As if there weren't enough to worry about -- grabbing laser-beam passes from the quarterback, tackling shifty speedsters and avoiding bloodthirsty linebackers -- football players must always keep an eye on the sideline. Regardless of a player's position, the boundary that surrounds the field can be friend and foe. Players must always maintain a feel for how close they are to the sideline and understand its importance.
Measurements
The sideline wraps around the football field, which measures 100 yards in length -- not including the two 10-yard endzones -- and 53 feet in width. While the sideline is often a six-foot thick stripe of chalk, a play is considered dead and the ball out of bounds when any part of a player's body or the ball touches any part of the stripe.
Catches
In the NFL, if a player catches the ball in the air but doesn't touch each foot in bounds before touching the sideline, the pass is incomplete. The rule is different in high school and college football: Receivers must plant only one foot in bounds before stepping out in order to complete a reception. On all levels, though, when a receiver hasn't established complete possession of the ball by the time he makes contact with the sideline, it's an incomplete catch. The same rules apply for the part of the sideline that spans the back of the endzone.
As a Clock Management Tool
The sideline also plays a major role in teams' ability to control the clock. When teams are attempting to drive down the field late in halves, they'll often run plays designed to get out of bounds and stop the clock. When a player goes out of bounds in the final two minutes of the first half or final five minutes of the second half of an NFL game, the clock stops until the referees reset the ball at the new line of scrimmage. During the final two minutes of a half in college and high school football, the clock is stopped when the ball is taken out of bounds, and doesn't restart until the following snap.
More Sideline Notes
Whereas teams trying to come from behind use the clock to save valuable time, teams holding late leads will often play defenses designed to funnel offensive players in bounds, guarding the sidelines and trying to keep the clock ticking. Also, when the ball is fumbled out of bounds, the next play begins from the yard line where the fumble took place, rather than where the ball exited the playing field.
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