Why Do They Call It First And Goal In American Football?

First and goal is a very common term in American football, and the act of earning a first and goal is one of the most important responsibilities football offenses have. It is called first and goal because a team is within 10 yards of the goal line and the other team’s end zone. It is a phrase used to denote how close a team is from scoring a touchdown. Typically a number is used instead of the word goal, such as “First and 10,” “Second and 8,” or “Fourth and 1.”

Goal Line

The goal line is the line that marks the front of each team’s end zone. It’s used to determine if a score is made. The ball must touch or cross the goal line in possession of a player in order to be considered a touchdown.

Line of Scrimmage

The line of scrimmage is the point on the field where the ball is placed to start a down. Neither team can cross the line of scrimmage before the play starts, or else they’ll be called for an offsides penalty. You can see it as a blue line when watching football on TV. Once a player crosses the line of scrimmage, they cannot make a forward pass.

1st Down Line

The first down line is a yard line that shows the distance a team needs to travel to get a first down. You can see it as a yellow line when watching football on TV; however, it is not specifically marked on the field. Once a team crosses the first down line, the ball is placed where the runner is ruled down, and the new 1st down line is placed ten yards away.

Scrimmage Downs

A scrimmage down is just a fancy word that means any play that starts on the line of scrimmage. For short, people call them downs. Each team gets four scrimmage downs to try and achieve a first down, score a touchdown, or kick a field goal.

The Down Cycle

When a team gets possession of the ball in football, they are given a set of four scrimmage downs to move the ball down the field. These scrimmage downs are called:

• 1st Down
• 2nd Down
• 3rd Down
• 4th Down

The first down line is initially placed 10 yards from the line of scrimmage. If a team fails to reach the first down line in four scrimmage downs, they must turn the ball over to the other team as a result of the turnover on downs. However, if a team reaches the first down line on any of the downs, the down cycle starts over, and the 1st down line is once again placed 10 yards away from the line of scrimmage.

Down and Distance

Now that we understand the basics of ball movement in football, we can put it all together to understand down and distance or your question on what is “first and goal.”

Usually, you will see down and distance represented by a number like “first and 10,” “second and 15,” or “fourth and 1.” The first part of the phrase is the current scrimmage down. The second part of the phrase is the distance to the first down line a team needs to travel to get a first down and for the down cycle to start over.

1st & 10

Down: First Down

Distance: 10 yards (to the first down line)

2nd & 15

Down: Second Down

Distance: 15 yards (to the first down line)

4th & 1

Down: Fourth Down

Distance: 1 yard (to the first down line)

In some cases, the first down line is replaced with the word “goal.” This means that the first down line is the goal line and the team with the ball is within 10 yards of the goal line.

1st & Goal

Down: First Down

Distance: The Goal Line (first down line)

2nd & Goal

Down: Second Down

Distance: The Goal Line (first down line)

FAQ

First and goal in football is when the team with the ball gains a first down within the opponent’s 10-yard line. In this case, the team with the ball must either score a touchdown or kick a field goal within four downs in order to score points. First and goal is a team’s first down once they are in a goal-to-go scenario.

When does a first and goal happen?

First and goal happens when a team obtains a first down less than 10 yards away from the end zone. First and goal happens all the time in football. It is the same thing as a regular down, it’s just given a slightly different name to indicate that the offensive team is close to scoring a touchdown.

Can a team have first and goal without being within 10 yards of the end zone?

Yes, teams can be on first and goal without being within 10 yards of the end zone. This would take place in the event of an offensive penalty that does not result in a loss of down. Further, second and goal, third and goal, and fourth and goal are all also possible outside of the opposing team’s 10-yard line, in the event of sacks or other plays that result in a loss of yards.