Interception - Definition and Overview

In Canadian or American football, an interception occurs when a quarterback's pass is caught by a player on the opposing team. This leads to an immediate change of possession during the play: the defender who caught the ball immediately assumes the role of the offense and attempts to move the ball as far towards the opposing goal as possible. Following the stoppage of play, if the interceptor retained possession of the ball, their team takes over possession at the spot where the defender was downed.

Interceptions are predominantly made by the secondary or the linebackers, who are usually closest to the quarterback's intended targets: the wide receivers. However, it is not uncommon for a defensive lineman to get the occasional interception from a tipped ball or a near sack.

Lester Hayes of the Oakland Raiders was one of the NFL's leaders at interceptions in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was known for covering his chest, shoulders and forearms with a copious amounts of adhesive ("stickum") to help him hold onto the ball. After the NFL outlawed the use of such foreign substances in 1981 Hayes' success rate at interceptions dropped below average.

Example Usage of Interception