Motion (gridiron football)

In gridiron football, motion refers to the movement of an offensive player at the time of the snap.

This movement is not normally considered a subset of the "motion" or "shift" rules, as the player is not judged to be moving into a new pre-snap position; he is merely starting the play too soon.

One purpose for putting players in motion in the modern game is to gain clues about the defensive play call, particularly whether the defense is in "zone" or "man-to-man" coverage, as a defender assigned to cover a motioning offensive player will usually follow him across the formation.

Players in motion might also confuse a defense that does not communicate well, potentially leaving a pass receiver uncovered.

Exceptions are as follows: In leagues that allow forward motion, the moving player(s) cannot cross the line of scrimmage, otherwise a false start penalty is called.