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Rule Question Regarding Goal Line

Jack Bauer

Jack Bauer

Rookie
Does anyone have a link to the NFL rule regarding the football crossing the plane of the goal line? I had a discussion with a friend last night while watching the game when Bush jumped toward the end zone. My friend says the BALL must cross the goal line in-bounds and I say only part of the body has to stay in-bounds. Once a part of the body has crossed the goal line in bounds, the ball can cross the plane of the goal line even out of bounds. I have a link from a web-site that explains a call I saw with Mike Vick, but I prefer to have an actual link to the rule. This is what I have found:

Mike Vicks Touchdown

The text about the rule is about 3/4 of the way down the page.
 
Zephyr said:
Once a part of the body has crossed the goal line in bounds, the ball can cross the plane of the goal line even out of bounds.
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I think this is it. I remember John Madden talking about an imaginary plane that would circle the globe from one end of the goal line to the other.

If the player's body is going over the line, in bounds, but the ball is out - it's still a TD. Kind of a weird thing to visualize, and it still seems a little 'wrong', but I think you've got it right from what I understand.
 
Thanks. Unfortunately, to settle our dispute, he is going to insist on a link. The only link I can find to the NFL rules is on the NFL site. I guess they think fans are too dumb to actually read the rule book, because they only present a dumbed-down version. Unless I missed it somewhere.

Can anyone help with a link?
 
The definition of touchdown from the NFL rule book is thus: (Google NFL rules)

When any part of the ball, legally in possession of a player inbounds, breaks the plane of the opponent’s goal line, provided it is not a touchback.

Pylon rules (body vs. ball) are different in the corner ....


Edit, yeah just read the Markbreit explanation. The last part has always seemed a bit odd to me because if you're diving into the goal line while in the middle of the field, the ball had to cross the plane. If you're diving for the pylon, any part of your body hitting the pylon is acceptable even if the ball is out of bounds.
 
aj. said:
The definition of touchdown from the NFL rule book is thus: (Google NFL rules)

When any part of the ball, legally in possession of a player inbounds, breaks the plane of the opponent’s goal line, provided it is not a touchback.

Pylon rules (body vs. ball) are different in the corner ....


Edit, yeah just read the Markbreit explanation. The last part has always seemed a bit odd to me because if you're diving into the goal line while in the middle of the field, the ball had to cross the plane. If you're diving for the pylon, any part of your body hitting the pylon is acceptable even if the ball is out of bounds.
Click to expand...

I saw that, but doesn't provide enough info for what I needed. Thanks anyway.
 
since we're talking rules here ... I have a question ..... in college football if your knee is down while in possession of the ball then the play is dead .... no contact necessary ... ok here's the question ... why isn't the play dead on extra points or field goall attempts when the holder takes the snap with his knee down? probably a special case rule or something ....
 
chuckm said:
why isn't the play dead on extra points or field goall attempts when the holder takes the snap with his knee down? probably a special case rule or something ....
Click to expand...


Dood, good call. Maybe you should bring this to someone's attention...!:)

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Of course it's a special case...

Pardon the sarcasm...?
 
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