Free Kick Play

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by Jim D

R's touching is "ignored" in that it has no effect on the play. K can only recover the ball before it goes beyond R's fee kick line if it is touched first by any receiver. Since K already had touched the ball in the endzone, R's touching is not first and therefore, doesn't have any consequences. K is not entitled to retain the ball.

REPLY: OK...now I see what you're saying. You're looking at the sentence that says, "The kickers may recover the ball before it goes beyond R's free kick line if it is touched first by any receiver." I read the use of the word "first" here to mean "prior to" rather "before any touching by K." So I don't necessarily agree, but I have no idea what we should do with this.