Detroit Lions "fake" spike
 

For some reason I thought after Dan Marino pulled off the fake spike trick a number of years ago that the NFL came up with a rule that prevented an offense from doing this. Is there anything truth to that?

He didn't fake spike.

ok, I guess he was motioning for a spike before he actually took the snap. I guess that's not a fake but there is a rule preventing it if I'm not mistaken.

Manning did it a few years ago with the Colts, too. Getting into formation isn't the same as a fake spike, IMO. Not sure how the rule reads, though.

Not illegal to fake a spike...perhaps your thinking of a player faking or simulating taking a knee...in which case, the player is ruled down. The only other thing dealing with a spike in the NFL is that it must be from under center and it must be immediate. Any delay before the spike is intentional grounding, regardless of if there's pressure.

Edited to add the case book play:

A.R. 8.131 ACTION BY QUARTERBACK IMMEDIATELY AFTER SNAP
Second-and-10 on B25. Quarterback A1 takes the snap and then immediately a) fakes spiking the ball into the ground; or b) fakes taking a knee at the B26. A1 then throws a complete pass to A2 in the end zone.
Rulings: a) Touchdown Team A. Legal play.
b) Third-and-11 on B26.

There's not.

Must be an urban legend started by someone who never checked the rule book.

Most likely a TV commentator because we know none of them ever check a rule book before the spout off an incorrect rule on national TV.

It wasn't Dan Marion; It was Randall Cunningham against Dallas in 1987.

1987 Randall Cunningham Fake Kneel Down - YouTube

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Its hard to tell whether it was actually a fake, but under similar circumstances in NCAA rules, that would be illegal.

I'm a big Eagles fan. I remember it vividly as Buddy Ryan said it was payback to Tom Landry for something that happened in one of the Replacement games during the strike. But now that I'm looking at it again it doesn't appear Cunningham actually faked going to the ground.

Marino didn't fake the spike, but he motioned as they were approaching the line that he was going to spike it.

1994 Dolphins - Jets

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