A penalty in football assessed when the offensive team fails to snap the ball before the play clock expires, typically resulting in a 5-yard penalty. It can also be called for other actions that unnecessarily delay the game.
Straightforward combination of 'delay' (to postpone or slow down) and 'game.' The penalty evolved as football became more time-conscious and television-friendly, requiring consistent pace of play.
Delay of game penalties reveal the chess match between coaches - sometimes they're strategic, used to give the punter more room or to ice a kicker, but more often they expose communication breakdowns! The play clock was introduced in 1955, and before that, teams could literally take as long as they wanted between plays.
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