Sneak

What does Sneak Mean?

A play in football in which the quarterback receives the snap from center and dives forward behind the offensive line in an attempt to gain short yardage.

Sporting Charts explains Sneak

More commonly referred to as a "quarterback sneak", this play is usually called on a down in which the offense needs to gain less than a yard for a first down or a score. The offensive formation is usually very simple and the offensive line is tasked with pushing the defensive line backwards from the line of scrimmage, allowing the quarterback to "sneak" behind and gain the yardage required. The play's advantage lies in the fact that the snap is the only required exchange for the play, but can be risky as it can expose the quarterback to injury.

The quarterback sneak was first used in a 1912 contest by Yale quarterback Graham Winkelbaum against Harvard.