INterception near the end zone.

[GilliamRatings]

I haven't thought about this call in years, and perhaps you could clear up where the ball would be spotted in these situations, and if any of these situations would result in safeties.

1. A defender intercepts a pass near the goal line and his momentum carries him into the end zone. He has not been touched by a member of the other team after gaining possession of the ball. Once in the end zone he A) takes a knee, B) attempts to run out of end zone and is tackled in end zone, C) loses possession and then falls on the ball in the end zone. {Is there a yardline that matters here or is it just momentum?}

2. What if it's clear his momentum did not carry him into the end zone, and he chose to run into the end zone? How does that change things?

3. What if a player from situation 1 threw a backwards pass to a teammate and the teammate were tackled in the end zone?

4. What if a player in situation 1 threw a backwards pass to a teammate and it went out of bounds?

5. What if a player in situation 1 threw an illegal forward pass instead?

6. Is there any other kind of foul the player in situation 1 could commit in the end zone that would make this unusual?

7. What if a defender were touching the player when he intercepted it and he went into the end zone with the player, but then the player got loose and started running, but ended up taking a knee or being tackled in the end zone?

I have never felt I really understood the rule for all of this. I just know I've never seen a safety called on an interception carried into the end zone.

 

[White hat]

That's a heckuva question. I like questions like that. Have to admit I wasn't sure about my answer to part 3 and had to look it up to make sure I'm telling you right.

First of all, being touched makes no difference at all.

Second of all, the momentum exception only applies to balls caught or recovered inside the 5 yard line where it is CLEAR the player's original momentum took him into the endzone. The officials will put a beanbag at the yardline where the ball was possessed. If the ball becomes dead in the endzone, it is not a safety but comes out to that yardline.

If the player gathers the ball on green grass 2 inches outside the white stripe of the 5 yard line, he better get the ball back out of the endzone or it will be a safety. If he gets it between the goal line and 5 but is not running toward the endzone, or is running across the field angling toward his own goal line but not going there are part of gathering the ball, it will be a safety if the ball becomes dead in the endzone.

1. That said, in all three situations this the ball will be placed where it was recovered.

2 Safety

3. The momentum rule is still in effect here because the ball did not change team possession. If it goes into the endzone under the momentum exception and is declared dead in there for any reason, as long as it's still in possession of that player's team, it is not a safety. (If that's happened in the last 50 years, I want to know about it,)

4. Same thing.

5-6. Committing a foul in the endzone is a bad idea. It will be a safety if the team in possession fouls in the endzone regardless of what that foul is (unless it's declined -- which could happen if that illegal forward pass was intercepted and run for a TD by the team that was originally on offense)

7. Again, touching means nothing. If momentum takes him in there (even with help from an opponent) and he tries to get out, then decides after breaking five tackles that he'll take a knee, it's all the same.

These are rare plays so I doubt you've had much opportunity to see a broad variety of actions when the exception is in effect. I haven't had one in a game I've worked in at least 5 years.