Forward Pass
1. A forward pass may be touched or caught by any
eligible receiver. All members of the defensive team are
eligible. Eligible receivers on the offensive team are
players on either end of line (other than center, guard,
or tackle) or players at least one yard behind the line
at the snap. A T-formation quarterback is not eligible
to receive a forward pass during a play from scrimmage.
Exception: T-formation quarterback becomes eligible if
pass is previously touched by an eligible receiver.
2. An offensive team may make only one forward pass
during each play from scrimmage (Loss of 5 yards).
3. The passer must be behind his line of scrimmage (Loss
of down and five yards, enforced from the spot of pass).
4. Any eligible offensive player may catch a forward
pass. If a pass is touched by one eligible offensive
player and touched or caught by a second offensive
player, pass completion is legal. Further, all offensive
players become eligible once a pass is touched by an
eligible receiver or any defensive player.
5. The rules concerning a forward pass and ineligible
receivers:
(a) If ball is touched accidentally by an ineligible
receiver on or behind his line: loss of five yards.
(b) If ineligible receiver is illegally downfield: loss
of five yards.
(c) If touched or caught (intentionally or accidentally)
by ineligible receiver beyond the line: loss of 5 yards.
6. The player who first controls and continues to
maintain control of a pass will be awarded the ball even
though his opponent later establishes joint control of
the ball.
7. Any forward pass becomes incomplete and ball is dead
if:
(a) Pass hits the ground or goes out of bounds.
(b) Pass hits the goal post or the crossbar of either
team.
8. A forward pass is complete when a receiver clearly
possesses the pass and touches the ground with both feet
inbounds while in possession of the ball. If a receiver
would have landed inbounds with both feet but is carried
or pushed out of bounds while maintaining possession of
the ball, pass is complete at the out-of-bounds spot.
9. On a fourth down pass an incomplete pass results in a
loss of down at the line of scrimmage.
10. If a personal foul is committed by the defense prior
to the completion of a pass, the penalty is 15 yards
from the spot where ball becomes dead.
11. If a personal foul is committed by the offense prior
to the completion of a pass, the penalty is 15 yards
from the previous line of scrimmage.
Intentional Grounding of Forward Pass
1. Intentional grounding of a forward pass is a foul:
loss of down and 10 yards from previous spot if passer
is in the field of play or loss of down at the spot of
the foul if it occurs more than 10 yards behind the line
or safety if passer is in his own end zone when ball is
released.
2. Intentional grounding will be called when a passer,
facing an imminent loss of yardage due to pressure from
the defense, throws a forward pass without a realistic
chance of completion.
3. Intentional grounding will not be called when a
passer, while out of the pocket and facing an imminent
loss of yardage, throws a pass that lands at or beyond
the line of scrimmage, even if no offensive player(s)
have a realistic chance to catch the ball (including if
the ball lands out of bounds over the sideline or end
line).
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