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513 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

NFL: Foul occurs during play. How is foul communicated to Ref? Then how to bench if accept/decline decision needed? Then how back to Ref? Who on bench is authorized to make decision?

Asked by Jay almost 6 years ago

It's pretty similar at all levels of play. The big difference in the NFL and at the higher levels of college ball is the "O2O" (official-to-official) communication - the headsets. The official who threw the flag has to communicate to the referee what the foul is. Most times, the coach knows what it is, but the nearest official - one on the sideline - will try to get him the information if it isn't clear. The penalty also should be communicated so the coach understands his options. You'll often see the referee look to the sideline and signal the foul and possibly the decline signal if it seems appropriate) with a questioning look; he's communicating with the coach - the head coach. Any official who takes a response from an assistant in that situation is....uhh, not very smart.

377 Votes

On Sunday the refs ruled the pass incomplete in the Bears/Eagles playoff game because there was "no clear recovery". If the refs had called it a catch & fumble - with no clear recovery - would the Bears have kept the ball at the 4 yard line?

Asked by Kaptain Kill almost 6 years ago

Yeah, that was interesting. Even former NFL ref and now-rules expert Terry McCauley was thrown a bit and had to dig into the rule book and case book.

The NFL sometimes has very different rules from college and high school. I'm more familiar with the latter and if there's a loose ball - and no one recovers it - it belongs to the team last in possession. So in the case you describe, it would belong to the team that was on offense and made the catch.

And all those guys on defense who didn't jump on a loose ball would be fired!

376 Votes

Hi, If a striker comes from an offside position and challenges a defender for the ball - would the striker be offside?

Asked by Bruce over 6 years ago

Wrong football. No idea

376 Votes

What's the call. A college defender intercepts a ball, while evading, he runs back into the endzone and falls or is tackled.

Asked by Tim almost 6 years ago

Oooh, good question. First, if a defender intercepts a pass from the five yard line in to the goal, he gets momentum, meaning if he ends up in the end zone it was his momentum that put him there so he isn't penalized. It will be his team's ball at the spot of the interception - btw, you'll see an official drop a bean bag at that spot to mark it. However, that isn't what you asked. You wrote "he runs back into the endzone ", meaning he put himself in the endzone. If he falls or is tackled there, it's a safety.

374 Votes

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What happens in OT in the NFL if the first team possesses the ball for the full 10 minutes and kicks a FG as time expires? The Rulebook insists both teams “must possess the ball” (at least once) but it never covers the scenario I described.

Asked by Jeff in Tampa about 6 years ago

Goid question, and you're correct up to where you may gave stopped reading. Rule 16 (OT) Sction 1, Article 4 (covering preseason and regular season) states: There shall be a maximum of one 10-minute period, even if the second team has not had an opportunity to possess the ball or if its initial possession has not ended. If the score is tied at the end of the period, the game shall end in a tie.

That sounds like it's over, but they seem to be saying the first team didn't score. But I'd go with, game over.

373 Votes

Was a false start always called a false start? Seems like some 20-30 yrs ago it was also called off sides no matter offensive or defensive.

Asked by Sugarmama about 6 years ago

Hmmm, history question! Honestly not sure. I've been doing this for over 30 years....there were those who might have mistakenly called ug offsides but it was always. as far as I recall, illegal procedure. That's a fslse start.

371 Votes

On a screen pass, If the ball is caught behind the line of scrimmage, can you start blocking downfield before the ball is caught? Does it matter if pass is forward (not a lateral)?

Asked by Tom over 5 years ago

Blocking downfield seems to indicate you're looking at offensive pass interference. In college, pass interference only occurs when a legal forward pass crosses the line of scrimmage. If a pass is caught behind the line, it obviously hasn't crossed the line of scrimmage. If it's a backward pass (no such thing as a lateral) then it isn't forward and you can't have OPI.

364 Votes

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Football Official

Ask me anything!

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NFL: Foul occurs during play. How is foul communicated to Ref? Then how to bench if accept/decline decision needed? Then how back to Ref? Who on bench is authorized to make decision?

On Sunday the refs ruled the pass incomplete in the Bears/Eagles playoff game because there was "no clear recovery". If the refs had called it a catch & fumble - with no clear recovery - would the Bears have kept the ball at the 4 yard line?

Hi, If a striker comes from an offside position and challenges a defender for the ball - would the striker be offside?

What's the call. A college defender intercepts a ball, while evading, he runs back into the endzone and falls or is tackled.

Also on Jobstr...

What happens in OT in the NFL if the first team possesses the ball for the full 10 minutes and kicks a FG as time expires? The Rulebook insists both teams “must possess the ball” (at least once) but it never covers the scenario I described.

Was a false start always called a false start? Seems like some 20-30 yrs ago it was also called off sides no matter offensive or defensive.

On a screen pass, If the ball is caught behind the line of scrimmage, can you start blocking downfield before the ball is caught? Does it matter if pass is forward (not a lateral)?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

NFL: Foul occurs during play. How is foul communicated to Ref? Then how to bench if accept/decline decision needed? Then how back to Ref? Who on bench is authorized to make decision?

On Sunday the refs ruled the pass incomplete in the Bears/Eagles playoff game because there was "no clear recovery". If the refs had called it a catch & fumble - with no clear recovery - would the Bears have kept the ball at the 4 yard line?

Hi, If a striker comes from an offside position and challenges a defender for the ball - would the striker be offside?

What's the call. A college defender intercepts a ball, while evading, he runs back into the endzone and falls or is tackled.

Also on Jobstr...

What happens in OT in the NFL if the first team possesses the ball for the full 10 minutes and kicks a FG as time expires? The Rulebook insists both teams “must possess the ball” (at least once) but it never covers the scenario I described.

Was a false start always called a false start? Seems like some 20-30 yrs ago it was also called off sides no matter offensive or defensive.

On a screen pass, If the ball is caught behind the line of scrimmage, can you start blocking downfield before the ball is caught? Does it matter if pass is forward (not a lateral)?

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