Rule 6 - Kicks
SECTION 1. Free Kicks
Article 1 - Restraining Lines
For any free kick formation, the kicking team’s restraining line shall be the yard line through the most forward point from which the ball shall be kicked, and the receiving team’s restraining line shall be the yard line 10 yards beyond that point. Unless relocated by a penalty, the kicking team’s restraining line on a kickoff shall be its line 15 yards from the midfield line, and for a free kick after a safety, its 20-yard line.
Article 2 - Free Kick Formation
a. A ball from a free kick formation must be kicked legally and from some point on Team A’s restraining line (Exception: Rule 6-1-2-c-4) and on or between the hash marks. The referee will declare the ball ready for play when the officials are in position after the kicker has received the ball. After the ready-for-play signal, the ball may only be relocated after a charged team timeout and before a subsequent kick. After the ball is ready for play and for any reason it falls from the tee, Team A shall not kick the ball and an official shall sound his whistle immediately.
b. After the ball has been made ready for play:
1. All players on the kicking team, except the kicker, must be no more than five yards behind their restraining line. A player satisfies this rule when one foot is on or beyond the line five yards behind the restraining line. If one player is more than five yards behind the restraining line and any other player kicks the ball, it is a foul for an illegal formation [S19: IFK]. (A.R. 6-1-2:VII)
2. All players on the kicking team, except the kicker in his kicking motion and the holder for the purposes of holding the ball, must remain behind their restraining line [S18: OFK].
3. If a Team A player attempts to kick the ball but misses it (intentionally or accidentally), it is a dead-ball foul for illegal procedure [S19: IFK].
c. When the ball is kicked (A.R. 6-1-2:I-IV):
1. Each Team A player, except the holder and kicker of a place kick, must be behind the ball [S18: OFK]. (A.R. 6-1-2:V)
2. All Team A players must be inbounds [S19: IFK].
3. At least four Team A players must be on each side of the kicker [S19: IFK]. (A.R. 6-1-2:II-IV)
4. After a safety, when a punt or drop kick is used, the ball may be kicked from behind the kicking team’s restraining line. If a yardage penalty for a live-ball foul is enforced from the previous spot, administration is from the 20-yard line, unless the kicking team’s restraining line has been relocated by a previous penalty [S18 or appropriate signal].
5. All players of Team A must have been between the nine-yard marks after the ready- for-play signal [S19: IFK]. PENALTY − [b3] Dead-ball foul. Five yards from the succeeding spot. [S19: IFK]. [a-c5 except b3] Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot, or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B, or from the spot where the ball is placed after a touchback [S18 or S19: IFK/OFK]. (A.R. 6-1-2:VI)
6. All Team B players must be inbounds [S19: IFK].
7. All Team B players must be behind their restraining line [S18: OFK].
PENALTY − [c6-c7] Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot [S18 or S19: IFK/OFK].
Article 3 - Touching and Recovery of a Free Kick; Illegal Touching
a. No Team A player may touch a free-kicked ball until after:
1. It touches a Team B player (Exception: Rules 6-1-4 and 6-5-1-b);
2. It breaks the plane of and remains beyond Team B’s restraining line (Exception: Rule 6-4-1) (A.R. 2-12-5:I); or
3. It touches any player, the ground, an official or anything else beyond Team B’s restraining line.
Thereafter, all players of Team A become eligible to touch, recover or catch the kick.
b. Any other touching by Team A is illegal touching, a violation that, when the ball becomes dead, gives the receiving team the privilege of taking the ball at the spot of the violation.
c. If there is an accepted penalty for a live-ball foul by either team, or if there are offsetting fouls, the illegal touching privilege is cancelled. (A.R. 6-1-3:I)
d. Illegal touching in Team A’s end zone is ignored.
Article 4 - Forced Touching Disregarded
a. A player blocked by an opponent into a free kick is not, while inbounds, deemed to have touched the kick. (A.R. 2-11-4:I)
b. An inbounds player touched by a ball either batted or illegally kicked by an opponent is not deemed to have touched the ball (Rule 2-11-4-c).
Article 5 - Free Kick at Rest
If a free kick comes to rest inbounds and no player attempts to secure it, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the receiving team at the dead-ball spot.
Article 6 - Free Kick Caught or Recovered
a. If a free kick is caught or recovered by a player of the receiving team, the ball continues in play (Exceptions: Rules 4-1-3-g, 6-1-7, 6-5-1 and 6-5-2). If caught or recovered by a player of the kicking team, the ball becomes dead. The ball belongs to the receiving team at the dead-ball spot, unless the kicking team is in legal possession when the ball is declared dead. In the latter case, the ball belongs to the kicking team.
b. When opposing players, each eligible to touch the ball, simultaneously recover a rolling kick or catch a free kick, the simultaneous possession makes the ball dead.
c. A kick declared dead in joint possession is awarded to the receiving team.
Article 7 - Ball Dead in End Zone
a. When a free kick untouched by Team B touches the ground on or behind Team B’s goal line, the ball becomes dead and belongs to Team B.
b. If the result of the free kick is a touchback (Rule 8-6-1) for Team B, they will put the ball in play at their 20-yard line.
Article 8 - Fouls By Kicking Team
Penalties for all fouls by the kicking team during a free kick play other than kick-catch interference (Rule 6-4) may be enforced at the previous spot with the down repeated or at the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B, at the option of Team B.
Article 9 - Foul Against Kicker
The kicker of a free kick may not be blocked until he has advanced five yards beyond his restraining line or the kick has touched a player, an official or the ground (Rule 9-1-16-c).
PENALTY − 15 yards from the previous spot [S40: PF-RTK].
Article 10 - Illegal Wedge Formation
a. A wedge is defined as two or more players aligned shoulder to shoulder within two yards of each other.
b. Free-kick down only: After the ball has been kicked, it is illegal for two or more members of the receiving team intentionally to form a wedge for the purpose of blocking for the ball carrier. This is a live-ball foul, whether or not there is contact between opponents.
PENALTY − Noncontact foul. 15 yards from the spot of the foul, or 15 yards from the
spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B if this is behind the spot of the foul. 15 yards, previous spot with the down repeated if the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team A [S27: IWK].
c. Formation of the wedge is not illegal when the kick is from an obvious onside kick formation.
d. There is no foul if the play results in a touchback, fair catch or a foul for a free kick out of bounds.
Article 11 - Player Out of Bounds
A Team A player who goes out of bounds during a free kick down may not return inbounds during the down (Exception: This does not apply to a Team A player who is blocked out of bounds and attempts to return inbounds immediately).
PENALTY − Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot, or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B, or from the spot where the ball is placed after a touchback [S19: OBK].
Article 12 - Eligibility to Block
No Team A player may block an opponent until Team A is eligible to touch a free-kicked ball (A.R. 6-1-3:II).
PENALTY − Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot, or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B, or from the spot where the ball is placed after a touchback [S19: IBK].
SECTION 2. Free Kick Out of Bounds
Article 1 - Kicking Team
If a free kick goes out of bounds between the goal lines untouched by an inbounds player of Team B, it is a foul. (A.R. 6-2-1:I-II) (A.R. 4-2-1:III)
PENALTY − Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot; or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B; or the receiving team may put the ball in play 30 yards beyond Team A’s restraining line at the hash mark [S19: KOB].
Article 2 - Receiving Team
If a free kick goes out of bounds between the goal lines, the ball belongs to the receiving team at the hash mark. If a free kick goes out of bounds behind the goal line, the ball belongs to the team defending that goal line. (A.R. 6-2-2:I-IV)
SECTION 3. Scrimmage Kicks
Article 1 - Behind the Neutral Zone
a. A scrimmage kick that fails to cross the neutral zone continues in play. All players may catch or recover the ball behind the neutral zone and advance it. (A.R.
6-3-1:I-III)
b. The blocking of a scrimmage kick by an opponent of the kicking team who is not more than three yards beyond the neutral zone is considered to have occurred within or behind that zone (Rule 2-11-5).
Article 2 - Beyond the Neutral Zone
a. No inbounds player of the kicking team shall touch a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone before it touches an opponent. This is illegal touching, a violation that, when the ball becomes dead, gives the receiving team the privilege of taking the ball at the spot of the violation (Exception: Rule 6-3-4) (A.R. 2-12-2:I) (A.R. 6-3-2:I).
b. This privilege is cancelled if there is an accepted penalty for a live-ball foul by either team (A.R. 6-3-2:I-IV) (A.R. 6-3-11:I-III).
c. The privilege is cancelled if there are offsetting fouls.
d. Illegal touching in Team A’s end zone is ignored. Illegal touching on a try results in no score. Illegal touching in an extra period results in team possession ending.
Article 3 - All Become Eligible
When a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone touches a player of the receiving team who is inbounds, any player may catch or recover the ball (Rule 6-3-1-b) (Exceptions: Rules 6-3-4 and 6-5-1-b).
Article 4 - Forced Touching Disregarded
a. A player blocked by an opponent into a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone shall not, while inbounds, be deemed to have touched the kick. (A.R. 6-3-4:I-V) (A.R. 2-11-4:I)
b. An inbounds player touched by a ball either batted or illegally kicked by an opponent is not deemed to have touched the ball. (Rule 2-11-4-c) (A.R. 6-3-4:II).
Article 5 - Catch or Recovery by Receiving Team
If a player of the receiving team catches or recovers a scrimmage kick, the ball continues in play (Exceptions: Rules 4-1-3-g, 6-3-9, 6-5-1 and 6-5-2). (A.R. 8-4-2:V)
Article 6 - Catch or Recovery by Kicking Team
a. If a player of the kicking team catches or recovers a scrimmage kick that has crossed the neutral zone, the ball becomes dead. (A.R. 6-3-1:IV) The ball belongs to the receiving team at the dead-ball spot, unless the kicking team is in legal possession when the ball is declared dead. In the latter case, the ball belongs to the kicking team (Exception: Rule 8-4-2-b).
b. If opposing players who are each eligible to touch the ball simultaneously catch or recover a scrimmage kick, the simultaneous possession makes the ball dead. A kick declared dead in joint possession of opposing players is awarded to the receiving team (Rules 2-4-4 and 4-1-3-l).
Article 7 - Out of Bounds Between Goal Lines or at Rest Inbounds
If a scrimmage kick goes out of bounds between the goal lines, or if it comes to rest inbounds and no player attempts to secure it, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the receiving team at the dead-ball spot (Exception: Rule 8-4-2-b).
Article 8 - Out of Bounds Behind Goal Line
If a scrimmage kick (other than one that scores a field goal) goes out of bounds behind a goal line, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the team defending that goal line (Rule 8-4-2-b).
Article 9 - Touching Ground On or Behind Goal Line
If a scrimmage kick untouched by Team B beyond the neutral zone touches the ground on or behind Team B’s goal line, the ball becomes dead and belongs to Team B (Rule 8-4-2-b). (A.R. 6-3-9:I-II)
Article 10 - Legal and Illegal Kicks
a. A legal scrimmage kick is a punt, drop kick or place kick made according to rule.
b. A return kick is an illegal kick, a live-ball foul that causes the ball to become dead (Rule 2-16-8).
PENALTY − For a return kick (live-ball foul): five yards from the spot of the foul [S31: KIK].
c. A scrimmage kick made when the kicker’s entire body is beyond the neutral zone is an illegal kick, a live-ball foul that causes the ball to become dead.
PENALTY − For an illegal kick beyond the neutral zone (live-ball foul): Five yards from the previous spot and loss of down [S31 and S9: KIK].
d. No device or material may be used to mark the spot of a scrimmage place kick or elevate the ball. This is a live-ball foul at the snap.
PENALTY − Five yards from the previous spot [S19: KIK].
Article 11 - Loose Behind the Goal Line
If a scrimmage kick untouched by Team B after crossing the neutral zone is batted in Team B’s end zone by a player of Team A, it is a violation for illegal touching (Rule 6-3-2). The spot of the violation is Team B’s 20-yard line. This is a special case of batting in the end zone and is not a foul. (A.R. 6-3-11:I-V) (A.R. 2-12-2:I)
Article 12 - Out of Bounds Player
No Team A player who goes out of bounds during a scrimmage kick down may return inbounds during the down (Exception: This does not apply to a Team A player who is blocked out of bounds and attempts to return inbounds immediately).
PENALTY − Live-ball foul. Five yards from the previous spot or five yards from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B. [S19: OBK].
Article 13 - Fouls By Kicking Team
Penalties for all fouls by the kicking team other than kick-catch interference (Rule 6-4) during a scrimmage kick play (except field goal attempts) in which the ball crosses the neutral zone may be enforced either at the previous spot with the down repeated (Exception: Penalty option is a safety for fouls in Team A’s end zone) or at the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B, at the option of Team B. (A.R. 6-3-13:I-III)
Article 14 - Defensive Linemen on Place Kicks
If Team A is in a formation to attempt a place kick (field goal or try), it is illegal for three Team B players on their line of scrimmage inside the free-blocking zone to align shoulder-to-shoulder and move forward together after the snap with primary contact against a single Team A player (A.R. 6-3-14:I-II).
PENALTY − Live-ball foul. Five yards, previous spot [S19: IFD].
SECTION 4. Opportunity to Catch a Kick
Article 1 - Interference with Opportunity
a. If an inbounds player of the receiving team is located where he could catch a free kick or a scrimmage kick that is beyond the neutral zone, and if he is attempting to do so, he must be given an unimpeded opportunity to catch the kick (A.R. 6-3-1:III) (A.R. 6-4-1:V, VI and IX).
b. It is an interference foul if, before the receiver touches the ball, a Team A player enters the area defined by the width of the receiver’s shoulders and extending one yard in front of him. When in question it is a foul. (A.R. 6-4-1:X-XIII)
c. This protection ends when the kick touches the ground (Exception: Free kick, Rule
6-4-1-f below), when any player of Team B muffs or touches a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone, or when any player of Team B muffs or touches a free kick in the field of play or in the end zone (Exception: Rule 6-5-1-b). (A.R. 6-4-1:IV)
d. If interference with a potential receiver is the result of a player being blocked by an opponent, it is not a foul.
e. It is an interference foul if the kicking team contacts the potential receiver before, or simultaneous to, his first touching the ball (A.R. 6-4-1:II, III and VIII). When in question, it is an interference foul.
f. During a free kick, a player of the receiving team in position to receive the ball has the same kick-catch and fair-catch protection whether the ball is kicked directly off the tee or is immediately driven to the ground, strikes the ground once and goes into the air in the manner of the ball kicked directly off the tee.
g. If contact by Team A is deemed to be a targeting foul (Rules 9-1-3 and 9-1-4) or any other personal foul that interferes with the receiver’s opportunity to catch a kick, it may be ruled either as interference or as a targeting or personal foul. The 15-yard penalty is enforced at the spot where the dead ball belongs to Team B or at the spot of the foul, at the option of Team B.
PENALTY − For foul between the goal lines: Receiving team’s ball, first down, 15 yards beyond the spot of the foul for an interference foul [S33: KCI]. For foul behind the goal line: Award a touchback and penalise from the succeeding spot. Flagrant offenders shall be disqualified [S47: DSQ].
SECTION 5. Fair Catch
Article 1 - Dead Where Caught
a. If a Team B player makes a fair catch, the ball becomes dead where caught and belongs to Team B at that spot. [Exception: If a Team B player makes a fair catch of a free kick behind Team B’s 20-yard line, the ball belongs to Team B at its own 20-yard line. The next snap shall be from midway between the hashmarks, unless a different position on or between the hashmarks is selected by the team designated to put the ball in play before the play clock is at 25 seconds or before any subsequent ready-for-play signal. After the play clock is at 25 seconds or any subsequent ready-for-play signal, the ball may be relocated only after a charged team timeout unless preceded by a Team A foul or offsetting fouls.]
b. If a Team B player makes a valid fair catch signal, the unimpeded opportunity to catch a free or scrimmage kick continues if this player muffs the kick and still has an opportunity to complete the catch. If he (or another Team B player) subsequently catches the kick, the ball is placed where he first touched it. This protection terminates when the kick touches the ground. (A.R. 6-5-1:I-II)
c. Rules pertaining to a fair catch apply only when a scrimmage kick crosses the neutral zone or during free kicks.
d. The purpose of the fair catch provision is to protect the receiver who, by his fair catch signal, agrees he or a teammate will not advance after the catch. (A.R. 6-5-5:III)
e. The ball shall be put in play by a snap by the receiving team at the spot of the catch if the ball is caught (Exception: Rules 6-5-1-a, 6-5-1-b, 7-1-1-c and 8-6-1-b).
Article 2 - No Advance
No Team B player shall carry a caught or recovered ball more than two steps in any direction after any Team B player gives a valid or invalid fair catch signal. (A.R. 6-5-2:I- III)
PENALTY − Dead-ball foul, delay of game. Five yards from the succeeding spot [S7 and S21: DOG].
Article 3 - Invalid Signals: Catch or Recovery
a. A catch after an invalid signal is not a fair catch, and the ball is dead where caught or recovered. (Exception: During a free kick, if a Team B receiver gives any waving signal that does not meet all of the requirements of a valid fair catch signal, and subsequently catches the ball behind the B-20 yard line, the ball belongs to Team B at its own 20-yard line). If the signal follows a catch or recovery, the ball is dead when the signal is first given. (A.R. 6-5-1:I)
b. Invalid signals beyond the neutral zone apply only to Team B.
c. An invalid signal beyond the neutral zone is possible only when the ball has crossed the neutral zone (Rule 2-16-7). (A.R. 6-5-3:I)
Article 4 - Illegal Block or Contact
A player of Team B who has made a valid or invalid signal for a fair catch and does not touch the ball shall not block or foul an opponent during that down. (A.R. 6-5-4:I and II)
PENALTY − Free kick: Receiving team’s ball 15 yards from the spot of the foul [S40: IBK]. Scrimmage kick: 15 yards, postscrimmage kick enforcement [S40: IBK].
Article 5 - No Tackling
No player of the kicking team shall tackle or block an opponent who has completed a fair catch. Only the player making a fair catch signal has this protection (A.R. 6-5-5:I and III).
PENALTY − Dead-ball foul. Receiving team’s ball 15 yards from the succeeding spot [S7 and S38: PF-UNR].