Reading the Defense – predicting the behavior of the defense by watching their formations

Ready List – a short list of plays custom selected for game day

Receiver – an offensive player specializing in running “Pass Routes” and catching the football

Recover – picking up a ball after a “Fumble”

Red Dog – See “Blitz”

Red shirt – a player who has sat out for his first year of college in order to retain his four years of eligibility, usually because of an injury or academic problems; as opposed to “True Freshman”

Red Zone – the region of the field between the 20 yard line and the “End Zone”

Referee – the head “Official”; his duties include announcing and signaling penalties and deciding when the measurement chains should be brought on field to determine “First Downs”

Regular Season – the length of the season in between the “Preseason” and the “Playoffs”

Return – the receiving running a “Kickoff” “Punt” or “Turnover”

Returner – A kick or punt receiver

Reverse – an offensive play designed to misdirect the defense the “Running Back” takes a “Hand-off” and then gives it to a wide receiver running in the opposite direction

Roll Out – a maneuver in which the “Quarterback” – to avoid defensive pressure – “Drops Back” to the left or right instead of straight backward  

Rookie – a first year player in the NFL

Roster – a complete list of a team’s players

Roughing the Kicker – making potentially harmful contact with the “Punter” or “Kicker” after the ball has been kicked, a 15 yard penalty and an automatic first down

Roughing the Passer – making potentially harmful contact with the “Quarterback” after the ball has been has been released, a 15 yard penalty

Route – See “Pas Pattern”

Runback – See “Return”

Running Back – An offensive “Ball Carrier” who specializes in running with the football and sometimes running short, quick “Pass Patterns”

Running Into the Kicker – incidental contact with the “Kicker or “Punter” after the ball has been kicked, less serious than “Roughing the Kicker” this is a 5 yard penalty

Rush – to pursue the “Quarterback” in an attempt to hurry him into making a bad passing decision or to tackle him before he releases the ball