Roughing The Kicker

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by mikesears

This might be a "had to be there" thing.


Here is the rulebook wording:

Rule 9-4-5: Running into or roughing the kicker or holder.

A defensive player shall neither run into the kicker nor holder, which is contact that displaces the kicker or holder without roughing; nor block, tackle or charge into the kicker of a scrimmage kick, or the place-kick holder, other than when:
a. Contact is unavoidable because it is not reasonably certain that a kick will be made.
b. The defense touches the kick near the kicker and contact is unavoidable.
c. Contact is slight and is partially caused by movement of the kicker.
d. Contact is caused by R being blocked into the kicker or holder by K.

So to add to this question: B66 jumps and blocks the PAT attempt and then his momentum carries him into the kicker. LJ throws a flag and calls roughing the kicker (WH did NOT throw his flag). We ask why a flag was thrown when the kick was blocked and WH says LJ wasn't sure the player who ran into the kicker was the same one who blocked the kick. (He was the only one back there, but that's beside the point) Is this correct? Does it matter who blocks the kick? In other words, if two players had gotten thru and both dive/jump to block the kick - B66 blocks the kick and B55 runs into kicker, that would be a penalty?