Editing Touchback (section)

{{Short description|Ruling in American football}}
{{About|the football term|the 2011 film|Touchback (film)}}
In [[American football]], a '''touchback''' is a ruling that is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line (i.e., in their [[end zone]]) and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to travel over the goal line, but did not have possession of the ball when it became dead.<ref name = ss2013>{{cite book |author= National Football League |url= http://www.nfl.com/rulebook |title= 2012 Official Playing Rules and Casebook |access-date= September 12, 2013}}</ref> Since the 2018 season, touchbacks have also been awarded in college football on kickoffs that end in a fair catch by the receiving team between its own 25-yard line and goal line.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/change-footballs-kickoff-rule-recommended|title=Changes to football's kickoff rule recommended |publisher=NCAA |date=March 2, 2019|access-date=March 3, 2019}}</ref> In the 2023 season, the NFL adopted the same rules as college football in regard to awarding touchbacks on kickoffs that end in a fair catch.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL owners pass rule to place ball at 25-yard line following fair catches on kickoffs |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-owners-pass-rule-to-place-ball-25-yard-line-fair-catch-kickoff |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2024, the NFL changed its touchback rule on kickoffs to provide for different placements depending on how the ball entered the end zone. If the kick went into the end zone on the fly, or sailed over the end zone, the ball would be placed on the 30-yard line. The placement remained at the 20 for touchbacks resulting from kicks that bounced into the end zone. This was part of a radical change to the league's kickoff procedure.<ref name=NFL2024>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39812700/nfl-owners-approve-massive-revamp-kickoff-play |title=NFL owners approve massive revamp to kickoff play |first=Kevin |last=Seifert |website=ESPN.com |date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 26, 2024}}</ref> For the 2025 season, the placement on touchbacks following kickoffs that sail over the end zone or enter it on the fly was moved to the 35-yard line.<ref name=NFL2025>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44490561/sources-nfl-owners-ok-kickoff-ot-replay-rule-changes |title=NFL owners approve kickoff, replay assist, OT rule changes |first=Kevin |last=Seifert |website=ESPN.com |date=April 1, 2025 |access-date=April 3, 2025}}</ref> Such impetus may be imparted by a kick, pass, fumble, or in certain instances by batting the ball. A touchback is not a play, but a result of events that may occur during a play. A touchback is the opposite of a [[Safety (American and Canadian football score)|safety]] with regard to impetus since a safety is scored when the ball becomes dead in a team's end zone after ''that team'' — the team whose end zone it is — caused the ball to cross the goal line.

The result of a touchback is that the team in whose end zone the ball became dead receives possession of the ball and starts play with a first [[Down (gridiron football)|down]] at its own 20-, 25-, or 35-yard line, depending on the situation and league.