Yes. Any kick, punt or kickoff, can be fair caught. One major difference between fair catching a punt and fair catching a kickoff is that the kickoff is a free kick. Where a punt returner deep in his own territory may call for a fair catch and let the ball bounce on the ground in the hope that the ball will bounce into the end zone for a touchback, the kick returner must catch the ball due to the fact that a kickoff is a free kick and the team that recovers a free kick is awarded possession of the ball.
Yes, a member of the receiving team can signal for a fair catch. But, even if he doesn't, he must be given an unimpeded opportunity to catch the kick. The protection terminates if the ball touches the ground or he muffs the kick.
In the NFL, the ball is placed at the two yard line for the PAT. In college, the ball is placed at the three yard line for the PAT.
The ball is spotted at the 2 yard line in the NFL and 3 yard line in College.
The ball is teed-up at the 40-yard line of the kicking team.
The 3 yard line.
Yes you can faircatch a punt or placekick after a safety. You are then intitled to choose where to put the ball in play along the yard line where the faircatch was made. You may also freekick from that yard line. That placekick may score three points for a good field goal. Tha advantage is the receivers may not get closer than 10 yards to the free kick line giving a real advantage on a long kick.
Following possession of a kickoffWhen a team has forced the other team to punt away, and calls a fair catch, they are entitled to take a free kick (fair catch kick in the NFL). This is basically a kick off the ground from where you caught the fair catch. This is different from any other kick because there is no snap and the defense does not rush the kicker.This is only of use if there is little or no time remaining and the ball is caught within field goal distance, which would be the intent of the kick. The kick is taken from the yard line of the catch, not from behind a line of scrimmage.Following a safetyA team that gives up a safety delivers a free kick from its own 20-yard line, either from a punt, a placekick without a tee, or a dropkick. A safety scores 2 points and possession from the free kick.
Forty (40) yards.
It is a fumble when the ball is bobbled and a touchback when it goes out of the endzone. It is placed on the twenty yard line.
The 30-yard line of the team kicking the ball off.
Yes. You will see this happen when the punt is headed very close to the returner's end zone. Instead of the punt returner catching it and giving his team poor field position, like at the 5 or 10 yard line, he will usually let the punt hit the ground in the hopes that the ball will bounce into the end zone so a touchback will be called. In this case the ball would be brought out to the 20 yard line and the returner's team would go on offense. But if the punt team can get down fast enough, they are allowed to catch the ball as long as they do not interfere with the returner.