[The Ref of OZ!!!]

The first question you need to answer is: when does a kick end? It ends when the ball is caught or muffed. Any receiver who makes a FC is protected/limited from making contact with a member of the K team. After the ball is muffed, not caught, the protection ends, for all players, because the "Kick" has ended. It's still a loose ball play, but the "Kick" has ended.