Football Word Search Printable for PE, Game Week and Bus Rides

Print a football puzzle and its answer key, with lists for positions, plays, the field and the flags.

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Football Word Search

Find every word hidden in the grid. Words go across and down.

0 of 16 words found

UJKWDAORIEAEMOP

UPTHUDDLEYCCIPA

NIUNJDGOALPOSTS

CENNTYBLOESACKS

IEYLFEPGRIDIRON

AILRNMEABTAOIST

OJHENTFOLNSEMPA

CHSFSSLNITEOMEC

TENEQUARTERBACK

ELARBMGSZNELGTL

AMPEWRPUNTTMEME

REAEBOTEHYDALEN

TTOUCHDOWNOWRFF

UTPGZURYTOMIDAE

YLINEBACKERUHZF

This grid is wider and taller than its box. Slide it to see every letter.To drag, hold the first letter for a moment, then slide.Keyboard: Tab to the grid, arrow keys to move, Enter on the first and last letter.

QuarterbackQUARTERBACK
LinebackerLINEBACKER
HuddleHUDDLE
SnapSNAP
PassPASS
TackleTACKLE
SackSACK
BlitzBLITZ
PuntPUNT
TouchdownTOUCHDOWN
GoalpostGOALPOST
GridironGRIDIRON
ScrimmageSCRIMMAGE
HelmetHELMET
RefereeREFEREE
FlagFLAG

16 of 24 words from the Favorite Football Words list.

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Answer key: Football Word Search

UJKWDAORIEAEMOP

UPTHUDDLEYCCIPA

NIUNJDGOALPOSTS

CENNTYBLOESACKS

IEYLFEPGRIDIRON

AILRNMEABTAOIST

OJHENTFOLNSEMPA

CHSFSSLNITEOMEC

TENEQUARTERBACK

ELARBMGSZNELGTL

AMPEWRPUNTTMEME

REAEBOTEHYDALEN

TTOUCHDOWNOWRFF

UTPGZURYTOMIDAE

YLINEBACKERUHZF

QUARTERBACK, LINEBACKER, HUDDLE, SNAP, PASS, TACKLE, SACK, BLITZ, PUNT, TOUCHDOWN, GOALPOST, GRIDIRON, SCRIMMAGE, HELMET, REFEREE, FLAG

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All 173 words

Football Positions 23

Backfield The area behind the line of scrimmage, and the group of players who line up there.
Center The lineman at the center of the offensive line. He usually snaps the ball to start a play.
Cornerback A defensive back who lines up across from a wide receiver and covers him on passing plays.
Defensive end A defender at the outside edge of the line whose main job is to pressure the quarterback.
Fullback A back who once lined up deepest of all. In the modern game he blocks more than he carries.
Guard One of the two offensive linemen who set up on either side of the center.
Halfback The back who carries the ball most often on running plays. Another name is tailback.
Holder Catches the snap, then stands the ball on the ground for the kicker to strike.
Kicker The specialist who boots field goals, extra points and, on most teams, kickoffs.
Linebacker A defender a few yards behind the defensive line who must stop both runs and passes.
Lineman A player who sets up along the scrimmage line itself, whether for the offense or the defense.

Show all 173 words (162 more)

Football Positions, continued

Long snapper A center who specializes in the far, accurate snaps needed for punts and field goal tries.
Nose tackle The big defensive lineman who sets up directly across from the center.
Punter The specialist who drops the ball and boots it far downfield, most often on fourth down.
Quarterback The leader of the offense, who calls the play in the huddle and throws most of the passes.
Receiver An offensive player whose main job is to run routes and catch passes.
Returner The player who fields a kickoff or punt and runs it back up the field.
Rookie An athlete in a first professional season.
Running back The player who waits behind the line to take handoffs and carry the ball on rushing plays.
Safety The last line of the defense. Also the 2 points given when a runner is downed in his own end zone.
Secondary The cornerbacks and safeties as a group. Their main job is to defend against the pass.
Special teams The units that come on for kickoffs, punts, field goal tries and extra points.
Tight end Part blocker, part pass catcher. This player lines up right beside the offensive line.

Huddle and Passing 23

Audible A change of play that the quarterback calls at the line, after the huddle has broken.
Buttonhook A receiver runs straight upfield, plants hard and turns back toward the quarterback.
Cadence The pattern of colors and numbers a quarterback calls out to start a play.
Catch Getting secure hold of a thrown ball before it touches the ground.
Checkdown When every deep receiver is covered, the quarterback dumps the ball short to a nearby back.
Completion A forward throw that a teammate catches. Quarterbacks count theirs.
Flea flicker A trick play: handoff to a runner, who flips the ball back so the quarterback can still pass.
Formation How the offense lines up before the snap, often named for where the backs stand.
Hike Another word for the snap that starts a play.
Huddle The team gathers in a tight circle on the field to hear the next play.
Motion Movement by an eligible receiver behind the line just before the snap.
Pass A throw of the ball through the air to a teammate, either forward or sideways.
Play action The quarterback fakes a handoff to pull defenders toward the run, then throws.
Pocket The protected space behind the blockers where the quarterback stands to throw.
Pump fake The quarterback starts a throwing motion but keeps the ball in hand to fool the defense.
Reception A forward throw caught by a teammate beyond the line of scrimmage. Receivers count theirs.
Route The path a receiver takes to get free for a throw. A chart of them all is called a tree.
Scramble The quarterback runs out of the pocket to escape a sack, buy time or gain yards.
Shift Two or more offensive players change spots at once. All must stop fully before the snap.
Slant A receiver runs a few yards upfield, plants the outside foot and cuts 45 degrees to the inside.
Snap The center sends the ball back between his legs to start a play from scrimmage.
Spike The quarterback throws the ball straight into the ground to stop the clock. It costs a down.
Spiral The smooth spin of a well-thrown ball, with its pointed ends staying on line and no wobble.

Running Plays 20

Block Using the body to get in the way of a defender so a teammate can run or throw.
Bootleg The quarterback fakes a handoff, then carries the ball the opposite way to run or throw.
Carry One attempt to run with the ball. A back counts them as a statistic.
Counter The back steps one way, then takes the handoff going the other way to fool the defense.
Cut A quick, hard turn a runner makes to dodge a tackler.
Dive A quick handoff to a back who runs straight at the middle of the line.
Draw A run dressed up as a pass: the quarterback backs away, then slips the ball to a runner.
Gain Yards moved toward the other end zone on a play.
Handoff One player places the ball directly in the hands of a teammate. It is never in the air.
Juke A deceptive move that gets a runner past a tackler without any contact.
Kneel The quarterback takes the snap and drops to one knee, ending the play while the clock runs.
Lateral A sideways or backward toss to a teammate, also called a pitch. It is legal anywhere on the field.
Option The quarterback chooses after the snap: hand the ball off, keep it, or pitch it to a back.
Pancake A block so strong that it puts the defender flat on the ground.
Reverse A back runs toward one side, then hands the ball to a teammate running the opposite way.
Rush A running play. The same word names the charge of defenders toward the passer.
Sneak The quarterback takes the snap and pushes straight ahead for a yard or less.
Stiff arm A ball carrier pushes a would-be tackler away with a straight, locked elbow.
Sweep A run to the outside with several blockers leading the ball carrier.
Trap A blocking trick: a defender is let through the line, then hit from the side by a pulling lineman.

Defense and Kicking 21

Blitz Linebackers or defensive backs leave their usual spots and charge at the quarterback.
Coverage Guarding receivers so they cannot catch the ball. It can be man-to-man or by area.
Drop kick The ball is dropped and booted just after it bounces. Rare today because the ball is pointed.
Fair catch A returner waves one arm overhead, fields the kick untouched, and the play ends there.
Fumble A ball carrier loses hold of the ball before the play ends. Either team may recover it.
Goal line stand A defense stops the offense from scoring a touchdown from very close range.
Interception A defender catches a throw that was meant for the other team.
Kickoff The free kick that starts each half and restarts play after a touchdown or field goal.
Onside kick A kickoff booted short on purpose so the kicking team can try to get the ball back.
Pick A short, everyday word for an interception.
Place kick Booting a ball that is held still on the ground or set on a tee.
Punt A player drops the ball and kicks it before it lands, to push the other team far back.
Recovery Gaining control of a loose ball after a fumble. Either team can make one.
Return Running the ball back up the field after fielding a kick or making an interception.
Sack Bringing down the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw.
Squib kick A low kickoff that bounces along the ground a few times, to prevent a long runback.
Stunt Defensive linemen switch roles and cross paths to get past the blockers.
Tackle Stopping the ball carrier by bringing him to the ground. Also a position on each line.
Touchback A kicked ball is downed in the receiving team's own end zone, so there is no runback.
Turnover Losing the ball to the other team, usually through a fumble or an interception.
Zone Pass coverage in which each defender looks after a patch of the field, not a single receiver.

Scoring and Downs 22

Conversion The try after a touchdown. Running or passing the ball into the end zone earns 2 points.
Drive A string of plays by one offense that gains yards and first downs.
Extra point Worth 1 point: a kick through the uprights right after a touchdown.
Field goal Worth 3 points: a kick that goes over the crossbar and between the uprights.
First down A fresh set of four plays, usually earned by moving the ball 10 yards.
Fourth down The last play of a set. Most teams punt or try a field goal here.
Half Two periods of play. A kickoff starts each one.
Kick To strike the ball with the foot. Punts and field goals are two types.
Line to gain The imaginary stripe the offense must reach for a first down. TV often paints it yellow.
Loss A play that ends behind the spot where it began, so the yardage counts as negative.
Overtime Extra play when the score is tied after four periods.
Pick six An interception run the whole way back for a touchdown. The number is the points scored.
Play clock The timer between plays. Snap the ball before it runs out or lose 5 yards.
Points What the scoreboard counts: 6, 3, 2 or 1 at a time. The team with the most wins.
Possession Control of the ball, by a player or by a team.
Quarter One of the four timed periods of a game.
Series A set of plays that starts on first down and lasts until a new first down, a score or a turnover.
Spot The place where an official sets the ball after a play ends.
Three and out An offense runs a trio of plays, fails to move 10 yards and has to punt.
Touchdown Worth 6 points: the ball is carried into, or caught in, the other team's end zone.
Try The rule book name for the one untimed scoring chance a team gets after a touchdown.
Yard The unit of distance in the game: 3 feet. The goal lines are 100 of them apart.

The Football Field 19

Bleachers Raised, tiered rows of bench seats for the fans.
Coffin corner Where the sideline meets the goal line. Punters aim there to pin the other team deep.
Crossbar The horizontal part of the kicking target, 10 feet above the ground.
End line The boundary at the very back of each scoring area.
End zone The scoring area, 10 yards deep, between the goal line and the back boundary.
Flat The area near each sideline, just past the line of scrimmage, where backs catch short throws.
Goal line The stripe at the front of each scoring area. Any part of the ball breaking its plane scores.
Goalpost The tall kicking target centered on the back boundary at each end of the field.
Gridiron A nickname for the field, from its pattern of parallel lines, and for the sport itself.
Hash marks Two rows of short lines, 1 yard apart. Every play starts on or between them.
Neutral zone The strip of field between the two teams' lines before the ball is snapped.
Pylon A square orange marker that stands at each of the four corners of a scoring area.
Red zone The last 20 yards before the goal line. It is not actually painted that color.
Scrimmage An informal practice game. Also part of the name of the invisible line where a play starts.
Sideline The boundary down each long side of the field.
Tackle box The area between the spots where the two outer blockers of the offensive line set up.
Turf The playing surface: natural grass, or synthetic fibers made to look like it.
Uprights The two tall vertical poles that rise from the ends of the horizontal bar.
Yard line A white stripe across the field every 5 yards, with numerals every 10.

Football Gear 18

Bladder The rubber lining inside the ball that holds the air.
Chin strap It passes under the jaw to hold the headgear in place.
Cleats Shoes with studs on the soles to grip the grass. Longer studs suit a wet field.
Eye black Dark grease or strips worn on the cheeks to cut glare from sunlight and stadium lights.
Face mask The coated metal bars across the front of the headgear. Grabbing them is a foul.
Football The ball itself: four leather panels, pointed at both ends, roughly the shape of a lemon.
Girdle A snug undergarment with pockets that hold the hip and tailbone protection.
Gloves Receivers wear a pair with sticky palms. Linemen wear a pair with thick padding.
Helmet Headgear with a tough shell and a cushioned lining. No one plays the tackle game without one.
Jersey The numbered team shirt, made tight so an opponent has little to grab.
Laces The cord threaded along one seam of the ball. It gives the fingers a grip for throwing.
Leather What a game ball is made of, stamped with a pebble grain to help players grip it.
Mouthguard A protective piece worn over the teeth and gums.
Pads Foam and hard plastic worn on the shoulders, hips, thighs and knees to soften hits.
Pants Tight game legwear with four inside pockets that hold the thigh and knee protection.
Pigskin A nickname for the ball, although the leather actually comes from cows.
Tee A small stand that holds the ball up off the ground for a kickoff.
Visor A clear or tinted eye shield on the headgear that guards against glare and impacts.

Flags and Officials 27

Back judge The official who stands deep in the middle of the field, behind the defense.
Chain crew The sideline team that holds two poles joined by links exactly 10 yards long.
Clipping An illegal block: hitting a player from the back, at the waist or lower.
Coin toss Captains meet the crew chief at midfield before the game to decide who kicks off.
Dead ball What the football is called when it is no longer in play.
Delay of game The offense fails to snap the ball before the timer between plays runs out. It costs 5 yards.
Down One play, from the snap until the ball is dead. An offense gets four to move 10 yards.
Encroachment A defender crosses the line and touches an opponent before the snap.
False start A player on offense moves ahead of the snap. It costs 5 yards.
Flag A weighted yellow cloth that an official throws to mark a foul.
Foul Any breaking of the rules that an official marks with a thrown yellow cloth.
Grounding A quarterback throws the ball away on purpose, with no receiver near it, to avoid a sack.
Holding Illegally using a hand or arm to restrain a player without the ball.
Horse collar A banned way to pull a runner down: by the back inside of his shoulder pads or jersey.
Illegal motion A foul: someone on offense is heading toward the defense at the instant of the snap.
Interference A foul for blocking a receiver's fair chance to catch a pass before the ball arrives.
Line judge The official on one sideline, level with the ball, who watches for offside as the snap goes.
Offside A player is across his line at the moment the ball is put in play.
Out of bounds On or past the sideline or the back boundary, where the play stops.
Penalty Yards marched off against a team that breaks a rule, usually in steps of 5.
Referee The crew chief, in a white cap, who has the final say on every ruling.
Replay Video of a play shown again. Officials may review it and overturn a call.
Roughing Illegal contact with the passer after the throw has already left his hand.
Sticks The poles at the ends of the 10-yard measuring links on the sideline.
Stripes The black-and-white shirt pattern, worn since the 1920s, that got officials nicknamed zebras.
Umpire The official who watches the blocking along the line and calls most holding fouls.
Whistle An official blows it to tell players that the play has ended.

How this list was compiled: 173 American football words chosen and defined for this site, in eight themed lists (positions; huddle and passing; running plays; defense and kicking; scoring and downs; the field; gear; flags and officials) plus three cross-cutting lists: the 24 single-word favorites that open the page, 45 short words of 3 to 5 letters and 21 long words of 9 to 12 letters. 46 entries are two or three words (Tight end, Running back, Long snapper, Defensive end, Nose tackle, Special teams, Play action, Pump fake, Flea flicker, Stiff arm, Onside kick, Fair catch, Squib kick, Drop kick, Place kick, Goal line stand, Field goal, Extra point, First down, Fourth down, Play clock, Three and out, Line to gain, Pick six, End zone, Goal line, End line, Yard line, Hash marks, Red zone, Neutral zone, Tackle box, Coffin corner, Face mask, Chin strap, Eye black, Line judge, Back judge, False start, Delay of game, Coin toss, Chain crew, Dead ball, Out of bounds, Illegal motion, Horse collar); the grid hides each as one run of letters and the list shows it as typed. Inside any one list no word contains another, forwards or backwards, which is why Tackle sits with the defense away from Nose tackle and Tackle box, Kick sits in the scoring list away from Kickoff, and Down sits with the officials away from Touchdown and First down. No clue contains its own word, because the clue replaces the word in clue mode. Football here means American football. The words are generic names of positions, plays, places, equipment and calls: no league, team, bowl game, trophy, stadium, player, product or brand name is included. Figures that change with the level of play were left out (clock lengths, the distance between the uprights, where the hash marks sit, the kickoff spot, roster sizes); the figures kept are the ones the cited articles give for every level: 6, 3, 2 and 1 points, four downs to make 10 yards, end zones 10 yards deep, a crossbar 10 feet up, yard lines every 5 yards. Definitions are our own wording; on 2026-09-20 the clues that ran close to a cited article were rewritten, and the yards given for a face mask foul were taken out because high school rules differ. Facts were checked on 2026-09-19 against these English Wikipedia articles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_American_football_terms , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football_positions , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football_field , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_(gridiron_football) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protective_equipment_in_gridiron_football , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_(gridiron_football) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_helmet , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_mask_(gridiron_football) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoulder_pad_(sport) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinstrap , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouthguard , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleat_(shoe) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_black , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tee , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_zone , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goal_line_(gridiron_football) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_scrimmage , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_marks , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_crew , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penalty_flag , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penalty_(gridiron_football) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holding_(American_football) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roughing_the_passer , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_replay , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_turf , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleacher , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huddle , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarterback , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_back , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide_receiver , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_(gridiron_football) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placekicker , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tackle_(football_move) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interception , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumble , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_pass , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onside_kick , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_(gridiron_football) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-point_conversion , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Route_(gridiron_football) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rookie . Spellings follow those articles. Licence: own work

How it works

Homecoming week, a PE unit or a long bus ride to an away game: this football word search printable opens on 16 favorites, such as Touchdown, Huddle and Blitz. Football here means the American game.

Read the full guide

Eight lists for the game, three by length

Football Positions runs from Quarterback to Long snapper. Flags and Officials is the longest themed list at 27 words: the fouls from False start to Horse collar, the Chain crew and their Sticks, and Stripes, the shirts that got officials nicknamed zebras. Six more lists cover passing, running plays, defense and kicking, scoring, the field and gear. Easy Football Words has 45 short words; Hard Football Words has 21 long ones, Interception among them.

Paper, or a football word search PDF

Print or save as PDF gives two sheets: the grid with the words to find, then the answer key with each hidden word outlined. For a football word search printable PDF, pick Save as PDF in the print window.

Tick Show clues, not words in More options, and the Referee line starts "The crew chief, in a white cap".
Field goal and End zone are hidden without the space, as FIELDGOAL and ENDZONE. Tell pupils before they start.
After the other football? The soccer word search has Striker, Nutmeg and Offside.

Questions and answers

Is there a football word search for kids in kindergarten or first grade?

Yes. Pick Easy Football Words, then open More options and tick Large print. Punt, Snap, Sack and Flag then run across and down only. Take words off the list until 8 are left for a shorter hunt.

Do the clues in this football word search free printable give the points for each score?

Yes. In Scoring and Downs the clues carry the points: Touchdown 6, Field goal 3, Safety 2, Extra point 1. Pick six is there too, an interception run back for a touchdown, along with Three and out and Line to gain.

Why are there no team or player names in the puzzle?

Team and league names are trademarks, players' names belong to the players, and rosters change every season. The lists stick to the game itself, which counts its first game as November 6, 1869, between two college teams.

All 173 words

Football Positions 23

Football Positions, continued

Huddle and Passing 23

Running Plays 20

Defense and Kicking 21

Scoring and Downs 22

The Football Field 19

Football Gear 18

Flags and Officials 27

How it works

Eight lists for the game, three by length

Paper, or a football word search PDF

Questions and answers

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