What two directions can a lateral pass be thrown in football?

Answer 1

When the passer is behind the original line of scrimmage (LOS), to be considered a lateral and not a forward pass, the ball cannot move toward the LOS. If the ball hits the ground or is caught at a position on the field that is further up field than the passer's position at the time he threw the ball, it's a legal forward pass if the passer is behind the LOS and an illegal forward pass if he's beyond the original LOS. For ball carriers behind the LOS, laterals must be parallel to the LOS or travel away from it. Confusion and bad calls frequently occur whenever a player advancing the ball makes an apparent lateral to another player running even with or slightly behind the ball carrier. What appears to be a legal, backward lateral to an even or trailing player may, in fact, be an illegal forward lateral, because the ball may have traveled forward depending upon the passer's speed and forward direction of travel. The position of the ball when it's caught relative to its position when it was thrown is paramount.