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NF
6-5-6 While any free kick is in flight in or beyond the neutral zone to the receiver’s goal line or any scrimmage kick is in flight beyond the neutral zone to the receiver’s goal line, K shall not
a. Touch the ball or R, unless blocked into the ball or R or to ward off a blocker, or;
b. Obstruct R’s path to the ball.
This prohibition applies even when no fair-catch signal is given, but it does not apply after a free kick has been touched by a receiver, or after a scrimmage kick has been touched by a receiver who was clearly beyond the neutral zone at the time of touching.
6.5.6 SITUATION E: While K1’s punt is in flight beyond the neutral zone, R2 (a) gives a valid fair catch signal, or (b) does not give a signal. The ball strikes R2 on the shoulder and bounces high into the air. While the loose ball is still airborne, K4 pushes R2 in the chest and K4 catches the ball at that spot. RULING: In both cases, the ball is dead when K4 catches it. There is no foul for kick-catching interference since R2’s protection ended when the kick was muffed.
Once R muffs it K can catch it.
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