Nfl rule book drop kick dough

Football rule question sass wire saloon sass wire forum. I cant recall another example of a drop kick in an nfl game. The patriots once let doug flutie drop kick an extra point for no. The nfls new rule to reduce kickoff returns backfired in the. Yes, the drop kick is still legal in the nfl rulebook rule 3, section 18, article 1, item. For a punt, drop kick, or placekick that is kicked from beyond the line of scrimmage or not from scrimmage. Kick offs are done at the 35,receiving team cannot go past their 45, kick with any power if the ball is kicked on 100 power it. During a placekick on a kickoff, the kicking team may use a manufactured tee that is one inch in height. In many cases, the intent is obvious, based on the game situation i. The four point dropkick around the nfl eagles message. The nfl made major rule changes to save the kickoff, but its days still seem numbered. Oct 01, 2009 one major problem is that the book lacks an index. The people currently on the nfl competition committee are falcons president rich mckay. Doug flutie added another oddity to his football resume on sunday when.

In 2006, new england patriots quarterback doug flutie converted a drop kick for an extra point after a fourthquarter touchdown against the miami dolphins. Is a drop kick still a legal and proper way to score. The play is legal, according to rule 3, section 18, article 1, item 1 of the nfl s official rule book. You are allowed to score a field goal or extra point by using either a place kick or a drop kick. In 1941, a successful drop kick was performed during a nfl game by ray mclean of the chicago bears.

Article 1 during a scrimmage kick that crosses the line of scrimmage, or during a free kick, members of the kicking team are prohibited from interfering with any receiver making an attempt to catch the airborne kick, or from obstructing or hindering his path to the airborne kick, and regardless of whether any signal was given. Until the 1970s, the rules allowed players to attempt a drop kick field goal in nfl football, a dropkick field goal is. Pats specialteamer nate ebner dropped kicked the ball, in an. Itd actually be pretty damn awesome if an nfl team had a quarterback capable of consistently nailing drop kicks through the uprights. Runner a1 gets to the line of scrimmage and is stopped but a2, who is behind him, pushes him from behind and shoves him over the goal line. How to bring back the drop kick around the nfl eagles. This is extremely rare, in fact i dont think any team has ever done it. Drop kicks are most importantly used as a method of restarting play and scoring points in rugby union and rugby league. The onside kick is a strategy used by many nfl teams as a lastditch effort to turn a losing game around. However, instead of doing a straight punt, the punter drop kicks the ball. The drop kick remains in the nfls official rule book, even though it. I dont know about the fg, but it seems like that oughta still work. The drop kick remains in the nfls official rule book, even though it hadnt been successfully converted in decades. For a punt, drop kick, or placekick that is kicked from beyond the line of scrimmage or not.

Dec 05, 2016 yes, the drop kick is still legal in the nfl rulebook rule 3, section 18, article 1, item 1 defines the dropkick as a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it as, or immediately after, it touches the ground. The drop kick is successful when the quarterback drops the ball, lets it bounce off the ground, kicks it, and gets it through the goalposts for an extra point. The onside kick is a lowpercentage play, generally only seen late in a game when the kicking team is trailing in the score and must retain possession of the ball in order to score before time expires. These changes and rules were agreed to during the annual spring.

The nfl made make major rule changes to save the kickoff. It is not meant to connote illegality under any public law or the rules or regulations of any other organization. This edition of the official playing rules of the national football league contains allcurrent rules governing the playing of professional football that are in effect for the 20 nfl season. The destination for all national football leaguerelated video on the web. Nfl declares longer extra point experiment a success by. The destination for all national football league related video on the web. It involves a player dropping the ball and then kicking it after it bounces off the ground drop kicks are most importantly used as a method of restarting play and scoring points in rugby union and rugby league.

Believe it or not, the dropkick remains a legal maneuver in the national football league today. Its a dinosaur that hasnt be excised from the rules, but generates buzz in the rare couple of times it has been used. The drop kick the drop kick is a quirk of the rule book. Rule 10 section 2 article 4 of the nfl rulebook shows that there are two ways to put the ball in play after a fair catch is called. Dec 06, 2015 the patriots used a 1930sinspired trick play to try to catch the eagles off guard, but it didnt work. The only value of the drop kick in the nfl is as an alternative way of kicking the ball through the uprights. The word flagrant, when used here to describe an action by a player, is. Sep 07, 2017 this weird nfl rule lets you score 3 points without kicking a field goal. The arizona cardinals dusted off a littleused page of the nfl rule book sunday and gave their kicker a shot at history. Doug flutie converted the nfl s only successful drop kick since 1941. Rule 3, section 18, article 1, item 1 defines the dropkick as, a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it as, or immediately after, it touches the ground. So couldnt a punt unit risk the extra time it takes to drop kick the ball in order to attempt a recovery. Those kickoff rule changes were a major reason for the drop in onside kick recoveries, which was only a. That is really a shame because it makes the definitive source for all these rulings on the field less accessible to an average reader.

Section 2, article 4, putting ball in play after fair catch states. Its still in the nfl rule book today but hasnt been done since flutie pulled it off against the miami dolphins the dolphins won, regardless of fluties cool move. However, the nfl confirmed this week that the kick was illegal. This weird nfl rule lets you score 3 points without kicking a. Theres a rule that allows a team to get an undefended fieldgoal attempt from the spot it made a fair catch. Rule 9 scrimmage kick section 1 kick from scrimmage kick behind line of scrimmage article 1 team a may attempt a punt, drop kick, or placekick from behind the line of scrimmage. Evolution of the nfl rules the custodians of football not only have protected its integrity, but have also revised its playing rules to protect the players, and to make the games fairer. The xfls first incarnation employed a similar rule in which teams ran a single offensive down from the twoyard line functionally identical to the nfl ncaacfl twopoint conversion, also for one point. The nfls rules have continued to evolve since footballs earliest days always changing to protect the leagues integrity and make the game fairer, safer and more entertaining. San francisco 49ers kicker phil dawson attempts a 71yard faircatch kick as coach jim harbaugh chooses to take advantage of a littleused play from the nfl rule book. We have occasionally seen our kicker here and a few others kick off into the end zone, even with the 5 extra yards. In an onside kick, however, the kicking team kicks short in hopes of regaining possession of the ball before the receiving team can control it. This weird nfl rule lets you score 3 points without. Rule 12 player conduct section 1 blocking, use of hands, arms, and body legal and illegal block article 1 a player of either team may block obstruct or impede an opponent at any time, provided that.

New england quarterback doug flutie dropkicked an extra point following a touchdown in the fourth quarter. The fact that it is a drop kick rather than a normal punt does not change those rules. Official nfl playing rules 63 rule 12, section 1, article 3. This edition of the official playing rules of the national football league contains all current rules governing the playing of professional football that are in effect for the 2017 nfl season. What are the rules for the onside kick in professional. In the wfl, pats were called action points and could only be scored via a run or pass play as opposed to by kick as in the nfl, and were worth one point.

The kick was once in wide use in both australian rules football and gridiron. It defines a dropkick as a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it as, or. Packers take advantage of ridiculous nfl rule to magically make kickoff go out of bounds. It is not meant to connote illegality under any public law. If a team uses the quick kick a lot, surprise can be maintained only by their also having a fake quick kick play. After a fair catch is made, or is awarded as the result of fair catch interference, the receiving. How nfl coaches are outsmarting the rule book more often than ever. Instead of kicking an extra point normally, a player takes the snap and, anywhere behind the line of scrimmage, drops the ball. Between 1974 and 2011, the nfl moved the kickoff line three times. Evolution of the nfl rules nfl football operations. Eleven teams have attempted the faircatch kick since the nfl merger. A drop kick is a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it as, or immediately after, it touches the ground. Its a play that generates enough of an oddball type of attention every 10 years or so.

This edition of the official playing rules of the national football league contains all current rules governing the playing of professional football that are in effect for the 2011 nfl season. Yes, the drop kick is still legal in the nfl rulebook rule 3, section 18, article 1, item 1 defines the dropkick as a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it as, or immediately after, it touches the ground. Can they clarify whether it was illegal to drop kick a kickoff in any way, or whether it was that the ravens conducted the play illegally. Since a drop kick is a free kick, its a live ball and can be recovered be either team, like a fg or onside kick. Nfl declares longer extra point experiment a success by making rule permanent new, 4 comments the nfl s tougher extra point rules made kickers drop. The complete nfl rulebook can be found in the nfl operations rules section at. In this article, we will discuss how this play works, and the various rules and regulations that are associated with it. Oct 01, 2010 hopefully the nfl commissioner will read this and act accordingly. May 22, 2018 here is a summary, in video, of the changes being made to kickoffs in the national football league, per their operations staff. Tucker, however, allowed the ball to hit ground and bounce upwards. Doug flutie converts first drop kick since 1941 this day in. A punt is not to be confused with a drop kick, a kick after the ball hits the ground, now rare in both american and canadian football. Kick behind line of scrimmage article 1 team a may attempt a punt, drop kick, or placekick from behind the line of scrimmage.

Game and player highlights, news stories, team and playerrelated features, fantasy football videos, nfl event coverage. This rule was a revival of a 1968 preseason experiment by the nfl and american football league. Jul 24, 2015 nfl rewrites dez bryant rule and it might actually be more confusing dez bryants nocatch still wont be a catch under the nfl s new rule for making a reception. Each adjustment was carefully considered and made solely in response to circumstances and trends at the time. A running back would typically run a sweep and then attempt to boot a 3point field go. Until the 1970s, the rules allowed players to attempt a drop kick field goal in nfl football, a dropkick field goal is worth the same as a regular. In a dropkick, the kicker drops the football and must kick it as it strikes the ground or immediately afterwards. By definition, a drop kick is a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it as, or immediately after, it touches the ground. So this begs the question why is the dropkick still in the book. Nov 18, 2016 in the nfl rule book, there are secrets waiting to be mined, and the best head coaches are digging deep. It is performed when the kicker lets the ball drop to the ground, and then kicks it when it bounces back into the air. London, england october, 2019 rule 10 of the national football league s official rule book is titled. The result of a typical punt, barring any penalties or extraordinary circumstances, is a first down for the receiving team. The rules still allow a player to score on a drop kick.

Most teams snap the ball at the spot of the fair catch to start a drive, but in rare instances, a coach can elect to use the faircatch kick. The number of concussions on kickoffs dropped by 40 percent during the 2011 season, and the return rate fell from 80 to nearly 50 percent. Qb doug flutie goes out in style, converting the first drop kick in an nfl game since 1941in his last career game. The kicking team is under no obligation to announce that they are going to attempt an onside kick. Seahawks michael dickson attempts dropkick kickoff. Please note that nfl digital care representatives are unable to answer requests regarding specific rules or play calls, and have no contact with those involved in the rule changing process. Exnfl referee on botched seattle seahawksdetroit lions.

The best nfl coaches are outsmarting the rule book. How nfl coaches are outsmarting the rule book more often than ever the nfl s rule book is complexsometimes too complexbut the leagues best coaches have learned how to. Rule sectionarticle 482 eliminates the requirement that a team who scores a touchdown at the end of regulation of a game to kick the extra point or go for twopoint conversion if it would not affect the outcome of the game. The last dropkick pro football hall of fame official site. Where the word illegal appears in this rule book, it is an institutional term of art pertaining strictly to actions that violate nfl playing rules. Nfl says ravens drop kick was illegal, john harbaugh says refs. According to the nfl hall of fame web site, ray mclean of the chicago bears was the last player to successfully convert a drop kick in the nfl in 1941. Nfl drop kicks are worth 3 points unless it is during an extra point attempt, then it is worth 1 point. Cowboys pass on chance for points via obscure fair catch kick rule down eight at the end of the first half, the cowboys could have tried for three points but didnt. Seattle seahawks punter michael dickson attempts dropkick.

Rulesectionarticle 482 eliminates the requirement that a team who scores a touchdown at the end of regulation of a game to kick the extra point or go for two point conversion if it would not. The dropkick is still in the nfl rule book but its become a dinosaur pretty much since the shape of the ball was changed in the 40s. I assume that for a more experienced reader with a serious interest in the game, this book would be a wonderful resource. A drop kick is a type of kick in various codes of football. Member clubs of the league may amend the rules from time to time, pursuant to the applicable voting procedures of the nfl constitution and bylaws. Nov 16, 2008 theres one little know rule that if a team faircatches the drop kick after a safety, then they have the option of putting the ball on a kickoff tee at that spot and freekicking for a field goal with no defense. It involves a player dropping the ball and then kicking it after it bounces off the ground. Best potential rule book nerd coaching tree theres a lot of crazy rules, powell said in 2015 like on kickoff returns, if they kick it near the sideline, i could step out of bounds. If a kicker drops the football to the ground and kicks it immediately after it lands, he has completed a drop kick. The free kick is considered one of two types of kickoffs even though it uses a drop kick, according to the nfl rules.

Nfl says ravens drop kick was illegal, john harbaugh says. I dont like to wade through the nfl rule book, but my gut says that the other team might get its choice of taking possession from where it was kicked or where it wound up after the return. Evolution of the nfl rules the custodians of football not only have protected its integrity, but have also revised its playing rules to protect the players, and to make the games fairer and more entertaining. Flutie converts first drop kick since 1941 championship.

If these rule changes are made in a timely manner, i will bump my rating for this book up to four stars. Decades later, doug flutie kicked one in 2006 as a member of the new england patriots. One type of such play is the equivalent of the statue of liberty play for the forward pass. Nfl rewrites dez bryant rule and it might actually be more. On january 11th, 2015, this rule came into question regarding a play made by dallas cowboys wr dez bryant in the divisional playoff game against the green bay packers. The ball was placed on the twoandahalf yard line for an action point. Sep 25, 2017 the meme claims that page 6263 of the nfl rule book dictates that during the national anthem, players must stand, face the flag, hold their helmet in their left hand and refrain from talking. What the nfl rule book says about the national anthem. Nfl football operations protects the integrity of the game by ensuring that the rules and the officiating are consistent and fair to all competitors. Before flutie, the last time there had been a successful drop kick in the nfl was dec. You will see more kick returns in the preseason than you will during the regular season.

To date, the only successful drop kick in the nfl since the 1940s was by doug flutie, the. Sep 02, 2016 the nfls new rule to reduce kickoff returns backfired in the preseason. The nfl rule book has its fair shair of strange rules. The drop kick is successful when the quarterback drops the ball, lets it bounce off the.