Interesting NFL rule

**imported_mega** · September 16th, 2007, 05:35 PM

If a kick returner has one foot out of bounds while fielding the kick, the ball is considered an out of bounds kick and the receiving team gets the ball at the 40. I thought that was an odd one and had never seen it before until Hester was fielding a kickoff.

**starbuck** · September 16th, 2007, 10:02 PM

It is odd but I can understand why it is that way.

**1inStripes** · September 16th, 2007, 10:06 PM

I don't understand it. If you touch the ball before it is actually out of bounds, then the ball should be dead there. Let it go if you want the penalty.

**imported_mega** · September 16th, 2007, 10:26 PM

yeah I thought Hester made a huge blunder and then they marked the ball at the 40 and Phil Simms went into great detail about the rule. I would assume its only an nfl rule?

**1inStripes** · September 16th, 2007, 10:37 PM

Actually it depends. You have to determine whether or not the receiving team is reaching out of bounds to catch it, or if they are standing with a foot on the sideline and touching the ball with the flight still in bounds.

If R is reaching out of bounds then it is treated just like it was never touched. If R is fielding inbounds with a foot on the line, then R caused it to be out, and the ball is awarded at the spot.

**pvfan** · September 17th, 2007, 01:09 AM

Here is a question from todays Cowboys game, Green for the Dolphins went to spike the ball, it was ruled a fumble, however he was never touched down, so how was the play over?