<P> The Statue of Liberty is a trick play in American football named after the 1886 Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World). </P> <P> Although many variations of the play exist, the most common involves the quarterback taking the snap from the center, dropping back, and gripping the ball with two hands as if he were to throw . He then places the ball behind his back with his non-throwing hand, while pump - faking a throw to one side of the field . While his arm is still in motion during the fake throw, he hands the ball off behind his back to a running back or a wide receiver in motion, who runs the football to the opposite side of the field . The objective is to trick the defense out of position, leaving them unable to catch up with the runner as he moves in the direction opposite to the fake . </P>

What is the statue of liberty play in football