Dumbest Rule in Football

[nflman2033]

can anyone explain to me why a player who gets shoved out of bounds and does everything he can to get back in the field of play can not be the first person to touch the ball. I understand if a player runs out of bounds and out of the field of play he shouldn't be allowed to touch the ball, but to be shoved out of bounds makes him no longer allowed to touch the ball. So what we get is the defense chucks the player out of bounds and then no long has to worry about that player being a factor in the play. Dumb rule +rep to anyone who can explain to me why this rule exists outside of a player running illegally out of bounds the coming back into the field of play.

[nflman2033]

If they are forced out, they can come back in.

+repplz

yeah but can't be the first person to touch the football.. why?

[Derrville]

More stupid rules

[nflman2033]

Yes they can.

you must not be watching MNF because the gunner on Punt coverage got chucked out of bounds and came back in went down knocked the ball back into the field of play, but since he was the first person to touch the ball it was a touchback.

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

Some god awful calls tonight. NFL cant be consistent from one day to the next.

Terrible rule.

[Houston]

What exactly is "forced out"? There's a difference between shoving someone with both hands and putting one hand on someone's side and running them out of bounds. Whenever I see a player run out of bounds on a punt they usually allow the person to push them out, and if they really tried they could've stayed in.

[St. Francisco]

you must not be watching MNF because the gunner on Punt coverage got chucked out of bounds and came back in went down knocked the ball back into the field of play, but since he was the first person to touch the ball it was a touchback.

I'm pretty sure the rule is that if a player is forced out, he must immediately return to the field of play in order to be eligible as the first person to touch the ball. Whoever that was last night spent a healthy amount of time running before he got back in bounds, which essentially by-passed the blockers.

[padman59]

IIRC, the NCAA rulebook allows for a player who was forced out of bounds to touch the ball first as long as he gets back inbounds immediately. I don't believe the NFL allows for this. As for the reasoning, I have no idea. I think the NCAA is right on this one.

EDIT: NCAA Rule 7, Section 3, Article 4 allows for this.

[Senser81]

can anyone explain to me why a player who gets shoved out of bounds and does everything he can to get back in the field of play can not be the first person to touch the ball. I understand if a player runs out of bounds and out of the field of play he shouldn't be allowed to touch the ball, but to be shoved out of bounds makes him no longer allowed to touch the ball. So what we get is the defense chucks the player out of bounds and then no long has to worry about that player being a factor in the play. Dumb rule +rep to anyone who can explain to me why this rule exists outside of a player running illegally out of bounds the coming back into the field of play.

The rationale is that a player cannot be blocked/touched while he is on the sidelines. So a "gunner" on the punt team, in theory, could simply go to the sidelines, run downfield untouched, then jump back in the field of play to down a punt. Similarly, a WR can use the sidelines to avoid a jam, and then run back into the field of play to catch the pass. The NFL rulebook/refs are loathe to allow any actual judgement, so they don't care if the player steps out of bounds on his own or is shoved out...being out of bounds is being out of bounds.

[MRN]

You can definitely come back in and be the first to touch the ball if shoved out, I've seen it for receivers being bumped out on a streak route, then once down field, they pull down the ball. It happens pretty often.

[kmanharris]

You can definitely come back in and be the first to touch the ball if shoved out, I've seen it for receivers being bumped out on a streak route, then once down field, they pull down the ball. It happens pretty often.

That's not correct at all. Dez Bryant was called for it earlier in the year and the gunner last night was as well.

[kmanharris]

I'm pretty sure the rule is that if a player is forced out, he must immediately return to the field of play in order to be eligible as the first person to touch the ball. Whoever that was last night spent a healthy amount of time running before he got back in bounds, which essentially by-passed the blockers.

See I know that you can be forced out but you are suppose to be allowed to come back in. McCray was forced out and tried coming back in but was pushed a 2nd time before when still out of bounds. I think that is against the rules as well.

in before: refs are against Dallas.

[MRN]

That's not correct at all. Dez Bryant was called for it earlier in the year and the gunner last night was as well.

Bad calls then.

NCAA rule book 7-3-4 IV: a player who is forced out of bounds and immediately reestablishes himself in the field of play may be the first to touch the ball. The same applies in the NFL

[Champ]

This thread is just Dallas fans crying because they got GIANT balls in their mouth last night.

[nflman2033]

This thread is just Dallas fans crying because they got GIANT balls in their mouth last night.

lol, actually i had this issue long before last night.

I really see an inconsistency in this rule because a player gets shoved out and tries to come back in but doesn't make it back in fast enough for the Ref's liking and well penalty.