Quarterback sneak - Definition and Overview

A quarterback sneak is a play in American football in which the quarterback, upon taking the center snap, dives ahead behind the offensive line.

The advantages of this play are that there are no further ball exchanges beyond the center snap, and that the quarterback receives the ball almost at the line of scrimmage so that it is unlikely that significant yardage could be lost on the play. However, it is also very unlikely that the play will gain more than one yard or so. For this reason, it is almost solely used on goal-line situations and on third and fourth down with a yard or less (usually inches) to go.

Perhaps the most famous quarterback sneak in football history was executed by Bart Starr of the Green Bay Packers in the famous "Ice Bowl" NFL championship game against the Dallas Cowboys on December 31, 1967.