Possession · interceptions, fumbles and turnovers
American football turnovers: interceptions, fumbles and changes of possession
A practical guide to how possession changes after an interception, fumble, failed fourth down or punt, and why not every change of possession is counted as a turnover.
What a turnover means
A turnover is a change of possession caused by the offense losing the ball, most commonly through an interception or a fumble recovered by the defense. A turnover on downs is also a change of possession, but statistical turnover totals usually refer to interceptions and lost fumbles.
Interceptions
An interception occurs when a defensive player catches a legal forward pass before it becomes incomplete. Possession changes immediately, and the defender may return the ball until the play ends. The offense that threw the pass becomes the defense.
Fumbles and recoveries
A fumble is a loose ball after a player who had possession loses control other than by handing, passing or kicking the ball. While the ball remains live, either team may recover it. A fumble is only a lost fumble when the opponent secures possession.
Turnover on downs, punts and field position
If an offense fails to gain the line to gain on fourth down, the opponent receives the ball at the dead-ball spot: a turnover on downs. A punt deliberately gives possession away to improve field position. Punts and turnover on downs change possession but are not normally counted with interceptions and lost fumbles in a team’s turnover statistic.