Ask a Football Official anything

514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

can you add some light on what the rule is for blocking down field for a screen pass. Can the receivers block the defender before the ball is caught by the offense player behind the LOS?

Asked by Josiah about 9 years ago

If a pass does not cross the line of scrimmage (screen) then a) you can't have ineligibles down field and b) you can't have pass interference (offense or defense). In the NFL, they are tighter with lineman, only giving them a yard downfield to block on passes behind the LOS. So, yes, receivers downfield can block before the pass is thrown as long as the pass was caught behind the LOS.

702 Votes

Why is a quarterback not charged for "intentional grounding" when he spikes the ball?

Asked by Les about 9 years ago

The rules allow the player who "first controls the snap" to immediately throw it to the ground without being called for grounding.

700 Votes

Why do officials stand over the football and deliberately deny the center from hiking the ball as the play clock ticks away? Sometimes the offense wants to "hurry up"offense and cannot due to the ref standing over the ball on the line of scrimmage

Asked by Willfire67 about 9 years ago

If the offense has substituted, the defense has to be given an opportunity to "match up". There are limits in time, but the D has to have the chance. If the defense doesn't sub immediately, the official moves off the ball. When you see an official with his arms out to the side ("iron cross") they are in that time frame allowing the defense to sub.

699 Votes

ie-your answer to on-side kick with 1 second remaining. What if there was a foul on the other team after the kicking team recovered the ball? Game can't end on a defensive foul, but don't know if that counts as a defensive foul.

Asked by Daryl Muellenberg over 9 years ago

With one second remaining, a "recovery" sort of implies the receiver was either catching it and goibg to tbe ground or on the ground at the recovery. On a legal touch, the clock winds. So if the foul occured after the reception, it happened after the clock expired. The period (game?) is over.

698 Votes

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Upon the flagging for "unsportsmanlike" conduct, why is the "initial" call not enforced when two opposing players are flagged?

Asked by Darius over 8 years ago

I'm not sure what you mean.

698 Votes

with regard to forward progress - if an offensive player is running and then collides with a teammate at the 35 yard line and falls backwards landing on the ground with the ball at the 34 yard line is the ball spotted at the 34 or 35

Asked by boby over 9 years ago

I have answered this question - or a variation of it - three times. No more!

698 Votes

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 about 8 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.

697 Votes

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Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

can you add some light on what the rule is for blocking down field for a screen pass. Can the receivers block the defender before the ball is caught by the offense player behind the LOS?

Why is a quarterback not charged for "intentional grounding" when he spikes the ball?

Why do officials stand over the football and deliberately deny the center from hiking the ball as the play clock ticks away? Sometimes the offense wants to "hurry up"offense and cannot due to the ref standing over the ball on the line of scrimmage

ie-your answer to on-side kick with 1 second remaining. What if there was a foul on the other team after the kicking team recovered the ball? Game can't end on a defensive foul, but don't know if that counts as a defensive foul.

Also on Jobstr...

Upon the flagging for "unsportsmanlike" conduct, why is the "initial" call not enforced when two opposing players are flagged?

with regard to forward progress - if an offensive player is running and then collides with a teammate at the 35 yard line and falls backwards landing on the ground with the ball at the 34 yard line is the ball spotted at the 34 or 35

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?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

can you add some light on what the rule is for blocking down field for a screen pass. Can the receivers block the defender before the ball is caught by the offense player behind the LOS?

Why is a quarterback not charged for "intentional grounding" when he spikes the ball?

Why do officials stand over the football and deliberately deny the center from hiking the ball as the play clock ticks away? Sometimes the offense wants to "hurry up"offense and cannot due to the ref standing over the ball on the line of scrimmage

ie-your answer to on-side kick with 1 second remaining. What if there was a foul on the other team after the kicking team recovered the ball? Game can't end on a defensive foul, but don't know if that counts as a defensive foul.

Also on Jobstr...

Upon the flagging for "unsportsmanlike" conduct, why is the "initial" call not enforced when two opposing players are flagged?

with regard to forward progress - if an offensive player is running and then collides with a teammate at the 35 yard line and falls backwards landing on the ground with the ball at the 34 yard line is the ball spotted at the 34 or 35

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?

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