Sporting Charts

Defensive Holding

What does Defensive Holding Mean?

A penalty on the defense that is flagged when a defensive player uses his hands to pull and hold the opposing offensive player while outside the five-yard mark of the line of scrimmage.


ChartBuilder: Visualize and Compare thousands of sports statistics, FREE!


Sporting Charts explains Defensive Holding

Defense players need to be physical with their opponents, and legally they can.  There is a five-yard area from the line of scrimmage where a defensive player can legally use his hands on an opposing player, but outside of that five-yard mark, if a player holds his opponent, the defense will be assessed a five-yard penalty and an automatic first down.

Related terms

Related Video


Sponsored Links

Daily Fantasy Sports contests for FREE or Real Money
Pick a team based on a salary cap - and win in one day. Cash games range from $1-$500. MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL contests available.
Click Here to learn more.
20 Biggest Sports Bettor Mistakes!
Start Winning More Bets! Avoid These Common Sports Betting Mistakes!
www.sportingcharts.com/reports/