What is 'pass interference'?

What is 'pass interference'?

Darrin Chiaverini (Football Coach and Professional Athlete) gives expert video advice on: What is a 'delay of game'?; What is 'offsides'?; What is 'encroachment'? and more...

Pass interference can be called on either the offensive player or defensive player and basically what it inheres is that a player obstructs the other players ability to get to the football. So it's not that the player is going down the field and the ball is in the air and the defensive player intentionally hits the receiver or pulls the jersey it's called pass interference. If the defensive player has a ability to make an interception and the receiver obstructs his ability to get to the ball then it's considered offensive pass interference. So it can go either way and it's a fifteen yard penalty.