onside kick

American  

Or onsides kick

noun

Football.

1. a kickoff deliberately kicked a short distance in an attempt by the kicking team to regain possession of the ball by recovering it after it has traveled forward the legally required distance of 10 yards, beyond the 50-yard line.

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Etymology

Origin of onside kick

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

And these days, teams can’t even try the surprise onside kick.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

The book also says when to try for a 2-point conversion, whether to attempt an onside kick or to kick deep and how to manage the two-minute warning—nearly everything outside of Xs and Os.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

Bhaghani immediately unfurled an onside kick that Kanye Clark recovered, leading to a field goal and a 10-0 cushion.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2025

Palisades recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2025

He also recovered an onside kick with eight seconds left to ice the win.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2024