You know that specific roar? Not the "hey, we got a first down" cheer, but that sudden, collective intake of breath from 70,000 people when a returner finds a crease in the coverage. It’s electric. Most people call it a touchdown, but if you’ve spent any time around the game, you know the real term is taking it to the house. It sounds simple. It’s actually one of the most difficult, momentum-shifting plays in all of professional and amateur sports.
When a player is taking it to the house, they aren't just scoring. They’re demoralizing the other team. They’re running sixty, seventy, maybe a hundred yards while twenty-two guys—some of whom weigh 300 pounds—try to tackle them into the turf. Honestly, it’s a miracle it happens as often as it does.
What Does Taking It to the House Actually Mean?
Basically, "the house" is the end zone. It’s home. It’s where you want to be. While the phrase can technically apply to a short three-yard plunge up the middle, it almost always refers to a long-distance score. We’re talking about those "did he really just do that?" plays. Think interception returns (pick-sixes), kickoff returns, or a wide receiver catching a slant and realizing there isn't a single safety left between him and the goalposts.
It’s about distance. It’s about the journey.
The terminology has been baked into the culture of the NFL and college football for decades. It’s a staple of legendary broadcasters like Chris Berman, whose "He... could... go... all... the... way!" is basically the verbal equivalent of taking it to the house. It's visceral. You feel it in your gut when a player breaks that last tackle.
The Anatomy of a Breakaway Play
How does it happen? Luck? Kinda. But mostly it's geometry and timing.
Take Devin Hester, arguably the greatest return man to ever lace up a pair of cleats. When Hester was taking it to the house for the Chicago Bears, he wasn't just running fast. He was manipulating lanes. A returner has to see the "hole" before it even opens. They have to trust their blockers to seal the edge. If one guy misses a block—just one—the whole play dies at the forty-yard line.
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Speed matters, obviously. If you run a 4.3-second 40-yard dash, you have a better chance of outrunning a pursuit angle. But plenty of fast guys never take it to the house. They lack the vision. They lack the "wiggle." You need that specific ability to make a defender miss in a telephone booth, and then the "top-end" gear to pull away once you hit the open field.
It’s a two-stage process. First, the escape. Second, the sprint.
The Impact on Betting and Momentum
If you’re into sports betting or daily fantasy, a player taking it to the house is the ultimate "X-factor." It’s a massive swing. In a league like the NFL, where the average margin of victory is often less than a touchdown, a defensive or special teams score is frequently the deciding factor.
Statistically, teams that score a non-offensive touchdown win the vast majority of their games. It’s a soul-crusher for the opponent. Imagine being a quarterback, driving eighty yards over ten minutes, only to have your pass tipped, intercepted, and watched as the cornerback is taking it to the house in about twelve seconds. All that work, erased.
Famous Moments in "House" History
We can't talk about this without mentioning the "Music City Miracle." 1999 playoffs. Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans. The Titans used a lateral on a kickoff return—a play called "Home Run Throw"—and Kevin Dyson ended up taking it to the house. It was controversial. It was wild. It was a touchdown that shouldn't have happened, yet it’s etched into NFL lore forever.
Then there’s Deion Sanders. "Prime Time" didn't just score; he choreographed the whole thing. He’d start high-stepping at the twenty-yard line. That’s the ultimate confidence—knowing you’re taking it to the house so easily that you can start dancing before you even cross the plane.
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- The Kick Six: 2013 Iron Bowl. Auburn vs. Alabama. Chris Davis returns a missed field goal 109 yards. The crowd noise literally registered on seismographs.
- DeSean Jackson’s Punt Return: The "Miracle at the New Meadowlands." Jackson fumbles the snap, picks it up, and then weaves through the entire Giants team to win the game as time expires.
- Marshawn Lynch’s "Beast Quake": Not a return, but a 67-yard run where he broke nine tackles. He took it to the house while dragging half the New Orleans Saints defense with him.
Why the Phrase Stuck
Sports language is weird. We use "buckets" for basketball and "frozen rope" for baseball. But "the house" feels more personal. It’s the ultimate destination. When a player is taking it to the house, they are leaving the chaos of the field for the safety of the end zone.
Honestly, the phrase has transcended football. You’ll hear it in basketball when someone goes coast-to-coast for a dunk. You’ll hear it in casual conversation when someone is finishing a project or closing a big deal. It signifies the final sprint toward a successful conclusion. It’s about finishing the job.
The Physical Toll of the Long Run
Ever noticed how a player looks when they get to the end zone after a 90-yard return? They aren't usually celebrating immediately. They’re bent over, hands on knees, gasping for air.
Running a full-speed sprint for 100 yards while wearing fifteen pounds of gear and dodging elite athletes is exhausting. Your lungs burn. Your legs feel like lead. The adrenaline is the only thing keeping you moving. Most "long house calls" result in the player sitting on the bench for the next five minutes with an oxygen mask. It’s a massive burst of energy that leaves the tank completely empty.
Common Misconceptions
People think taking it to the house is all about the ball carrier. It’s not.
Look at the film. When you see a guy go the distance, look at the wide receiver forty yards downfield who is sprinting just to get one last "shield block" on a safety. Look at the offensive linemen who are trying to keep up just in case there’s a fumble. Taking it to the house is a team achievement disguised as an individual highlight.
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Also, it's not always about pure speed. Jerry Rice wasn't the fastest guy on the field. He didn't have a 4.2 forty. But he took it to the house constantly because his "game speed" and route running were so precise that defenders were always out of position. He didn't need to outrun them; he just needed to be where they weren't.
How to Spot a "House Call" Developing
If you want to impress your friends during Sunday's game, stop watching the ball. Watch the "hats."
If you see a returner catch the ball and three blockers are already formed in a "wall" on the right side, there’s a high chance he’s taking it to the house. Watch the safeties. If the deep safety bites on a play-fake or gets caught "peeking" into the backfield, the middle of the field is open. That’s the "green grass" every player dreams about.
When you see that green grass, you know what’s coming.
Actionable Takeaways for Football Fans
- Watch the "All-22" Film: If you really want to see how players are taking it to the house, look for the All-22 camera angle (the high-angle view that shows all 22 players). You'll see the blocking schemes develop long before the announcer realizes it's a touchdown.
- Track Special Teams Value: In your fantasy league, don't ignore defenses with elite returners. A single "house call" can turn a losing week into a win.
- Observe the Pursuit Angle: Watch the defenders. If they are running directly toward the player, they’ll get outrun. The smart ones run to a spot downfield. When they miss that spot, the player is gone.
- Respect the Stamina: Next time you see a 100-yard return, count how long the player stays on the sideline afterward. It gives you a real appreciation for the conditioning required at the pro level.
Getting the ball to the house is the hardest thing to do in sports. It requires a perfect alignment of skill, vision, blocking, and sometimes, a little bit of a lucky bounce. But when it happens, there is nothing else like it in the world of entertainment. It's why we keep watching. It's why we keep cheering. It's the ultimate payoff for any fan sitting in the stands or on their couch.