Free Kick Out of Bounds

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Middleman

No question that the ball is live and a down is in progress while the kick is still a kick. That's not what I asked.

The foul occurs when the ball becomes dead - the instant it becomes dead. Not before, not after. A live ball foul occurs during a down, a dead ball foul occurs after the down has ended. So, therein lies my question.

Interesting. We could probably think of other cases where the same act is both a foul and makes the ball dead. How about illegal participation by someone who's standing out of bounds and reaches in-bounds to touch the ball? Or a runner who removes his helmet?

I think some snap infractions are saved from being in that category by the ball's being ruled retroactively never to have become live.