Once the ball has gone 10 yards after being kicked during a kickoff, the ball is indeed live! During a punt, however, someone on the receiving team must touch the football for it to be live. The ball is always live during a kick. The only thing in question is who can recover, and when. On free kicks (including kickoffs and free kicks following a safety), the receiving team can recover the ball at any time, and the kicking team can recover either after it has traveled 10 yards or after the receiving team touches it after any distance. On scrimmage kicks (field goals and punts), the kicking team gives up possession of the ball unless (1) the ball fails to cross the line of scrimmage, (2) the kicking team then recovers the ball, and (3) the down played was not 4th down. In any other situation, the receiving team takes the ball. Once the ball crosses the line of scrimmage, the only way the kicking team can retake possession is if the receiving team fumbles, muffs, or touches the ball and the kicking team recovers.
no it starts with a kickoff.
The receiving team has to line up at least 10 yards away from the kickoff spot, but as soon as the ball is kicked, they can move in to receive the ball. Remember, the rule requiring the ball to travel 10 yards applies only to the kicking team. The receiving team can touch and recover the ball after it has traveled any distance, even if it only goes a yard from the tee.
There is no such thing as an onside punt because if you punt it, the other team has to touch the ball before you can recover it. There is such thing as an onside kick on a kickoff when the ball can go ten yards then any team can recover it. Or on an onside kickoff if it hits the receiving team, anyone can recover it
According to the NFL Rulebook: " A kickoff is illegal unless it travels 10 yards OR is touched by the receiving team. Once the ball is touched by the receiving team or has gone 10 yards, it is a free ball. Receivers may recover and advance. Kicking team may recover but NOT advance UNLESS receiver had possession and lost the ball. " According to the NFL Rules, the kicking team may not advance the ball on a kickoff unless it has been possessed first by the receiving team. In the play you saw in the Washington/Seattle playoff game, the ball went unpossessed by the receiving team when the kicking team gained control. In that case, possession is awarded to the kicking team at the spot where the kicking team gained control of the ball. no. the ball is dead where the kicking team touched it
It is a touchback.
it is a touchback
the defence doesnt have to touch the ball in order for the offence to get it.
The ball is in play once a player touches the ball on the kickoff. However, the first person to touch the ball cannot touch it again until the ball is touched by another player.
It is placed at the receiving teams 40 yard line.
On a punt, the ball would simply be given to the receiving team at the 20 yard line. Touchback, no points. That's because the kicking team can't be the first to touch a scrimmage kick (punts, placekicks, dropkicks). If they do touch it first, the ball is dead and still goes to the receiving team. On a kickoff, if the ball went into the end zone and the kicking team recovered, it would be a touchdown for the kicking team. Free kicks are available for either team to recover, provided the ball has traveled at least 10 yards.
The main rule is that the ball has to travel 10 yards downfield before it can be recovered by the kicking team prior to the opponents touching it. A kickoff is a free kick. Whoever recovers a kickoff gains possession of the ball. The ball must travel 10 yards downfield before the kicking team can touch it unless the receiving team touches it first within 10 yards. If the kickoff doesn't travel 10 yards downfield the receiving team is not obligated to attempt a return. The kick must hit the ground, in addition to travel 10 yards to give the kicking team possession of the ball if they can recover the kick. That is why onside kicks are kicked straight into the ground.
As soon as the ball is touched by a member of the receiving team, the ball is live and can be recovered by either team. (If the receiving team does not touch the ball, then a player from the punting team can only down the ball, not recover it.)