Nfl rule book ball to the ground cause a fumble

Well, the way it was called on the field is how it was written up in the rule book. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful handing that results in loss of ball possession by a player. The problem is people use that line in many inaccurate ways. Rule 8, section 1, article 3, item 1 of the nfl rule book page 51 states that if a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass with or without contact with an opponent, he must maintain control of the ball after he touches the ground, whether in the field of play or in the end zone. Fox had turned a great scoring opportunity into a turnover. The veracity of that phrase lies in the fact that, 99. What does the free play in the nfl mean when there is an offside by the defense. The ball is dead the instant the runner touches the ground. Rule page 1 field 1 2 ball 3 3 definitions 4 4 game timing 12 5 players, substitutes, equipment, general rules 18 6 free kicks 25 7 ball in play, dead ball, scrimmage 28 8 forward pass, backward pass, fumble 34 9 scrimmage kick 45 10 opportunity to catch a kick, fair catch 49 11 scoring 51 12 player conduct 57. The biggest issue with this rule is that most of the time referees call possession to the last player with the ball, so even if a player fumbles and lands on it, every other player will dive in. Jan 24, 2017 the biggest issue with this rule is that most of the time referees call possession to the last player with the ball, so even if a player fumbles and lands on it, every other player will dive in. Nov 10, 2006 the reason the ground cant cause a fumble is because when the ballcarrier hits the ground, the play is over.

Ground didnt cause fumble in tebow play fox sports. Nfl official explains why one of footballs worst rules. Diving headfirst untouched is still a live play ball the same as if a punt returner slips after cutting and his knee touches the turf. In the end zone, the same action is a touchdown, since the receiver completed the catch beyond the goal line prior to the loss of possession, and the ball is dead when. Maintaining possession is the worst rule in all of sports. Basically it is because american football was originally adapted from rugby. Nfl batted ball rule explainer referees conferred after seattles k. In the end zone, the same action is a touchdown, since the receiver completed the catch beyond the goal line prior to the loss of possession, and the ball is dead when the catch is completed. But the play exposed a part of the nfl rule book that could use revision. Dec 18, 2017 the argument thats made in favor of this being a catch is that its impossible to tell if bryants hand was underneath the ball when it bobbled.

Actually the ground can cause a fumble under ncaa and nfhs rules even though there is no requirement for a runner to be down by contact. As the two players got tangled up falling to the ground, bryant took three steps with clear possession of the ball. The reason the ground cant cause a fumble is because when the ballcarrier hits the ground, the play is over. The argument thats made in favor of this being a catch is that its impossible to tell if bryants hand was underneath the ball when it bobbled. Nov 15, 2017 by rule, a fumble that goes out of bounds through a defensive teams end zone is a touchback, and the defensive team gets the ball. By rule, a fumble that goes out of bounds through a defensive teams end zone is a touchback, and the defensive team gets the ball. Sep 23, 20 the ground cant cause a fumble if you are being tackled ie down by contact. I cant point you to an exact rule there, thats more in the instructions the nfl gives their refs on. Overturned fumble in seahawkscardinals leaves twitter.

Lets go back to the days of the ground cant cause a fumble. Rule 8 forward pass, backward pass, fumble section 1 forward pass definition. In such cases, a player needs to maintain control of the ball through initial. An intentional fumble that causes the ball to go forward is a forward pass and may be illegal 811pen. The ground cannot cause a fumble, but it can cause an incompletion. Whats the justification for this rarelyinvoked nfl. Im guessing this is in reference to the rgiii fumble, which was, 100%, a fumble. The ground can cause a fumble if there is no contact. Where the ground cannot cause a fumble is if the ball carrier is tackled to the ground such that the ball touches the ground while in his possession and gets jarred loose by the impact of hitting the ground. A muffed handoff legal or illegal is a fumble, and the ball remains alive.

B2 receives the ball while off the ground and returns to the ground out of bounds a in advance of the spot of the fumble or b behind the spot of the fumble. The referees technically made the right call when they ruled austin seferianjenkinss late fumble a touchback. Anytime a player in possession of the ball goes out of bounds the play clock stops. To everyone on the field, it seemed like ellington fumbled it. Unfortunately, players do not always make a clean catch with their hands. A1 jumps and receives the ball in flight and first returns to the ground out of bounds. Wright batted the ball out of the end zone late in the seahawkslions game monday night, but no flag was thrown. If the ball is knocked loose before the ball is secured by the body or under an arm, it is an incomplete pass. Rare nfl rulebook explanation creates catchfumble controversy in eaglesbears playoff game. An incomplete pass causes the down to advance by one and the offensive team gains no. Once the season was over, the rule as you have quoted was put into effect. Gresham crossed the plane of the goal line with ball in hand. Maintaining possession of the football seems like common sense, but it is by far the most senseless rule in the nfl. The ground can cause an incomplete pass because when the ball leaves the qbs hands it is no longer possessed by a player.

In rugby it makes sense because a lose ball that goes oob is restarted where it went oob, but since that isnt true in the nfl, the rule is illogical but has never been changed. No, but when the player is untouched and the ball comes out when the player hits the ground, it is either incomplete or a fumble. If the ball touches the ground after the player secures control of it, it is a. An incomplete pass is a term in gridiron football which means that a legal forward pass hits the ground before a player on either team gains possession. It makes no sense in american football because in american football the ball goes at the line where you last had possession if you fumble forward.

In the field of play, if a catch of a forward pass has been completed, and there is contact by a defender causing the ball to come loose before the runner is down by. The nfl rule book prohibits a player from initiating contact with an opponent by shoving or pushing off, thus creating separation. Ground cant cause a fumble, but can cause an incompletion. Oct 02, 2009 the game kobe bryant showed off vs michael jordan, epic duel highlights 1997. The phrase, lateral pass, does not exist in the nfl rule book. Airborne a3 receives a pass at team as 40yard line. The ruling was the dreaded fumblethroughtheendzone touchback. A pass, kick or fumble that has not yet touched the ground is a live ball in flight. Impetus is the force that puts the ball into an end zone. The interesting nfl rules thread the shark pool nfl. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful. On this play, the ball was coming loose before the knee hit the ground so. Oct 06, 2015 nfl batted ball rule explainer referees conferred after seattles k. The contact causes the runner to hit the ground, at which time the ball comes loose.

A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed tackled, scoring, or going out of bounds. As he receives the ball, he is contacted by b1 and comes to the. Nov 20, 2015 so, the rule very much existed when jermaine gresham caught a ball on the sideline but lost control of it as he fell to the ground following a hit from a chargers defender. Official nfl playing rules 42 3 when a distance penalty in penalty a leaves the ball in advance of the necessary line to gain, it is first. Runner a1 goes to the line of scrimmage where he is tackled and fumbles. A muff is the touching of a loose ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain possession of it. Sometimes, the ball is juggled and sometimes the ball is caught by trapping it against the body. Bryants knees appeared to hit, and then the elbow of the arm clutching the ball hit. If the ball touches the ground after the player secures control of it, it is a catch, provided that the player continues to maintain. According to the nfl rule book, the clock is restarted once the officials spot the ball at the appropriate yard line on the field except during the last two minutes of the first half or the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. Oct 05, 2016 fumble truthers would argue that in this case, johnson emerged from the pile so quickly that it might have been impossible for the redskins to clearly possess the ball and johnson then to reverse.

Whats the justification for this rarelyinvoked nfl fumble rule. Questionable 2019 nfl playoff officiating decisions what. Because the goal line is involved and this is a consistent application of the impetus rule, blandino said. A fumble is any act other than a pass or legal kick which results in loss of player possession. Fumble truthers would argue that in this case, johnson emerged from the pile so quickly that it might have been impossible for the redskins to clearly possess the. On incomplete passes and out of bounds plays, the game clock will stop completely until the ball is snapped.

For example, if the quarterback throws the ball to one of his wide receivers. Nfl ends tuck rule, but will they still drop the ball on. In the field of play, if a catch of a forward pass has been completed, and there is contact by a defender causing the ball to come loose before the runner is down by contact, it is a fumble, and the ball remains alive. Five ways to fix the dumbest rule in football the ringer. If he were to fumble when his knee touches, it is still. The game kobe bryant showed off vs michael jordan, epic duel highlights 1997. On plays that end in the field of play, the game clock will be stopped until the ball has been spotted and 5 seconds have run off of the play clock. By common sense, three steps with the ball should constitute a made catch.

If a runner intentionally fumbles forward, it is a forward pass. Nfl slightly revises definition of fumble profootballtalk. The ground cant cause a fumble unless the runner is not down by contact. Mar 21, 20 from the now outdated nfl rule book it reads as. However in rugby if the ball is kicked forward and goes out, the ball is taken out where it went out. The nfl competition committee met on a variety of issues on monday, including. When is the ball or player considered down in nfl football. Nfl rules state that the ground cant cause a fumble. Jan 19, 2020 the nfl rule book prohibits a player from initiating contact with an opponent by shoving or pushing off, thus creating separation. In the nfl, if the offensive team on a 4th down punts the ball downfield, is that team allowed to catch the ball for a first down or td. After seeing the ball on the ground, kam chancellor picked the fumble up and returned it 17 yards. Jan 12, 2015 as the two players got tangled up falling to the ground, bryant took three steps with clear possession of the ball. When a runner goes down on his own, the ground can cause a fumble, and the ball continues in play.

Coming out of the pile with the ball doesnt prove a. A ball that is intentionally fumbled and goes forward is a forward pass. How is a pass play in the nfl ruled when the receiver leaps to catch the ball but the. Complete history of the nfls dumb catch rule confusing people. Any ball intentionally muffed forward is a bat and may be a foul 33. Sep 07, 2011 the ground cant cause a fumble unless the runner is not down by contact, but the ground can definitely cause an incompletion, pereira said. Some rules are dumb, and dumb rules should be changed, so join me as we take a look at the five dumbest rules in the nfl which need to be addressed. Oct 15, 2017 the referees technically made the right call when they ruled austin seferianjenkinss late fumble a touchback. The nfl said the correct ruling was a touchdown because the ball did not come out during going to the ground but was due to a second act rather than from going to the ground. Ground cant cause a fumble, but can cause an incompletion will. A fumble is any act, other than a pass or kick, which results in a loss of player possession.

The ground cant cause a fumble because when the player hits the ground with any inner joint the play is dead. Loss of player possession by unsuccessful execution of attempted handing is a fumble charged to the player that last had possession. If it was a pass and the wr was deemed not in control of the pass, it is known as a dropped or incomplete pass. Sep 18, 2009 rule 8, section 1, article 3, item 1 of the nfl rule book page 51 states that if a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass with or without contact with an opponent, he must maintain control of the ball after he touches the ground, whether in the field of play or in the end zone. The ground can cause a fumble if the player is not touched by the other team. Jul 05, 2018 nfl makes slight change to rules regarding fumbles. The nfls convoluted rules cost the jets a touchdown, and. The nfl does not have a rule that states, the ground cannot cause a fumble.

Can the ground cause an incomplete pass in the nfl. No the real reason the rule exist is because it carried over when football was adapted from rugby. Except where permitted by rule, handing the ball forward to a teammate is illegal. That only applies when the runner hits the ground, causing the ball to come loose. It is also possible for the ground to cause a fumble in college football if the ball hits the. The ground cannot cause a fumble when the player in possession is down by contact from an opponent. For it to be a completed pass, the player has to complete the catching process. An official shall declare the ball dead and the down ended.

So, the rule very much existed when jermaine gresham caught a ball on the sideline but lost control of it as he fell to the ground following a hit from a chargers defender. Going to the ground could be eliminated from catch rule. Losing 20 to 14 with a few seconds remaining in the game, the raiders qb ken stabler fumbled the ball forward from the 24 yard line. Actually the rule or the philosophy is almost exactly like football. Nfl makes slight change to rules regarding fumbles. Nfl official defends fumble recovery call in redskins game.