What is a hit on a defenseless receiver?
forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder, even if the initial contact is lower than the player’s neck, and regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenselessplayer by encircling or grasping him.
When can you hit a receiver in football?
In the NFL, players cannot touch receivers past 5 yards. This is often referred to as the “Mel Blount Rule” (Mel Blount was a famous corner for the Pittsburgh Steelers who was notorious for jamming and punishing wide receivers at the line of scrimmage.
Is targeting reviewable in the NFL?
In the NFL, a targeting foul is similar to the collegiate rule, but a major difference is that the foul is not reviewable. The inability to review the call can lead to targeting fouls that should not have been called and hits to the head that were targeting according to the rules not being flagged.
When was the defenseless receiver rule made?
The NFL rule known as “targeting a defenseless player” was enacted in 2013 to protect players from the long-term risks associated with brain injury and cognitive impairments. The NFL’s governing body and its owners had a financial incentive to change the rules.
Does targeting have to be on a defenseless player?
The NCAA targeting rule bans any forcible contact leading with the crown of the helmet or to the head or neck area of a defenseless player.
What is considered a defenseless player in college football?
Here are some of the rulebook’s examples of a defenseless player: A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass. A player who receives a blind-side block. A ball carrier already in the grasp of an opponent and whose forward progress has been stopped.
What is an illegal hit in football?
A player who initiates contact against a defenseless opponent is responsible for avoiding an illegal act. This includes illegal contact that may occur during the process of attempting to dislodge the ball from an opponent.
Can you hit someone from behind in football?
Rule Summary View Official Rule Blocks an opponent (from behind) in the back above the opponent’s waist, or uses his hands or arms to push an opponent from behind in a manner that affects his movement, except in close-line play. (If either hand is on the back, it is a foul.)
What constitutes a defenseless receiver in NFL?
A receiver who has completed a catch is a “defenseless player” until he has had time to protect himself or has clearly become a runner. A receiver/runner is no longer defenseless if he is able to avoid or ward off the impending contact of an opponent.
Can you tackle a receiver in the air?
Once a forward pass is in the air it is a loose ball and thus any eligible receiver – all defensive players are eligible receivers – may try to catch it. Some actions that are defined as pass interference may be overlooked if the defender is attempting to catch or bat the ball rather than focusing on the receiver.
Can you hit a receiver within 5 yards?
Within the area five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, a defensive player may chuck an eligible receiver in front of him. The defender is allowed to maintain continuous and unbroken contact within the five-yard zone, so long as the receiver has not moved beyond a point that is even with the defender.
Is a helmet to helmet hit reviewable?
However, a helmet-to-helmet hit is not a reviewable play. “It’s not an easy play to call in real time, especially while you’re watching the football,” former NFL referee Gene Steratore said on the CBS broadcast.