Please clarify a call

[JasonTX]

There have been many debates over this rule when the foul occurs against the passer, but the way the rule is currently written and because the passer is also eligible to catch a pass then that would be the correct ruling. Here is the rule.

Rule 9-3-4-e. When a legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone during a foward pass play and a contact foul that is not pass interference is committed, the enforcement spot is the previous spot.

Penalty: 5, 10, or 15 yards from the basic spot, plus first down if the foul occurred against an eligible receiver prior to the pass being touched.

[MJT]

Originally Posted by JasonTX

There have been many debates over this rule when the foul occurs against the passer, but the way the rule is currently written and because the passer is also eligible to catch a pass then that would be the correct ruling. Here is the rule.

Rule 9-3-4-e. When a legal forward pass crosses the neutral zone during a foward pass play and a contact foul that is not pass interference is committed, the enforcement spot is the previous spot.

Penalty: 5, 10, or 15 yards from the basic spot, plus first down if the foul occurred against an eligible receiver prior to the pass being touched.

I know the rule Jason, but is the intent of that to also award that in the case of the QB getting fouled as in this case? Not saying it is wrong, just wondering if there are any AR's which show this with that being the explanation.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by MJT

I know the rule Jason, but is the intent of that to also award that in the case of the QB getting fouled as in this case? Not saying it is wrong, just wondering if there are any AR's which show this with that being the explanation.

No one knows. By the wording of the rule, yes. But as this has been debated ad nauseum and to no definitive conclusion as to how we would not enforce this particular rule when the foul victim is the QB, we have to go with the rule itself. No AR mimics this or clarifies the QB as being an exception to the "any eligible receiver" part of this rule. There are many who feel this is wrong, but we have no recourse with the current rulebook.

[Theisey]

I thought there was a JA memo last year that stated that a foul against the QB on a play such as this was not going to get team-A an auto-1st down.