[JugglingReferee]

So Denver field goal kicker Jason Elam gets the ball tossed to him by the holder when he sees the right side of the field open for a first down. They subsequently kicked a field goal from ~ 12 yards closer.

When the pitch happens, must the holder lift his knee off the ground? In Canadian ball, it is so: the holder must lift the knee off the ground in order to legally pitch the ball on a fake. If he doesn't, it is dead at the spot of the release fo the ball.