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Originally Posted by mikesears
Trying to recall what I remember from the NFL rulebook.
If the kick travels 20 yards or less it is called a "short free kick" and some different rules kick in for short free kicks.
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NFL Rules: A short free kick is one which is recovered by the kicking team before the ball travels ten yards and is untouched by the receiving team. For the first short free kick: loss of five yards from the previous spot and rekick must be made. Exception: there will not be a rekick inside the last five minutes of the second half. For the second (or more) consecutive short free kick illegally touched: the receiving team takes possession of the ball at the spot of illegal touch or recovery.
Free Kick Out Of Bounds: If the receiving team is last to touch the ball before it goes out of bounds they next put the ball in play at the inbounds spot. If the receiving team is not the last to touch the kick before it goes out of bounds the receivers get the ball 30 yards from the spot of the kick or on the yard line of the out of bounds spot if this spot is less than 30 yards.
Exception: If the ball without going 20 yards, goes out of bounds the first time an onside kick is attempted, the kicking team is penalized five yards and rekick must be made (no declinations), except inside the last five minutes of the second half there will be no rekick. For the second (or more) consecutive onside kick out of bounds or for any onside kick out of bounds inside the last five minutes of the second half: receiving team takes possession of the ball at the out of bounds spot.
As you can see the receiving team does not have options regarding penalties in any of the above situations. This of course is true providing there are no other fouls before or during the kick.