Big discussion with these Monday morning QB's here at work! Need some help on what the ruling is on a receiver being intentionally pushed OOB? Can he legally touch the ball first.

I can't say 100% for sure because I don't know NFL rules but I can't imagine that would be a penalty. It sure the heck isn't in HS rules. Common sense suggests this should be legal in all codes.

If a reciever were to be pushed out of bounds there would most likely be illegal contact because it would most likely be past the 5 yards, I don't know for sure but I'd be willing to bet the reciever could come back in bounds and catch the pass.

I work NFL rules in semi-pro ball and if he is forced OOB's he can be the first to touch the ball, if he returns IB's as soon as possible. I am 100% sure, but my rule book is at home. If you want, later 2nt I'll get you the rule reference.

Illegal contact has some stipulations to it, one being that the QB must still be in the pocket for illegal contact to be a foul. That is one reason why you see the flag picked up more than most. After a discussion, they decide there was no foul cuz the QB was out of the pocket.

Note sure I agree
 

Rule 8-1-3
An eligible receiver becomes ineligible if he goes out of bounds (prior to or during the pass) and remains ineligible until an eligible receiver or defensive player touches the pass.

EXCEPTION: If the eligible receiver is forced out of bounds because of a foul by a defender, including illegal contact, defensive holding, or defensive pass interference, he will become eligibile to legally touch the pass ... as soon as he legally returns in bounds.


So if he is legally forced out of bounds, he then becomes an ineligibile receiver.

Rule 8-1-7b:
It is a foul for illegal touching, if a forward pass (legal or illegal) first touches or is caught be an eligibile receiver who had gone out of bounds on his own or had been legally forced out of bounds.

Re: Note sure I agree
 

Mike, you missed the (part in quotes) in rule 8-1-3 exception where after it says "If the eligible receiver is forced out of bounds because of a foul by a defender, including illegal contact, defensive holding, or defensive pass interference, he will become eligibile to legally touch the pass<b> (without prior touching by another eligible receiver or defender) as soon as he legally returns inbounds. Where you put ... is where the ( ) is in the exception which takes precedence over 8-1-7-b </B> The quotes in this exception trump 8-1-7-b.

What I was trying to get across is that if a receiver is forced OOB legally, he cannot return inbounds and be the first to touch the pass or else he commits illegal touching. i.e. If he is legally chucked out of bounds, he cannot be the first to touch a pass without commiting an illegal touching foul.

If he is forced out ILLEGALLY, he retains his eligibility status and may be the first to touch a pass without penalty.

I missed that aspect of what you were saying. We are in agreement then, forced out by foul - gets eligiblity back and can be first to touch; forced out legally - he becomes eligible again after coming IB's but cannot be the 1st to touch the pass.

I also work semi-pro games using NFL rules. Mike has correctly pointed to the rule reference covering the original question. I would like to add clarification to legal and illegal contact. Snake-eyes alluded to this earlier. A defensive player may chuck an eligible receiver who is in front of him within five yards of the line of scrimmage. This legal contact would then make the receiver ineligble per 8-1-3. On the other hand, if the receiver is more than five yards from the line of scrimmage, the chuck would be a foul for illegal contact per the exception to article 3. However, there is another exception. As MJT touched on, if the quarterback or receiver of the snap hands off, is tackled, pitches to a back or leaves the pocket area, the restrictions on the defenders end provided the ball is not in the air.