How to Play Gridiron Football in Rocket League

Rocket League’s newest content update saw Gridiron Football being added to the game to celebrate the collaboration between Psyonix and the NFL (National Football League). The NFL Fan Pass was added as part of the collaboration and players will be getting access to exclusive skins throughout the football season. With the latest update, Gridiron made a comeback but players have been struggling with the limited-time game mode. While it is still the same classic Rocket League gameplay, you have to play American football instead of soccer, which makes the event quite different from what you might be used to. Here is how you should play Gridiron Football in Rocket League.

How does the Gridiron Football mode work in Rocket League

Gridiron features 4v4 gameplay, where the ball will attach to the roof of your car instead of you being able to knock it around when you drive forward. If an enemy car touches your car, you will lose the ball and it will be passed on to them. In this mode, the goal is to avoid getting touched when carrying the ball.

Jumping is enabled in the mode but if you double jump, the ball will just drop off and you will need to pick it again. If you manage to carry a ball all the way to the touchdown line, you will score seven points. If you knock the ball into the goal via a kick or tackle, you will score three points.

You can take advantage of this knowledge by scoring in your own goal in some situations. If you know your opponent is about to score a touchdown, knocking the ball into your own goal, if you have no other option, will help you avoid conceding seven points. Instead, the enemy team will get only three points since your opponents will not be rewarded for a touchdown. But you need to be very careful and assess such situations carefully as own goals can be justifiable only when there is no other way to prevent a touchdown.

Tips on improving at Gridiron Football mode in Rocket League

To play Gridiron Football in Rocket League properly, you will need to practice your throws. If you want to perform a precise throw, it is recommended to jump and precisely aim at your teammates’ direction and dodge. Dodging midair will throw the ball automatically whichever direction you aim at.

With the ball automatically attaching itself on your car, you will be facing a lot more pressure from the enemy team than usual and it is just something you need to get used to. Throwing the ball at a distance will allow you to secure game winning passes that can lead to goals or touchdowns.

It is also recommended to rotate the defenders every now and then if you are playing with friends. Having a dedicated goalscorer makes things predictable in Rocket League and taking turns defending the goal will keep your opponents on edge as they will not be able to single out your designated goal scorer and will divert focus to the overall team.