Ineligible downfield- NFL

CEB

Helluva Engineer
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I never watch NFL... ok you caught me, turned on falcons tonight.
Is the NFL rule for ineligible downfield different from college? In college, if pass is behind LOS, there is no ineligible downfield. Does that exception not exist in NFL? Quick searches yielded a bunch of irrelevant garbage... turning to Swarm knowledge.
 

forensicbuzz

Helluva Engineer
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Location
North Shore, Chicago
From 2022 rule book

SECTION 3 INELIGIBLE PLAYER DOWNFIELD
ARTICLE 1. LEGAL AND ILLEGAL ACTS. On a scrimmage play during which a legal forward pass is thrown, an ineligible offensive player, including a T-formation quarterback, is not permitted to move more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage before the pass has been thrown.
Item 1. Legally Downfield. An ineligible player is not illegally downfield if, after initiating contact with an opponent within one yard of the line of scrimmage during his initial charge:
(a) he moves more than one yard beyond the line while legally blocking or being blocked by an opponent
(b) after breaking legal contact with an opponent more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, he remains stationary until
a forward pass is thrown
(c) after losing legal contact with an opponent more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, he is forced behind the line of
scrimmage by an opponent, at which time he is again subject to normal blocking restrictions for an ineligible offensive player.
Note: If an ineligible offensive player moves beyond the line while legally blocking or being blocked by an opponent, an eligible offensive player may catch a pass between them and the line of scrimmage.
Item 2. Illegally Downfield. An ineligible offensive player is illegally downfield if:
(a) he moves more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage without contacting an opponent
(b) after losing contact with an opponent within one yard of the line of scrimmage, he advances more than one yard beyond the
line of scrimmage
(c) after losing contact with an opponent more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, he continues to move toward his
opponent’s goal line.
Penalty: For ineligible offensive player downfield: Loss of five yards from the previous spot.
Note: An ineligible offensive player is illegally downfield when his entire body is more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage.
ARTICLE 2. AFTER PASS IS THROWN. After the ball leaves the passer’s hand, ineligible pass receivers can advance more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, or beyond the position reached by their initial charge, provided that they do not block or contact a defensive player, who is more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, until the ball is touched by a player of either team. Such prior blocking and/or contact is pass interference if it occurs in the vicinity of where the ball is thrown. See 8-3- 1-Note above for exception when blocker maintains continuous contact.


Downloadable NFL Rule Book
 

CEB

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,079
From 2022 rule book

SECTION 3 INELIGIBLE PLAYER DOWNFIELD
ARTICLE 1. LEGAL AND ILLEGAL ACTS. On a scrimmage play during which a legal forward pass is thrown, an ineligible offensive player, including a T-formation quarterback, is not permitted to move more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage before the pass has been thrown.
Item 1. Legally Downfield. An ineligible player is not illegally downfield if, after initiating contact with an opponent within one yard of the line of scrimmage during his initial charge:
(a) he moves more than one yard beyond the line while legally blocking or being blocked by an opponent
(b) after breaking legal contact with an opponent more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, he remains stationary until
a forward pass is thrown
(c) after losing legal contact with an opponent more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, he is forced behind the line of
scrimmage by an opponent, at which time he is again subject to normal blocking restrictions for an ineligible offensive player.
Note: If an ineligible offensive player moves beyond the line while legally blocking or being blocked by an opponent, an eligible offensive player may catch a pass between them and the line of scrimmage.
Item 2. Illegally Downfield. An ineligible offensive player is illegally downfield if:
(a) he moves more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage without contacting an opponent
(b) after losing contact with an opponent within one yard of the line of scrimmage, he advances more than one yard beyond the
line of scrimmage
(c) after losing contact with an opponent more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, he continues to move toward his
opponent’s goal line.
Penalty: For ineligible offensive player downfield: Loss of five yards from the previous spot.
Note: An ineligible offensive player is illegally downfield when his entire body is more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage.
ARTICLE 2. AFTER PASS IS THROWN. After the ball leaves the passer’s hand, ineligible pass receivers can advance more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, or beyond the position reached by their initial charge, provided that they do not block or contact a defensive player, who is more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage, until the ball is touched by a player of either team. Such prior blocking and/or contact is pass interference if it occurs in the vicinity of where the ball is thrown. See 8-3- 1-Note above for exception when blocker maintains continuous contact.


Downloadable NFL Rule Book
Thanks... no mention of where pass is thrown. NFL rule seems like a nightmare to enforce. :ROFLMAO:
 
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