| PENALTIES | Punishments that football teams might receive from referees |
| LETTER | One of many you might receive from the post office? |
| INFLUX | New complaint that football team's holding up arrival |
| TRADE | Two baseball teams might make one |
| SIDEBYSIDE | How two teams might appear close together (4,2,4) |
| HERESTHECATCH | '___: You can see it in slow motion right when that wide receiver grabs that football' |
| IMPUDENT | Forward unwise to ignore introduction from referee (8) |
| STICKLER | From "referee, umpire", word for one who is punctiliously and scrupulously insistent, aka a fusspot, pedant or purist; or, a puzzle/problem (8) |
| MLS | American football org. (not that football, the other football) |
| RAH | Syllable that a cheer team might repeat |
| ONTHECROSS | How football centre-forward might receive the ball dishonestly (2,3,5) |
| PETS | Animals that might receive belly rubs |
| FILM | Work that might receive a Golden Lion or Palme d'Or |
| NOOFFENSE | Reason a team might have lost the Super Bowl? |
| SELECTOR | One picking team might let score sort him out (8) |
| TRADEFOR | Acquire midseason, as a sports team might |
| NEWBLOOD | Transfusion struggling team might need (3,5) |
| AWAYGAME | Match where a team might have to deal with a hostile audience |
| PLASTERCAST | One a team might sign after a break in the season? |
| TUTOR | Mild rebuke men receive from instructor (5) |
