Sunday night football question

[sloth]

I was watching the ESPN game last night ('skins v/s ravens). I'm not familiar with NFL rules but on a free kick the ball was heading out of bounds. The reciever ran out of bounds on his own accord and then re-entered the field and caught the ball.

The officals ruled that since the player in "out of bounds" the ball was then out of bounds when the player caught it. The recieveing team got the ball on the 40. I'd have thought this would have been a penality on the recieveing team for illegal touching.

Whats the general thought?