Quote:
Originally Posted by VA Official
If a player loses his helmet, he's required by rule to no longer participate in the play. We don't kill this play as that would be an inadvertent whistle. If he participates, we have illegal participation (see 9-6-4g). As far as safety, if he no longer participates but is then forcibly contacted without his helmet on, I have a flagrant personal foul and the player committing the foul will be DQ'd.
Remember also that a player is required to leave for at least one down if their helmet comes off and taking a timeout can't save them, only halftime or OT intermission (see 3-5-10d). The only way they aren't required to come out for a down is if the helmet coming off is directly attributable to a foul. Directly meaning a foul with direct contact to the head or neck area. A block below the waist or block in the back with the helmet coming off still requires the player to leave the game for a down.
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That's the FED answer (although I wouldn't have an automatic flagrant foul for contacting a player without a helmet).
NCAA is slightly different:
Most of it is covered under rule 3-3-9)
Continued participation (beyond the "immediate continuing action") after your helmet comes off is a personal foul on the player who lost his helmet. That player is considered defenseless as a "player obviously out of the play" for purposes of the targeting rule (9-1-4), and any player who contacts the helmetless player commits a personal foul as well.
If the helmet comes off because of an opponent's foul, the player can remain in the game (same as FED). If not, the player CAN remain in the game if his team takes a timeout.
If the ball carrier's helmet comes completely off, the ball is immediately dead.
If a player intentionally removes his own helmet during a play, it's a foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.