Pass Interference: Summary
ARTICLE 9.
a. Either Team A or Team B legally may interfere with opponents behind the neutral zone.
b. Players of either team legally may interfere beyond the neutral zone after the pass has been touched.
Approved Ruling 7-3-9 I. A legal forward pass beyond the neutral zone is tipped or muffed by an eligible receiver of either team or glances off an official. Then, while the pass is still in flight, either Team A or Team B holds an eligible opponent who is beyond the neutral zone. RULING: Interference rules do not apply after the pass has been touched. Penalize as a foul during a loose ball. Penalty—10 from the previous spot (Rule 9-3-4).
c. Defensive players legally may contact opponents who have crossed the neutral zone if the opponents are not in a position to receive a catchable forward pass.
1. Those infractions that occur during a down in which a forward pass crosses the neutral zone are pass interference infractions only if the receiver had the opportunity to receive a catchable forward pass.
2. Those infractions that occur during a down in which a forward pass does not cross the neutral zone are Rule 9-3-4 infractions and the penalty is enforced from the previous spot.
d. Pass interference rules apply only during a down in which a legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone (Rules 2-19-3 and 7-3-8a, b and c).
e. Contact by Team B with an eligible receiver involving a personal foul that interferes with the reception of a catchable pass may be ruled either as pass interference or as a personal foul with the 15-yard penalty enforced from the previous spot. Rule 7-3-8 is specific about contact during a pass. However, if the interference involves an act that ordinarily would result in disqualification or ejection, the fouling player is disqualified or ejected from the game.
f. Physical contact is required to establish interference.
Approved Ruling 7-3-8 I. B33, defending against a legal forward pass beyond the neutral zone, has his back to the ball and is waving his arms in the face of eligible A88, but does not make contact. RULING: No foul. There is no foul for defensive pass interference if there is no contact.
g. Each player has territorial rights, and incidental contact is ruled under “attempt to reach…the pass’’ in Rule 7-3-8. If opponents who are beyond the line collide while moving toward the pass, a foul by one or both players occurs only if intent to impede the opponent is obvious. It is pass interference only if a catchable forward pass is involved.
h. Pass interference rules do not apply after the pass has been touched anywhere inbounds by an inbounds player or has touched an official. If an opponent is fouled, the penalty is for the foul and not pass interference.
Approved Ruling 7-3-9 I. A legal forward pass beyond the neutral zone is tipped or muffed by an eligible receiver of either team or glances off an official. Then, while the pass is still in flight, either Team A or Team B holds an eligible opponent who is beyond the neutral zone. RULING: Interference rules do not apply after the pass has been touched. Penalize as a foul during a loose ball. Penalty—10 from the previous spot (Rule 9-3-4).
i. After the pass has been touched, any player may execute a legal block during the remaining flight of the pass.
j. Tackling or grasping a receiver or any other intentional contact before the receiver touches the pass is evidence that the tackler is disregarding the ball and is therefore illegal.
k. Tackling or running into a receiver when a forward pass obviously is underthrown or overthrown is disregarding the ball and is illegal. This is not pass interference but a violation of Rule 9-1-12a, which carries a penalty of 15 yards from the previous spot plus a first down. Flagrant offenders shall be disqualified or ejected.
Approved Ruling 7-3-9 II. On a legal forward pass behind the neutral zone, eligible A1 “has position” on B1 and is about to touch the pass when B1 pushes A1 and the pass is incomplete. RULING: Legal. Interference rules do not apply behind the neutral zone (Rules 7-3-9d, 9-1-5 Exception 4 and 9-3-5 Exception 5).
Approved Ruling 7-3-9 III. Running a pattern near the sideline, end A88 touches the sideline just before a defender jumps into him and bats the ball to the ground. RULING: Not defensive pass interference. A88 became ineligible when he stepped out of bounds. (Rule 7-3-3)
