NFL Rules question about onside kicks

Reverend Conehead

Reverend Conehead

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On an onsides kick, I know that the kicking team has to wait at least 10 yards before it can recover the ball, but the receiving team can recover it at any point. However, what if the ball has not gone 10 yards yet and someone on the receiving team is about to recover it, but a player from the kicking team kicks it again, making it go the remaining distance to 10 yards, then recovers it? Has the player on the kicking team committed a foul? I think he probably has, but I wasn't certain.

The reason I asked is they've been wondering how to make onsides kicks viable again after some crappy rule changes. If they legalized that act, that might do it. But I'm correct in saying that it's illegal for a player on the kicking team to kick it for a second time, right?
 
@Reverend Conehead I wouldn’t spend too much time on kickoffs and onside kicks. They are going extinct.

Kickoffs are pretty much touchbacks or penalties. Boring. Onside kicks are all luck and no skill. They will change to a 4th and 15 yd play or something.
 
Yes, Lolol. The kicking team cannot touch it w any part of their body prior to 10 yards.
 
Reverend Conehead said:
On an onsides kick, I know that the kicking team has to wait at least 10 yards before it can recover the ball, but the receiving team can recover it at any point. However, what if the ball has not gone 10 yards yet and someone on the receiving team is about to recover it, but a player from the kicking team kicks it again, making it go the remaining distance to 10 yards, then recovers it? Has the player on the kicking team committed a foul? I think he probably has, but I wasn't certain.

The reason I asked is they've been wondering how to make onsides kicks viable again after some crappy rule changes. If they legalized that act, that might do it. But I'm correct in saying that it's illegal for a player on the kicking team to kick it for a second time, right?
Click to expand...

It's illegal, but now I want to see someone do it just for kicks.
 
Reverend Conehead said:
On an onsides kick, I know that the kicking team has to wait at least 10 yards before it can recover the ball, but the receiving team can recover it at any point. However, what if the ball has not gone 10 yards yet and someone on the receiving team is about to recover it, but a player from the kicking team kicks it again, making it go the remaining distance to 10 yards, then recovers it? Has the player on the kicking team committed a foul? I think he probably has, but I wasn't certain.

The reason I asked is they've been wondering how to make onsides kicks viable again after some crappy rule changes. If they legalized that act, that might do it. But I'm correct in saying that it's illegal for a player on the kicking team to kick it for a second time, right?
Click to expand...

Good luck with the defense this year, Dan.
 
Cowboy4ever said:
Yes. If the kicking team touches the ball before it goes 10 yards it is a penalty. The only exception to that is if the receiving team touches the ball first , then it becomes a live ball regardless of the distance of travel.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's pretty clear. A better question would be what if the ball hits the ground over 10 yards downfield but bounces back still untouched inside the 10 yard cushion. Can the kicking team still recover it without the other team touching it.? Did it officially go over 10 yards.?
 
TequilaCowboy said:
Yeah, that's pretty clear. A better question would be what if the ball hits the ground over 10 yards downfield but bounces back still untouched inside the 10 yard cushion. Can the kicking team still recover it without the other team touching it.? Did it officially go over 10 yards.?
Click to expand...

yes, once the ball has traveled 10 yards it is live, what happens after that does not change it. That is why the kicking team can jump up and catch it without it ever hitting the ground, as long as it has traveled at least 10 yards. That 10 yard mark extends up and across the field, like the goal line, once the tip of the ball touches that line, it's live.
 
Cowboy4ever said:
yes, once the ball has traveled 10 yards it is live, what happens after that does not change it. That is why the kicking team can jump up and catch it without it ever hitting the ground, as long as it has traveled at least 10 yards. That 10 yard mark extends up and across the field, like the goal line, once the tip of the ball touches that line, it's live.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
 
ninja said:
@Reverend Conehead I wouldn’t spend too much time on kickoffs and onside kicks. They are going extinct.

Kickoffs are pretty much touchbacks or penalties. Boring. Onside kicks are all luck and no skill. They will change to a 4th and 15 yd play or something.
Click to expand...

I hope not. I really dislike that rule change idea. I would rather have them revert to how onsides kicks were before. They've been hugely important in classic games, especially our 1972 playoff victory over the 49ers. Staubach did an amazing job bringing the team back from behind, but don't forget Tony Fritsch. He did a perfect, erratic onsides kick that we had the chance to recover, and did.
 
Cowboy4ever said:
yes, once the ball has traveled 10 yards it is live, what happens after that does not change it. That is why the kicking team can jump up and catch it without it ever hitting the ground, as long as it has traveled at least 10 yards. That 10 yard mark extends up and across the field, like the goal line, once the tip of the ball touches that line, it's live.
Click to expand...

Some kickers purposely try to put backspin on the ball so that it will bounce back toward the kicking team once it touches the ground. Plus, a spinning ball is harder to handle, which is why we used the watermelon kick against Atlanta.
 
Reverend Conehead said:
I hope not. I really dislike that rule change idea. I would rather have them revert to how onsides kicks were before. They've been hugely important in classic games, especially our 1972 playoff victory over the 49ers. Staubach did an amazing job bringing the team back from behind, but don't forget Tony Fritsch. He did a perfect, erratic onsides kick that we had the chance to recover, and did.
Click to expand...

4th and 15 requires skill. Onside kicks are lottery tickets.
 
.forget onside kicks, get the roughing the passer fixed. How many times have Dallas hit the QB from momentum and get called for roughing the passer?
 
Reverend Conehead said:
On an onsides kick, I know that the kicking team has to wait at least 10 yards before it can recover the ball, but the receiving team can recover it at any point. However, what if the ball has not gone 10 yards yet and someone on the receiving team is about to recover it, but a player from the kicking team kicks it again, making it go the remaining distance to 10 yards, then recovers it? Has the player on the kicking team committed a foul? I think he probably has, but I wasn't certain.

The reason I asked is they've been wondering how to make onsides kicks viable again after some crappy rule changes. If they legalized that act, that might do it. But I'm correct in saying that it's illegal for a player on the kicking team to kick it for a second time, right?
Click to expand...

If kicking team touches it before it travels 10 yards that is illegal touching of the ball. Penalty and would be re-kicked if the receiving team did not recover
 
We're not long until the onsides kick is eliminated altogether. Kickoffs, too.

I'd give it 2-3 years.
 
If an onside kick happens and no one is around to recover it did the onside kick go 10 yards?
 
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