Free Kicks

Note: In each of the following free-kick plays the kickoff is at the A-35.

1. Touching of a Free Kick

On a kickoff, Team A tries an onside kick. A80 has his feet at the A-44 when he recovers the ball at the A-46. Officials rule illegal touching. RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether the ball had gone 10 yards before touched by A80. Overturn to no illegal touching. A 1-10 on A-46 (Rule 12-3-4a).

2. Touching of a Free Kick

With 3 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter on an onside kick attempt, the ball is first touched by A20 at the A-41 and then is recovered by A80 at the A-45. Officials award the ball to Team A at the A-45. RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether A20 touched the ball. Overturn to illegal touching. B 1-10 on A-41 (Rule 12-3-4a).

3. Touching of a Free Kick

On the kickoff to start the second half officials rule that the ball is touched by B45 before going out of bounds at the B-20 and give Team B the ball at that spot. Replays show that B45 did not touch the ball. RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether B45 touched the ball. Overturn to free kick out of bounds. Team B 1-10 on B-35, or re-kick at the A-30 (Rule 12-3-4a).

4. Touching of a Free Kick

On a kickoff, the ball is rolling at the Team B 12-hard line. The ball rolls out of bounds at the B-10 after touching B15’s foot. Officials rule foul for kickoff out of bounds untouched by Team B. RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether B15 touched the ball. Overturn to no foul. Team B 1-10 on B-10. If after the Two-Minute Timeout, adjust game clock as necessary. (Rule 12-3-4a).

5. Touching of a Free Kick

With the score tied and 5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Team A kicks off and the ball goes between the legs of kick returner B15 without touching him and out of bounds at the B-5. Officials rule the ball touched B15 and wind the clock. The game clock runs down to 0:00 during the play. RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether B15 touched the ball. Overturn to foul. B 1/10 @ B-35, free kick out of bounds or rekick at the A-30. The game clock is re-set to 0:05 (Rule 12-3-4a).

6. Early Blocking on an On-Side Kick

On a kickoff at the A-35, Team A executes an on-side kick. A50 blocks B85, who is in a passive posture, before Team B touches the ball or before the ball travels ten yards. No flag is thrown. A80 recovers at the A-46 where the officials award Team A the ball for a first down. RULING: Reviewable play. Replay rules a foul by Team A for blocking before they are eligible to touch the ball on an on-side kick. Rekick at the A-30 after the five-yard penalty.

7. Early Blocking on an On-Side Kick

On a kickoff at the A-35, Team A executes an on-side kick. A80 recovers at the A-46. A50 blocks B85 and officials throw a flag for the block occurring before Team B touches the ball or before the ball travels ten yards. Replay shows that the ball had gone 10 yards before A50 blocked B85. RULING: Reviewable play. Overturn to no foul. Al/10 @ A-46.

8. Early Blocking on an On-Side Kick: Challenge

On a kickoff at the A-35, Team A tries an onside kick. A50 blocks B85 before Team B touches the ball or before the ball travels ten yards. No flag is thrown. B88 recovers at the A-46 where the officials award Team B the ball for a first down. RULING: Because the play results in possession for Team B, Replay will not stop the game and review this play to rule an illegal block by A50. B 1/10 @ A-46. Because the play is reviewable, the Team B coach may challenge, and the replay official must honor the challenge with a review. If the replay official determines that there was an illegal block, the challenge is successful, Team A is charged with the foul, and Team B has the usual penalty options (Rule 6-1-12) -i.e., re-kick after the five-yard penalty or have the penalty tacked on at the dead-ball spot.

9. Free Kick Out of Bounds

On a kickoff the ball hits the sideline at the B-15, and then bounces back toward the middle of the field where A20 falls on it. Officials rule that the ball did not hit the sideline and award possession to Team A. RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether the ball touched the sideline. Overturn to foul for free kick out of bounds (Rule 12-3-3i).

10. Free Kick Out of Bounds

Team A kicks off and the ball lands near the sideline at the B-15, and then bounces back towards the middle of the field where A20 immediately falls on it. Officials rule that the ball hit the sideline at the B-15, making it an untouched free kick out of bounds. RULING: Reviewable play, overturn to no foul. A 1/10 @ B-15. (Rule 12-3-3i).

11. Possession of a Kick near the Sideline

On an onside kick attempt, A20 leaps in the air near the sideline and controls the ball at the A-48 inbounds but then loses the ball when he hits the ground out of bounds. Officials rule that A20 recovered the ball inbounds. RULING: Reviewable play. Foul, free kick out of bounds B 1/10 @ A-43 (Rule 12-3-3h). The recovery is reviewable. Because A20 did not maintain control when he landed he did not complete the recovery. The game clock should start when A20 touches the ball as the touching was legal beyond 10 yards.

12. Possession of a Kick in the Field of Play

On an onside kick attempt, A20 attempts to recover the ball at the A-45. He lands on the ball but then it slides underneath him and B39 immediately recovers it at the A-43. Officials rule that A20 recovered the ball. Video replays show that A20 never had possession of the ball. RULING: Reviewable. B 1/10 @ A-43. Recovery of a loose ball is reviewable. (12-3-3j)

13. Possession of a Kick in the Field of Play

During a free kick, B22 leaps high into the air to catch a pooch kick in the middle of the field. B22 controls the ball while airborne, lands at the B-40, and the ball comes loose after B22 has gone to the ground and is down. At the B-42, A30 clearly recovers the loose ball immediately. Officials incorrectly award possession to Team A. RULING: Reviewable. B 1/10 @ B-40.

14. Player Out of Bounds

During a free kick from the A-35, A80 steps out of bounds (no contact) as he goes downfield to cover the play. He then recovers the ball at the 50-yard line. No flag is thrown, and the officials rule Team A's ball at the 50. RULING: Reviewable. Five-yard penalty and Team A re-kicks from the A-30. If the Team A player does not touch the ball, the play is not reviewable.

15. Team B Signal

During a free kick from the A-35, returner B80 gives a T-signal in Team B's end zone. He catches the kick, hesitates, then runs with the ball eventually pushed out of bounds at the 50-yard line. The officials spot the ball there. RULING: Reviewable. Touchback B 1/10 @ B-25. Any signal by a Team B player (valid or invalid) is reviewable and takes away Team B's opportunity to return the football.

Non-Reviewable Play Situations on Free Kicks

16. Free Kick Out of Bounds

Team A kicks off and the airborne ball goes out of bounds untouched at the Team B l-yard line. Officials rule touchback. RULING: Not reviewable. B 1-10 on B-25. Where an airborne kick goes out of bounds is not reviewable. The play would be reviewable if the issue was whether the ball touched the pylon or sideline. An airborne kick is a ball that does not touch the ground, or any other object in the field of play.

17. Kick-Catching Interference

On a kickoff, A12 tries an onside kick. The ball hits the ground as soon it leaves the tee and bounds high in the air to the Team A 45-yard line, where B25 signals for a fair catch. Officials rule kick-catching interference when A20 appears to contact B25 before the ball arrives, and A30 recovers the ball at the A47. Replays show that A20 did not contact B25 before the ball arrived. RULING: Kick-catching interference is not reviewable. B 1/10 @ A-30.