OT: Chiefs Punt returner catches punt in endzone and runs it out; Duhhh; what is the rule?

[uihawk82]

We see all kinds of stupid mistakes but this was a weird one. Never seen it before as the returner was at about the 7- 8 yard line and drifted back and amazingly caught it just in the endzone. No fair catch called and since I have never seen this can the returner down the punt in the endzone for a touchback out to the 20 yard line or would it be a safety.

The returner had no idea where he was I dont think so he ran it out barely to the 8 yard line.

Any one ever seen this happen? What is the rule?

 

[littlez]

We see all kinds of stupid mistakes but this was a weird one. Never seen it before as the returner was at about the 7- 8 yard line and drifted back and amazingly caught it just in the endzone. No fair catch called and since I have never seen this can the returner down the punt in the endzone for a touchback out to the 20 yard line or would it be a safety.

The returner had no idea where he was I dont think so he ran it out barely to the 8 yard line.

Any one ever seen this happen? What is the rule?

The old unwritten rule was never catch anything inside the 10. Now it’s done all out the window. But I was shocked at that play I’ll tell you. Never seen a guy catch a ball 1 yard deep on a punt.

 

[uihawk82]

The old unwritten rule was never catch anything inside the 10. Now it’s done all out the window. But I was shocked at that play I’ll tell you. Never seen a guy catch a ball 1 yard deep on a punt.

Yeah, crazy. What do you think would have been the rule if he downed it right away in the endzone? I think touchback and the return team, chiefs get the ball at the 20. but not sure

 

[littlez]

Yeah, crazy. What do you think would have been the rule if he downed it right away in the endzone? I think touchback and the return team, chiefs get the ball at the 20. but not sure

Don’t believe you can down a punt in the end zone. Would have been a safety I believe.

 

[sober_teacher]

Don’t believe you can down a punt in the end zone. Would have been a safety I believe.

Only if he’d touched the ball first outside the end zone and it bounced into end zone.

The ball is dead as soon as it crosses the goal line - if the returner muffed the punt it could be recovered for a touchdown.

Was there anything unusual about this situation? Like end of half, it was a free play, etc?

Otherwise that’s a very dumb play.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

I don’t understand why he couldn’t just take a knee for a touchback similar to an interception or kickoff catch in the endzone. I’d expect that the rules would allow for that as it is a change of possession and he hadn’t left the endzone.

 

[artradley]

The old unwritten rule was never catch anything inside the 10. Now it’s done all out the window. But I was shocked at that play I’ll tell you. Never seen a guy catch a ball 1 yard deep on a punt.

It’s really bizarre that they routinely fair catch the ball inside the ten these days, especially because now a TB comes out to the 25. The risk/reward was always completely one-sided against doing that, now it’s even more so.

And just as bizarre is that no announcer ever says anything when it happens. I’ve seen fair catches on the 3 and 4 yard line with nary a word from the announcers.

Football coaches are, imo, very smart guys with the complexity of the game these days, which makes this level of stupidity astonishing.

 

[ichawk24]

You used to be able to return punts out of the end zone in both college and pro. College recently changed the rules that the ball is whistled dead as soon as you enter the end zone.

Here is a 103 yard NFL punt return TD from 1994:

 

[littlez]

Only if he’d touched the ball first outside the end zone and it bounced into end zone.

The ball is dead as soon as it crosses the goal line - if the returner muffed the punt it could be recovered for a touchdown.

Was there anything unusual about this situation? Like end of half, it was a free play, etc?

Otherwise that’s a very dumb play.

Nothing unusual. 3rd quarter punt and he dropped from the 8 into the end zone to catch the ball out of the air 1 yard deep in the end zone. Dumbest play I’ve ever seen.

 

[littlez]

You used to be able to return punts out of the end zone in both college and pro. College recently changed the rules that the ball is whistled dead as soon as you enter the end zone.

Here is a 103 yard NFL punt return TD from 1994:

View embedded media

It’s clearly still legal as he ran it out 8 yards. I’ve just never seen it.

 

[bogfeller]

Dumbest play is still the Hawkeye (can’t remember his name) return a kickoff, then throw the ball into play as he was getting tackled out of bounds—-in a bowl game. Dumbest ever.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Dumbest play is still the Hawkeye (can’t remember his name) return a kickoff, then throw the ball into play as he was getting tackled out of bounds—-in a bowl game. Dumbest ever.

Parker?

 

[bogfeller]

Yep—-Jonathan Parker—dumbest play I have ever seen.

 

[uihawk82]

It’s really bizarre that they routinely fair catch the ball inside the ten these days, especially because now a TB comes out to the 25. The risk/reward was always completely one-sided against doing that, now it’s even more so.

I think because punters are getting so good at deadening the punt inside the 5 yard line that punter returners are told to fair catch or return them from the 7 or 8 yard line. And a punt into the endzone comes out to the 20 yard line iirc as it has always been.

 

[SA_Hawk]

Yep—-Jonathan Parker—dumbest play I have ever seen.

Gator Bowl vs Tennessee I believe.

 

[sober_teacher]

Nothing unusual. 3rd quarter punt and he dropped from the 8 into the end zone to catch the ball out of the air 1 yard deep in the end zone. Dumbest play I’ve ever seen.

Dumbest play is still the Hawkeye (can’t remember his name) return a kickoff, then throw the ball into play as he was getting tackled out of bounds—-in a bowl game. Dumbest ever.

Yeah, going to have to agree with bogfeller - Parker's play on the kickoff, which was inside the 5 yard line if I recall rightly, remains the single dumbest play I've ever seen in football.

 

[kceasthawk]

Yeah, going to have to agree with bogfeller - Parker's play on the kickoff, which was inside the 5 yard line if I recall rightly, remains the single dumbest play I've ever seen in football.

Probably why he never played at Iowa again I do believe......

 

[sober_teacher]

Probably why he never played at Iowa again I do believe......

I feel like he came back the next year and attempted a position change to receiver, but I could be mistaken.

That’s an occasion where it didn’t bug me that he landed in the doghouse.