Editing Lateral pass (section)

==Rules== 
While a forward pass may only be thrown once per [[down (American football)|down]] by the team on offense from within or behind the [[Neutral zone (American football)|neutral zone]], there are no restrictions on the use of lateral passes; any player legally carrying the ball may throw a lateral pass from any position on the field at any time, any player may receive such a pass, and any number of lateral passes may be thrown on a single play.<ref name="lateral"/> Additionally, a player receiving a lateral pass may throw a forward pass if he is still behind the neutral zone, subject to the forward pass rules.<ref name="forward">[http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/forwardpass NFL Rules Digest: Forward Pass], NFL.com.</ref> A lateral is the only type of pass that can be legally thrown following a change of possession during a play.
[[File:Pitch to Jeremy Ross at ASU at Cal 10-4-08.JPG|thumb|280px|A pitch to a receiver]]
Unlike a forward pass, if a backward pass hits the ground or an official, play continues and, as with a [[fumble]], a backward pass that has hit the ground may be recovered and advanced by either team.<ref name="lateral">[http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/backwardpass NFL Rules Digest: Backward Pass], NFL.com.</ref> Backward passes can also be [[interception|intercepted]]. A lateral may be underhand or overhand as long as the ball is not advanced in the pass.

A ball that is passed exactly sideways is considered a backwards pass. If it hits the ground, the person throwing or "pitching" the lateral pass will be subjected to the fumble designation in the statistics in the NFL, even if the ball is dropped or muffed by a teammate, although in college football this can be credited to whichever player the statistician feels is most responsible.<ref>http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/backwardpass NFL Rules Digest: Backward Pass</ref><ref>NCAA Football Statisticians Manual</ref> If the ball hits the ground after traveling even slightly forward, however, it is then incomplete instead of a fumble.

The [[snap (football)|snap]] is legally considered to be a backward pass,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/08/zach-bauman-arizona-cardinals-minnesota-Vikings|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|title=Cardinals RB Zach Bauman scores most bizarre TD of early NFL preseason|first=Tom|last=Pelissero|date=August 17, 2014|access-date=January 20, 2016}}</ref> although a blown snap is not scored as a fumble.