Fumblerooski

In American football, the fumblerooski is a trick play in which the football is intentionally and stealthily placed on the ground (fumbled) by an offensive player, usually the quarterback. The offensive team then attempts to distract and confuse the defense by pretending that a ball carrier is running in one direction while another offensive player retrieves the ball from the turf and runs in a different direction, hoping to gain significant yardage before the defense realizes which player is actually carrying the football.

The fumblerooski traces its roots back to deceptive plays from the early days of football, and the infrequent usage of the play and its variations in the modern game often draws much fan and media attention. The NCAA banned the original version of the play following the 1992 season and the NFL has considered it a "forward fumble" for many years, making it illegal. Legal variations of the play's deceptive strategy are still sometimes used.

The fumblerooski typically begins with the quarterback deliberately placing (or in some cases bouncing) the ball on the turf immediately upon receiving the snap from the center, technically fumbling it. The quarterback then either runs as if he still has the ball or pretends to hand it to another player in an attempt to trick the defense into thinking that the offense is executing a conventional running play, often towards the sideline. Once the flow of the defense is moving away from the ball, a predetermined offensive player (often an offensive lineman) secretly picks it up and runs in a different direction, trying to gain as many yards as possible before the defense realizes that they are not pursuing the actual ball carrier.

There are several variations on the play, but they all rely on the element of surprise and misdirection, as the play is easily stopped and a turnover could result if a defender notices the ball being placed on the turf.

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