You can't have kick-catching interference 1-2 seconds AFTER the ball was caught. Just like you can't have pass interference 1-2 seconds afte a pass was caught. Also - as mentioned by a couple above, this receiver has NO special protection because he did not give a VALID fair catch signal. However, EVERYONE has protection from late hits after the ball is dead.

So - you can (and DO, it sounds like) have a dead-ball personal foul for a late hit.

Thanks for all the responses.

I think we all agree that my friend's crew errored by calling kick catching interference. And I found in the Simplified and Illustrated book on page 39, I think, where it doesn't site a rule, but does state that the ball is dead when posessed by R after giving a valid or invalid fair catch signal. The hit by K was late enough that K should've been penalized with a dead ball foul for late hit. And R should be penalized 5 yards from the spot of the catch for the invalid fair catch signal.

Again, thanks for all the responses. It was a good discussion....

A little preventative officiating will go a long way in helping to prevent this situation from happening by having the BJ/LJ remind the receiver of what a valid fair catch signal is before the kick.