

Now that you understand what the endzone is in football you may be wondering how this portion of the field affects the game. Below we will break down the major rules that take the endzone into account.

Touchdowns

The most important rule regarding the endzone in football is touchdowns. Touchdowns are scored when a player enters the opposing team’s endzone while possessing the ball. When a team enters the endzone and scores a touchdown they will be awarded six points.

After the touchdown, the team will have an option to earn one or two points. A one-point conversion involves a short kick through the uprights. While a two-point conversion allows the offense one play to get the ball into the endzone from the two-yard line.

In order for a touchdown to be scored a player only has to break the plane of the endzone while possessing the ball.

Safeties

Another scoring play that involves the endzone is safeties. A safety in football occurs when a player is tackled in their own endzone while possessing the ball.

Safeties are only called if a player takes himself into his own endzone while possessing the ball. Being carried into the endzone or falling into the endzone from momentum will not result in a safety.

When a safety has been scored the team on defense will receive two points and possession of the ball.

The possession of the ball will be changed via free-kick from the team that was tackled in their own endzone.

Touchbacks

The other rule that involves the endzone in football is a touchback. A touchback in football occurs when a player is downed in their endzone and did not possess the ball outside of it.

If the ball is never possessed outside of the endzone when a player is downed inside it will be a touchback instead of a safety. A touchback also occurs when the ball travels out the back of the endzone.

When a touchback occurs the team that was tackled in the endzone will start from their twenty-yard line. When a touchback occurs on a kick off the team will get the ball at the twenty yard line or twenty five yard line.

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