---
slug: incompletion
title: Incompletion
depth_tier: entry
side: OFFENSE
category: Rules
source_id: "FF-0045"
created: 2026-04-06
updated: 2026-05-17
canonical: https://learningfootball.xyz/terms/incompletion
aliases:
  - incomplete pass
  - dropped pass
  - incompletion football
---
# Incompletion

## Short Definition

A forward pass that is not caught, hits the ground, or goes out of bounds before the receiver establishes possession.

## Definition

An incompletion ends the down immediately—the ball is dead the instant it touches the ground, and the line of scrimmage returns to the previous spot with the down count advancing.

A pass is incomplete when: it hits the ground before being caught, a receiver touches it without establishing full control and then drops it, it goes out of bounds untouched, or it is tipped by a defender and falls to the ground. An intercepted pass is not an incompletion—it is a turnover.

## Example

"The quarterback fires to the corner route—the receiver gets both hands on it but can't hold on as she hits the boundary. Incomplete. The down advances, ball back at the previous spot."

## Common Confusion

A tipped pass that is caught by a defender is an interception—not an incompletion. A tipped pass that hits the ground is incomplete. The distinction is whether a player or the ground receives the ball after the tip.

## Related

- completion
- forward-pass
- possession
- interception
- dead-ball
- fumble

---
Source: https://learningfootball.xyz/terms/incompletion