Football Play Syntax

What is the icon for a kickoff which ends in a turnover? How are a pass, incompletion and interception related? Does it work at 24x24 pixels?

I designed a set for NFL Digital platforms in 2015 which grouped similar plays through the outside form (a football on a kickoff tee, goal posts or a ball in flight) and provided context through the internal symbol (Laces = default state, exclamation mark = a surprising play, U-Turn = a reversal, X = a canceled or failed action). I wanted to provide an elegant solution without having to show players or figures at those small dimensions. I could not find any precedents which made this project very rewarding. What I enjoyed most was creating a syntax which visualizes the play type at the beginning and in most cases, how it ended... all in a tiny icon. What a little jerk.

These are some of the play icons made for NFL Mobile's Drive Chart experience: Pass, Incomplete, Interception / Kickoff, Onside Kick, Kickoff Turnover / Touchdown, 2pt Conversion, Missed 2pt Conversion / Field Goal, Extra Point, Missed Kick / Defensive Touchdown, Safety, Sack / Run, Fumble / Start of Time, Halftime, End of Time, Timeout / Penalty / Play Review.

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