[mikesears]

I pulled together all the pertinent rules to try to make my point. I'm sorry for the length of this post, but I am very passionate about getting things right. I don't mean to offend anyone. If I have, I offer my apologies.



Here are the pertinent rules.



Here is the rule about when a ball becomes dead 4-2-4:

The ball becomes dead and the down is ended:

A. When a runner goes out of bounds, is held so his forward progress is stopped or allows any part of his person other than hand or foot to touch the ground.

B. When a live ball goes out of bounds.

C. When any forward pass (legal or illegal) is incomplete or is simultaneously caught by opposing players.

D. When any legal free kick or scrimmage kick (1) Which is not a scoring attempt or which is a grounded scoring attempt, breaks the plane of R’s goal line. (2) Which is a scoring attempt, while in flight touches a K player in R’s end zone, or after breaking the plane of R’s goal line has apparently failed. EXCEPTION: If a scoring attempt kick touches an upright or crossbar or an R player in the end zone and caroms through the goal, the touching is ignored and the attempt is successful.

E. When any loose ball (1) Is simultaneously caught or recovered by opposing players. (2) Is on the ground motionless and no player attempts to secure possession.(3) Touches, or is touched by, anything inbounds other than a player, substitute, replaced player, an official, the ground or authorized equipment. In this case the ball will be put in play in accordance with the procedure for an inadvertent whistle as in 4-2-3b.

F. When the kickers catch or recover any free kick anywhere, and when the kickers catch or recover a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone and when the kickers are first (i.e., before any touching by the receivers) to touch a scrimmage kick after it has come to rest beyond the neutral zone and between the goal lines.

G. Following a valid or invalid fair-catch signal given by any member of the receiving team when a scrimmage kick or free kick is caught or recovered by any member of the receiving team beyond, in or behind the neutral zone.

H. When a touchdown or field goal occurs.

I. During a try if B secures possession or as soon as it is apparent that a kick has failed to score.

J. When an official sounds his whistle inadvertently.

K. When the helmet comes completely off a player who is in possession of the ball.


By rule, the action that caused the down to end was a player being tackled inbounds. Not one of these says a down ends when the ball is intercepted. So we must have a different reason for stopping the clock after an intercetpion. We do. We now have an official's timeout.

Rule 3-5-7 speaks about officials's timeouts.

An official’s time-out occurs during a dead ball without a time-out being charged to either team:

(a) For measurement of a possible first down.
(b) When a first down is declared.
(c) Following a change of team possession.
(d) When captains and coaches are notified of the time remaining.
(e) For a player who appears to be injured.
(f) For a player in need of equipment repair.
(g) To dry or change the game ball.
(i) For unusual heat or humidity which may create a health risk to the players.
(j) When a coach-referee conference concerning the misapplication of a rule results in the referee altering his ruling. (See 3-5-11)
(k) After a foul, to administer the penalty.
(l) For any unusual delay in getting the ball ready for play.
(m) For a TV/radio time-out that is permitted and granted as authorized by state association policy.
(n) For a one-minute intermission between the first and second and the third and fourth periods and following a try, successful field goal or safety and prior to the succeeding free kick.


Rule 3-4-4 speaks about when we stop the clock (It does not address starting it):

The clock shall be stopped when:
(a) The down ends following a foul.
(b) An official’s time-out is taken.
(c) A charged or TV/radio time-out is granted.
(d) The period ends.
(e) The ball is out of bounds.
(f) A legal or illegal forward pass is incomplete.
(g) A score or touchback occurs.
(h) A fair catch is made.
(i) An inadvertent whistle is sounded.


Rule 3-4-2 speaks about starting the clock:

The clock shall start with the ready-for-play signal for other than a free kick if the clock was stopped:
(a) For an official’s time-out, other than when B is awarded a new series or either team is awarded a new series following a legal kick.
(b) Because the ball has become dead following any foul provided in either (a) or (b):
(1)There has been no charged time-out during the dead-ball interval.
(2) The down is not an extension of a period or a try.
(3) The action which caused the down to end did not also cause the clock to be stopped.
(c) Because of an inadvertent whistle.


In 3-4-2b3, the "ACTION" that ended the down was a ball carrier being tackled. An interception does not cause a down to end. It is an official's timeout because of a possible change of possession. We then factor in actions that occured during the down and the interception likely WON'T stand. So B is not awarded a new series. If B is not awarded a new series and the action of a player being tackled didn't stop the clock, we MUST start the game clock on the ready-for-play.