Quick rules question...

[Stoney]

I thought that kick-offs were live balls until the receiving player is tackled or kneels in the end zone? Can a player just flip the ball to the ref w/o kneeling down? Isn't that still a live ball unless his knee touches the ground? Haven't seen that done before.

(Forgive me if this has been discussed in the game thread)

 

[SteelerFan448]

I thought that kick-offs were live balls until the receiving player is tackled or kneels in the end zone? Can a player just flip the ball to the ref w/o kneeling down? Isn't that still a live ball unless his knee touches the ground? Haven't seen that done before.

(Forgive me if this has been discussed in the game thread)

That happened in the Clemson game on Saturday. Their opponent didn't take a knee, flipped it to the ref and Clemson recovered for the touchdown.

 

[Stryker]

As long as the ref catches it, it's no longer live.

 

[Stoney]

As long as the ref catches it, it's no longer live.

That doesn't make any sense to me, it seems as if the ref is interfering with the game. It may be the rule, but I can't recall ever seeing it in an NFL game before. Why do any players take knees then? Why not just flip it to the ref?

So if the ref isn't paying attention and fails to catch it, its a live ball? Would the ref be charged with the fumble? WTF?

 

[chipped ham]

As long as the ref catches it, it's no longer live.

The refs were also blowing the whistles before the bungles ******** handed him the ball. I was asking the same thing during the game.

 

[Stryker]

On kickoffs, in an endzone, you can either kneel or hand the ball to the refs. In both situations, it is understood that the player is giving up possession to the other team.

I'm with you and think the player should always kneel first, and a good coach will make sure of it, but this is widely accepted in the NFL.

 

[insaniti]

pretty sure he signaled a fair catch, which is also a touchback

 

[madinsomniac]

There isnt a specific definition of giving ones self up... Willfully surrendering a ball to a ref would probably be a very good example though

 

[Stoney]

Can anyone recall seeing this in an NFL game before today? I've watched a lot of pro football in my life and I couldn't understand what I was seeing. I honestly can't recall seeing any other player fail to down the ball by taking a knee. I always assumed that the rules stated that you had to 'kill' the ball by taking a knee, guess this rookie was the first to read the fine print....