Airborne catch in endzone on kicks

[ljudge]

Originally Posted by Shorty

If an airborne player jumps up in the endzone during a kicking play and catches the ball:
a) He is pushed (so-called force-out) and lands on the one yard line?
b) He is held and carried by an opponent to the one yard line?

In a) it must obviously be team Bs ball on the one yard line, 1. and 10.

Not so fast. You actually have KCI in both cases. The player must be given the unimpeded opportunity to catch the kick. So, if he's airborne and has the ball in his grasp meaning NOT muffed (both cases) any contact by A before the B player comes in contact with the ground (meaning he didn't "complete" the catch) you have KCI.

I happened to see this one on a training film put out by rulebooks.com. The TV commentators obviously were calling this call a "terrrible call" and the BJ nailed it.