Ask a Football Official anything

514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

Ok if your team get caught with 12 men on the field right as the 12th player is walking off its a free play for offence right? so can that player turn around and participate in the play because the penalty has already been called?

Asked by hunter k over 7 years ago

Nice try. If you pulled that, you might find an official willing to throw a second flag for a personal foul (you shouldn't have been there!) or unsportsmanlike conduct. First, if they catch 12 on the field, they should shut it down and not let the play go off. That's the proper mechanic, despite TV announcers saying the QB is trying to catch them. If they don;t catch it early enough, it isn't real a "free play". They need to shut it down.

582 Votes

When is a punter no longer protected. If an Australian style punter runs outside the hash marks before kicking the ball, can he be hit even if he punts.

Asked by kevin over 8 years ago

Very good question. When he runs, he is a runner and can be hit - legally- like any other ball carrier. But if he stops to kick, he's a kicker and is subject to those protections. The referee (white hat) has responsibility for the kicker. He has to make the judgement of when the punter stops being a runner and becomes a kicker.

581 Votes

Why in the Lions Green bay game was the Packers awarded the ball on a kickoff that didn't go out of bounds but the player did and was out of bounds when he recovered the ball on the 2 yard line . The Lions were given a 15 yard penalty.

Asked by Robert lozon over 8 years ago

I answered this one above but.....

If the ball touches anything that's out of bounds, the ball is out of bounds. Therefore if the player is out of bounds - or straddling the line - then the ball is a kick out of bounds and a foul against the kicking team.

580 Votes

If on same play team #1 commits 2 infractions and team #2 commits one infraction, what is the result of the play

Asked by louko over 8 years ago

While there are some exceptions to this, the folks offset. If there is a found that results in a dusqualuficaton, even with an offset, be player is still ejected.

578 Votes

Also on Jobstr...

Sr. Software Engineer

Are those $12,000 "learn to program" bootcamps a rip-off?

iPhone & iPad Technician

What brand do you think has the poorest quality / workmanship?

Chef

Do you get offended when a customer sends back a dish?

Team A punts from the 50, at the B-1 yard line player A-33 stops the ball and half his body slides across B's goal line. B's ball on B-1 or Touchback.

Asked by Compujok over 8 years ago

Depends on what game you're watching. As i understand it, in the NFL your scenario is a touchback. In college, if the ball is touched at the B1 and it stays there, it's at the one. If the ball is touched at the 1 and goes into the end zone, touchback.

578 Votes

In the game tonight, Cam was taken down behind the line of scrimmage, why isn’t that recorded as a Sack?

Asked by Setty over 7 years ago

Officials don't deal with statistics so I can't answer definitively. If it was,a "dezigned" run from thecstaff, then he's a runner, not a passer, hence no sack (?).

576 Votes

By Rule, is an offensive lineman (or any other offensive player) allowed to grasp the jersey of a defensive player when blocking?

Asked by MrMoJoe over 7 years ago

The simple answer is no. Not by "rule". By rule you can't grasp, pull, or hook an opponent. But the reality is that players do grasp and it is "allowed" (and I use that term carefully) as long as the block (it is still blocking) is inside the frame of the opponent. If the "grasping" is in desperation because the defender got away and the blocker just grabs and pulls on the shirt and you see it stretch, you have holding. If the blocker grabs the defender's arms but doesn't take him down or turn him away from the play, it is likely going to be allowed.

575 Votes

Showing 246 - 252

Show All

149 More Answers by Football Official

Last 7

33 34 35 36 37 38

...

Next 7 Answers

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Ok if your team get caught with 12 men on the field right as the 12th player is walking off its a free play for offence right? so can that player turn around and participate in the play because the penalty has already been called?

When is a punter no longer protected. If an Australian style punter runs outside the hash marks before kicking the ball, can he be hit even if he punts.

Why in the Lions Green bay game was the Packers awarded the ball on a kickoff that didn't go out of bounds but the player did and was out of bounds when he recovered the ball on the 2 yard line . The Lions were given a 15 yard penalty.

If on same play team #1 commits 2 infractions and team #2 commits one infraction, what is the result of the play

Also on Jobstr...

Team A punts from the 50, at the B-1 yard line player A-33 stops the ball and half his body slides across B's goal line. B's ball on B-1 or Touchback.

In the game tonight, Cam was taken down behind the line of scrimmage, why isn’t that recorded as a Sack?

By Rule, is an offensive lineman (or any other offensive player) allowed to grasp the jersey of a defensive player when blocking?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

Ok if your team get caught with 12 men on the field right as the 12th player is walking off its a free play for offence right? so can that player turn around and participate in the play because the penalty has already been called?

When is a punter no longer protected. If an Australian style punter runs outside the hash marks before kicking the ball, can he be hit even if he punts.

Why in the Lions Green bay game was the Packers awarded the ball on a kickoff that didn't go out of bounds but the player did and was out of bounds when he recovered the ball on the 2 yard line . The Lions were given a 15 yard penalty.

If on same play team #1 commits 2 infractions and team #2 commits one infraction, what is the result of the play

Also on Jobstr...

Team A punts from the 50, at the B-1 yard line player A-33 stops the ball and half his body slides across B's goal line. B's ball on B-1 or Touchback.

In the game tonight, Cam was taken down behind the line of scrimmage, why isn’t that recorded as a Sack?

By Rule, is an offensive lineman (or any other offensive player) allowed to grasp the jersey of a defensive player when blocking?

Login

Forgot Your Password?

Register