Football Official

Football Official

Zebra

Somewhere in, NJ

Male, 62

I've officiated football for over 30 years, now in my 26th on the college level. I've worked NCAA playoffs at the Division II and III level. In addition, I've coached at the scholastic level and have been an educator for over 35 years. I have no interest whatsoever in being an NFL official! Ever!

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Last Answer on January 23, 2021

Best Rated

Why is a runner/receiver ruled out of bounds when/where the ball crosses the imaginary plane of the boundary. But a ball can be caught after it crosses the same plane? The first is difficult to officiate and get the spot right even in replay.

Asked by Stuart.a.tomlinson@gmail.com almost 8 years ago

Your question is a little confusing but let me try.

When a runner goes out of bounds, the ball is spotted where the ball crosses the OOB line, not the runner. It's pretty straight forward and not that difficult to officiate.

I'm not quite sure what the second part of your question means, but here goes. The ball isn't out of bounds until it touches something out of bounds. A player in the field of play is not OOB. So if a player reaches out and catches a ball that has crossed the sideline - and he is still in bounds - the ball is still in play and it's a catch.

In nfl when a team punts the ball and time runs out while the ball is in the air what options do the receiving team have. Rule section.

Asked by Mikary52nh about 9 years ago

As far as i understand, it's the same as any other play when time runs out. You continue play until the whistle. The ball is alive and in play until the play ends.

If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Asked by Thunder23 over 9 years ago

Line can go down one yard. Beyond that is illegal. A pass behind the line is, I believe, the same - no more than one yard.

If a team is going for 2 and throws an interception and the intercepting player eh s the ball out of the end zone but then fumbles and the origin al team recovers and returns it to the end zone. Would that be 2 points or six because of change of poss

Asked by Rick R about 9 years ago

A try is,a special period of play. Six points can only be awarded on a touchdown, not a try. Two points.

Why doesn't the Miami/Bulls game have any pink ribbon on field or on themselves?

Asked by Ka about 9 years ago

That is,a league/ team issue, not officiating.

A QB fumbles on a pitch to a rb on the 30yd line in an attempt to march down the field for a 70yd drive, the obvious chaos to recover the ball by D & O occurs; can a D player hit or kick the ball while trying to pick it up, causing the ball to roll towards the endzone, then recover it for a defensive touchdown??? Does this fall under the illegal batted ball rule?? (Ex: while he's trying to pick it up he kind of hits it forward, then hits it forward again, then picks it up in the endzone. Is this a legit td for the D or an illegally batted ball?) the ball started at the 30yd line, went back 5yds on the bad pitch, then was hit backwards nearly 25yds by the defense while attempting to pick up & advance the football.

Asked by Royal Chiou over 8 years ago

You cannot bat a ball forward. If the defense batted it towards the endzone they're facing, that's forward and illegal. There is a certain amount of reading intent. "he kind of hits it forward, then hits it forward again, then picks it up in the endzone." If a player tried and failed to pick it up twice and - golly gee - it happened to go towards the endzone, I think we have an issue. Ain't happening.

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 almost 9 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.