A penalty in football for grabbing, twisting, or pulling an opponent's facemask, which is dangerous and illegal. The penalty typically results in 15 yards and can cause serious neck injuries if the action is severe.
Compound of 'face' + 'mask,' referring to the protective metal bars that cover a player's face on their helmet. The penalty developed as facemasks became standard equipment and officials recognized the danger of grabbing them.
The facemask penalty was created after too many players suffered serious neck injuries from having their heads twisted by the protective bars meant to keep them safe! There used to be 5-yard and 15-yard facemask penalties depending on intent, but now it's all 15 yards because officials decided any grab of the facemask is dangerous enough to warrant the major penalty.
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