Fumble/Backward Pass

Question 1

Fumble/down by rule:
First and 10 on the Team A 20-yard line. A40 runs to the Team A 25-yard line where he loses the ball. B15 recovers. Officials rule fumble and give possession to Team B. A40’s left knee hit the ground before he
lost the ball.

Answer 1

RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether A40 was
down before the ball came loose. Overturn to down by rule. A 2-5 on A-25. No adjustment to the game clock which starts on referee’s signal (Rule 12-3-3-c).

Question 2

Fumble/down by rule:
First and 10 on the A-20. A22 runs to the A-25, where he fumbles. B25 recovers at the A-27. The line judge rules the runner down.

Answer 2

RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether there was a fumble or the runner was down. Overturn to fumble, Team B’s ball, 1-10 on A-27. Adjust the clock if within two minutes of the 2nd quarter or two minutes of the 4th quarter which starts on snap (Rule 12-3-3-d).

Question 3

Fumble/down by rule:
First and 10 on the A-20. A22 runs to the A-25, where he fumbles. The line judge rules A22 down and the ball comes to rest on the ground with no player recovering it in the immediate and continuing action.

Answer 3

RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether there was a fumble or the runner was down, but without video evidence or confirmation from the officials on the field of a clear recovery, the ruling on the field stands. A
2-5 on A-25 (Rule 12-3-3-d).

Question 4

Fumble/down by rule:
First and 10 on the A-20. A22 runs to the A-25, where he loses the football on the way to ground but regains control prior to his right knee touching down. The ball comes loose after the knee hits and B25 recovers at the A-27. Officials rule fumble and give possession to Team B.

Answer 4

RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether there was a fumble or the runner was down. Overturn to down, A 2-5 on A-25. If a ball carrier loses control of the football on the way to the ground but regains it prior to a body part other than a hand or foot touching down he is down by rule (Rule 12-3-3-d).

Question 5

Fumble/Out of bounds:
First and 10 on the A-20. A2 runs to the A-30 where he is hit and loses the ball. B40 falls on the loose ball at the A-32. The line judge ruled that A2 stepped out of bounds at the 30 before he lost the ball. Replays show he did not step out prior to losing the ball.

Answer 5

RULING: Reviewable play. Overturn to fumble with a clear recovery. B 1-10 on A-32 (Rule 12-3-3-d).

Question 6

Fumble touching a sideline:
First and 10 on the A-20. A22 runs to the A-28 and fumbles. The ball hits the sideline at the A-30 and bounces back toward the middle of the field, where B45 recovers at the A 32. Officials give the ball to Team B.

Answer 6

RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether the ball touched the sideline. Overturn to A 2-2 on A-28, fumble forward out of bounds, start clock on referee’s signal. (Rule 12-3-3-i). If an overturn creates a forward fumble situation, then the relevant rule can be applied.

Question 7

Fumble touching a sideline
First and 10 on the Team A-20. A22 runs to the A-28 and fumbles. The ball hits near the sideline at the A-30 and bounces back toward the middle of the field, where B45 recovers at the A-32. Officials rule the
ball hit the sideline at the A-30. Replays showed that it did not touch the sideline

Answer 7

RULING: Reviewable play, overturn to B 1-10 on A-32
(Rule 12-3-3-d).

Question 8

Recovery of a fumble in relation to a sideline:
First and 10 on the A-20. A22 runs to the A-28 and fumbles. B77 recovers at the A-30 with one foot on the sideline. Officials award the ball to Team B.

Answer 8

RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether B77 was
in or out of bounds when recovering the ball. Overturn to no recovery. A 2-2 on A-28, forward fumble out of bounds, no clock adjustment and start on the referee’s signal (Rule 12-3-3-h).

Question 9

Recovery of a fumble in relation to a sideline:
First and 10 at the A-20. A22 runs to the A-35 and fumbles the ball into the air. Airborne B45 possesses the ball at the A-38, and as he is going to the ground he gets one foot down in bounds, then loses possession as he hits the ground out of bounds. Officials award the ball to Team B

Answer 9

RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether B45 had completed the recovery in bounds. Overturn to no recovery, A1-10 on A-35, forward fumble out of bounds, start clock on the referee’s signal. Recovery of a fumble in this situation is governed by the same criteria as a receiver going to the ground to make a catch (Rule 12-3-3-h).

Question 10

Player out of bounds coming back in to recover a loose ball:
First and 10 on the A-20. A22 runs to the A-25 and fumbles. B45 leaps from out of bounds, reestablishes inbounds and recovers the ball at that spot. Officials rule that B45 recovered the ball out of bounds.

Answer 10

RULING: Reviewable play, B 1/10 @ A-25. Reset game clock if within two minutes of the 2nd quarter or two minutes of the 4th quarter and clock starts on snap. If B45 touches the ball before reestablishing, he is touching it while out of bounds. A 2/5 @ A-25 (Rule 12-3-3-h).

Question 11

Recovery of a fumble in relation to a goal line:
First and 10 on the A-4. A22 fumbles and B45 recovers the ball on Team A’s goal line. Officials give the ball to Team B at the A-1.

Answer 11

RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether B45 recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Overturn to touchdown for Team B (Rule 12-3-1-a).

Question 12

Recovery of a fumble in the end zone:
First and 10 on the A-2. Runner A22 fumbles when hit. B45 jumps on the loose ball in the end zone and possesses it on the ground, but A22 knocks the ball out of B45’s hands and A10 recovers the loose ball in
the end zone. Officials rule Team A recovered for a safety

Answer 12

RULING: Reviewable play regarding whether B45 was down after he possessed the ball. Overturn to touchdown for Team B. This play is reviewable in the
end zone and the field of play (Rule 12-3-1-a).

Question 13

Fourth down fumble Fourth and 5 on the B-37. A22 fumbles at the B-33 and A88 recovers the ball on the B-30. Officials give the ball to Team A at the B-30.

Answer 13

RULING: Reviewable play, regarding whether the fumble was recovered by another player other than the fumbler. Overturn to B 1-10 on B-33 (Rule 12-3-3-f).

Question 14

Fourth down fumble:
Fourth and goal on the B-7. A10 drops back to the B-10 and fumbles. A22 picks up the ball at the Team B 8-yard line and runs for a touchdown.

Answer 14

RULING: Reviewable play, regarding recovery of a fourth-down fumble. Also reviewable regarding whether A10 fumbled or threw an incomplete pass. Overturn to Team B 1-10 on B-10, reset game clock
to when A22 gained possession, if within two minutes of the 2nd quarter or two minutes of the 4th quarter (Rules 12-3-3-a and 12-3-3-f).

Question 15

Fourth down fumble/Backward pass:
A 4/G @ B-3 (a) QBA1 and back A3 muff the exchange; (b) QBA1 muffs the snap. A3 recovers the ball at the B-2 and runs into the end zone. Officials rule touchdown.

Answer 15

RULING: Reviewable play. (a) Overturn to no score. The ball is declared dead when a fumble is recovered by a player other than the player who fumbled. (b) Confirm score. Snap is a backward pass that may be recovered and advanced by any Team A player. This ruling also applies to any try attempt (Rule 12-3-3-f).

Question 16

Spot of fumble:
Fourth and 10 on the B-20. Ball carrier A22 runs to the B-11 and fumbles. A30 recovers at the B-5. The Head Linesman rules fumble and brings the ball back to the B-9.

Answer 16

RULING: Reviewable play regarding the spot of the fumble. Overturn to B 1-10 on B11, reset game clock
if within two minutes of the 2nd quarter or two minutes of the 4th quarter. This is reviewable because it involves the line to gain and would be the same ruling had it been a forward fumble out of bounds (Rules 12-3-3-e and 12-3-3-f).

Question 17

Fumble or backward pass out of bounds at goal line:
Second and Goal on the B-7. Ball carrier A22 runs to the B-3 and fumbles. The airborne ball goes out of bounds inside the pylon and through the end zone, but the officials rule that it went out of bounds
in the field of play and bring the ball back to the B-3.

Answer 17

RULING: Reviewable play regarding where the ball went out of bounds in relation to the goal line. Overturn to touchback. Team B 1-10 on B-20. (Rule
12-3-3-i).

Question 18

Runner’s helmet coming off:
Second and 10 on the A-40. A2 carries to the B-43 where he is hit and while he is still upright the ball comes loose. B77 recovers the loose ball at the B-40 inbounds. Officials award B possession. Replays show
that A2’s helmet came completely off before he lost control of the ball.

Answer 18

RULING: Reviewable play regarding whether the ball came loose before the helmet came off. Overturn to no fumble, A 1-10 on B-43. Reset game clock to the spot where the helmet came off, if within two minutes
of the 2nd quarter or two minutes of the 4th quarter and wind on the ready-for-play. The helmet coming off is treated just like a player being down. The helmet must completely separate from the player’s head to
end the down (Rule 12-3-3-c).

Question 19

Fumble through end zone:
The ball carrier advances to the B-2 where he is hit. The ball comes out before the runner is down, goes into the end zone and over the end line. The line judge rules the ball carrier down.

Answer 19

RULING: This type of play is reviewable only if there is clear recovery or the ball goes out of bounds in the immediate continuing action. Overturn to B 1-10 on
B-20, touchback.

Question 20

Recovery of a fumble in the field of play:
First and 10 on the A-20. Runner A22 fumbles when hit. B45 jumps on the loose ball at the A-25 and possesses it on the ground, but A22 knocks the ball out of B45’s hands and A10 recovers at the A-25. Officials rule Team A recovered.

Answer 20

RULING: Reviewable. B 1-10 at the A-25.

Question 21

Recovery of a fumble in the field of play:
Third and 5 on the B-45. Shotgun QBA1 and back A2 muff the exchange and A1 dives on the ball at the 50. The ball rolls underneath A1 as he slides on the ground and the referee blows the play dead, ruling
an A1 recovery at the 50. Replays show that A1 never controlled the ball and B2 recovered it in the immediate continuing action at the A-48.

Answer 21

RULING: Reviewable. B 1-10 on the A-48.

Question 22

Simultaneous recovery of a loose ball:
First and 10 on the A-20. A22 runs to the A-25 and fumbles. A80 and B45 recover the ball simultaneously in the middle of the field at the A-25. Officials gave the ball to Team B.

Answer 22

RULING: Reviewable. A 2-5 on A-25. Simultaneous possession is awarded to the team last in possession.

Question 23

Fumble forward out of bounds:
Third and 10 on the A-20. A22 runs to the A-28 and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds at the Team A 33-yard line, and the officials award the ball to the offense at that spot

Answer 23

RULING: Reviewable play because it involves the line to gain or goal line. A 4-2 at A-28.

Question 24

Spot where fumble or backward pass crosses sideline:
Third and 10 on the A-20. A22 runs to the A-33 and fumbles. The ball rolls out of bounds untouched at the Team A 29-yard line, but the officials award the ball to the offense at the A-31.

Answer 24

RULING: Reviewable. A 4-1 on A-29.