Tag: fair catch

Rule 6, Section 5, Article 4

The captain my choose to free kick or snap anywhere between the hash marks:

a. on the yard line through the spot of the catch when a fair catch is made;

b. through the spot of interference, when a fair catch is awarded; or

c. at the succeeding spot when the distance penalty for kick-catch interference is accepted following an awarded fair catch and the down is not replayed.

These choices remain if a dead-ball foul occurs prior to the next down, or a foul or an inadvertent whistle occurs during the next down and the down is replayed.

Rule 6, Section 5, Article 6

While any free kick is in flight in or beyond the neutral zone to the receiver’s goal line or any scrimmage kick is in flight beyond the neutral zone to the receivers’s goal line, K shall not:

a. Touch the ball or R, unless blocked into the ball or R, or to ward off a blocker; or

b . Obstruct R’s path to the ball.

This prohibition applies even when no fair-catch signal is given, but it does not apply after a free kick has been touched by a receiver, or after a scrimmage kick has been touched by a receiver who was clearly beyond the neutral zone at the time of touching.

EXCEPTION: K may catch, touch, muff or bat a scrimmage kick in flight beyond the neutral zone if no player of R is in position to catch the ball.

Rule 5, Section 1, Article 1

The team which next puts the ball in play by scrimmage following a free kick, touchback or fair catch is awarded a series of four consecutively numbered downs in which to advance the ball to the line to gain.

a. Each awarded first down starts a new series of four consecutively numbered downs.

b. The referee shall correct the number of the next down prior to the ball becoming live after a new series of downs is awarded and prior to the declaration of the end of any period.