substitution vs participation

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by hawkishowl20

Jrutledge said
“…it must be made clear that the rules allow for a live ball substitution infraction. There are people that will read this and only think there is one option or the other.”

If that is true, which I think/know it is, that completely undermines the only argument I’ve heard disagreeing with me. The “if I catch it it’s 5 yard mistake if I don’t it’s akin to a personal foul unsportsmanlike penalty” argument is baseless. The intent of both rules would never make this situation happen. No rule making body would structure it this way. What makes it happen is officials using a rule of thumb that is false because they don’t know the rules or messed up and need to figure out what to do somehow.

For your information, it has only been recently that the NF has made this distinction of when you could or would not have a live ball or dead ball foul. And if a player is going off the field and they do not participate, that can be a live ball foul. Usually it does not get that far, because a foul has been committed long before that. The side that is the hardest to evaluate that kind of distinction is the defense. The defense does not huddle as often and they often react to the offensive changes. It is a violation of the substitution rule to not make that substitution immediately, so you will not have many situations where the ball becomes live.

Peace