Downing a punt

[mikesears]

I'm no NFL official but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express late night. ..... anyway .....

I do work under NFL rules in a semi-pro league I work in.

Not sure of the exact rule number, but NFL rules state that the player must be in the field of play or establish himself in the field of play (two feet) before touching a kick or else it is a touchback.

Being in the endzone is not tracked. If a player comes back out of the endzone and establishes himself there he can legally down the ball without it being a touchback.