Semi-Stupid Question

[fanfromvirginia]

My guess is they'd still award the touchdown but maybe not disqualify the player.

I'm not sure how they'd make it look like they "accidentally" went onto the field and disrupted the play, though.

Yeah, I dunno, maybe stumbling backward onto the field under the guy's legs? It's a stretch, I admit.

 

[THUMPER]

To answer the question in the original post, it would fall under Rule 12, Section 3, Article 3: Palpably Unfair Act (Player) -- "A player or substitute shall not interfere with play by any act which is palpably unfair. Penalty: For a palpably unfair act: Offender may be disqualified. The Referee, after consulting his crew, enforces any such distance penalty as they consider equitable and irrespective of any other specified code penalty. The Referee could award a score."

So, the refs probably would have awarded the touchdown and disqualified the player who did it.

That's interesting. I didn't know there was any rule in which the refs could award points except in the case of a Safety. I've never seen it happen in the 45 years I've been watching so I just assumed that there wasn't any rule allowing it.

Hey, you learn something new every day.

 

[THUMPER]

Imagine Fitzgerald ran into an elderly assistant coach on the sideline and turned him into a projectile launched on the field. Accident and injury = referee sympathy.

I used a ref to tackle a guy when I was in High School. He was between me and the RB so I just shoved him into the RB and they both went down. I quickly moved away from the scene and they never knew who did it.

I used to do that a lot with guys who were trying to block me, I'd shove/throw them into the runner. It helped being a lot bigger than most of the guys I played against. As far as I know, there was no rule against it at the time (there may still not be) so you do whatever works.

 

[AdamJT13]

The question I have about that is was the TD ever certain or could the refs believe he might have eventually been tackled? He did break several tackles even the last few yards. I'm not sure they would give them the TD. Maybe.

I don't think the TD has to be "certain" or even close to certain in order to be awarded for a palpably unfair act. If there's even more than a slight possibility, they'd probably have to award it.

 

[AdamJT13]

That's interesting. I didn't know there was any rule in which the refs could award points except in the case of a Safety. I've never seen it happen in the 45 years I've been watching so I just assumed that there wasn't any rule allowing it.

Hey, you learn something new every day.

The refs also can award a score for "continuous fouls to prevent a score."

I've never seen that one, either, but it's in the rule book.

 

[tyke1doe]

I don't think the TD has to be "certain" or even close to certain in order to be awarded for a palpably unfair act. If there's even more than a slight possibility, they'd probably have to award it.

I think time factor would be a consideration. Had there been like 10 seconds left, I don't think a touchdown is awarded. But that still gives Pittsburgh a chance to score.

If time had expired, I think it's called a touchdown.

Thanks for the rules citation, btw.