Roughing the Kicker

[bossman72]

These are kinda tough to describe but I'll try my best.

1) FG. A defensive player comes off the edge and misses blocking the kick and roughs the kicker. However, the kick is blocked at the line of scrimmage by a lineman. Does this negate the roughing the same as if the person off the edge blocks the kick himself?

2) FG. A defensive player is coming off of each edge of the formation. The player off the right edge dives to block the kick, but misses and roughs the kicker. The player off the left edge is almost immediately in front of the player coming off the right edge and blocks the kick. Does the proximity of the kick being blocked in relation to the kicker/holder matter?

[ump33]

Play 1. Roughing the Kicker.

Play 2. Legal, This is not roughing.

Case Book Play 9.4.5A is very similar to Play 2 of the OP and the following statement is from the Comment Section of 9.4.5A:
"The rule does not specify that only the player who touches the kick is excused from contacting the kicker/holder, rather it states, “when the defense touches...” (9-4-5b)"

[mbyron]

I would say that the operative language from 9.4.5A is toward the beginning of the COMMENT: "In any situation, if the defense is to be excused for contacting the kicker/ holder as a result of touching the kick, the ball must be touched near the spot of the kick."

[With_Two_Flakes]

...and under NCAA Rules it is even more strict. Only the player who himself blocked the kick is exempt from RTK.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by With_Two_Flakes

...and under NCAA Rules it is even more strict. Only the player who himself blocked the kick is exempt from RTK.

And under NFL rules it's even less strict -- if the kick is touched behind the neutral zone by B, running into the kicker is off, regardless of when or where the touching occurred relative to the kicker. However, roughing can still be called according to general principles of unnecessary roughness.