A handoff is the act of passing something from one person to another, or the moment when responsibility or control transfers from one person to another.

In football, a handoff happens when the quarterback places the ball directly into a running back's hands instead of throwing it. The running back takes the ball and tries to gain yards while the quarterback moves on to block or get out of the way. The success of the play depends on both players executing the handoff smoothly, without fumbling.

Beyond sports, handoff describes any transfer of responsibility. When your parents ask an older sibling to watch you for an hour, that's a handoff of responsibility. In a relay race, runners must pass the baton to the next teammate in a designated zone: that crucial moment is the handoff, and dropping it can cost the team the race.

At work, when someone finishes their shift and the next person arrives, they do a handoff, explaining what happened during their time and what needs attention next. Doctors do a handoff of patients to the next shift, making sure the incoming doctor knows everything important about each person's care.

The key idea is continuity: a good handoff means nothing gets dropped, forgotten, or messed up in the transfer. It requires both people to pay attention and work together for that brief but critical moment.