Rule question

Have they changed the rule on players running out of bounds on kick/punt returns? As I remember it, it used to be if you were a gunner and ran out of bounds, you could not be the first person to touch either the ball or the returner. I even remember a play where someone ran out of bounds, and was the first person to touch the ball - and only to down it - and a penalty was called.

Because when they showed the side replay on the William's muff, you can see the Giant player run out of bounds, then come back in - and he was the one to recover the muff. So unless the rule has been changed, that should have been an illegal touch and a Giants' penalty.

Originally posted by RDB4216:
Have they changed the rule on players running out of bounds on kick/punt returns? As I remember it, it used to be if you were a gunner and ran out of bounds, you could not be the first person to touch either the ball or the returner. I even remember a play where someone ran out of bounds, and was the first person to touch the ball - and only to down it - and a penalty was called.

Because when they showed the side replay on the William's muff, you can see the Giant player run out of bounds, then come back in - and he was the one to recover the muff. So unless the rule has been changed, that should have been an illegal touch and a Giants' penalty.

The rule is still there. The problem is that he was already back in bounds before the ball hit kyles knee, so technically kyle williams was the first player to touch the ball.

Originally posted by TH3B:
The rule is still there. The problem is that he was already back in bounds before the ball hit kyles knee, so technically kyle williams was the first player to touch the ball.

But the rule also applied if Willaims had caught the ball and the Giant who ran out of bounds was the first one to touch him. So I take that as you can't be the first defensive player involved if you ran out of bounds.

Originally posted by TH3B:

Originally posted by RDB4216:
Have they changed the rule on players running out of bounds on kick/punt returns? As I remember it, it used to be if you were a gunner and ran out of bounds, you could not be the first person to touch either the ball or the returner. I even remember a play where someone ran out of bounds, and was the first person to touch the ball - and only to down it - and a penalty was called.

Because when they showed the side replay on the William's muff, you can see the Giant player run out of bounds, then come back in - and he was the one to recover the muff. So unless the rule has been changed, that should have been an illegal touch and a Giants' penalty.

The rule is still there. The problem is that he was already back in bounds before the ball hit kyles knee, so technically kyle williams was the first player to touch the ball.

The player who went out of bounce was not the first player to touch touch the ball Kyle Williams was the first player to touch the ball.

Originally posted by TXNinerFan52:

Originally posted by TH3B:

Originally posted by RDB4216:
Have they changed the rule on players running out of bounds on kick/punt returns? As I remember it, it used to be if you were a gunner and ran out of bounds, you could not be the first person to touch either the ball or the returner. I even remember a play where someone ran out of bounds, and was the first person to touch the ball - and only to down it - and a penalty was called.

Because when they showed the side replay on the William's muff, you can see the Giant player run out of bounds, then come back in - and he was the one to recover the muff. So unless the rule has been changed, that should have been an illegal touch and a Giants' penalty.

The rule is still there. The problem is that he was already back in bounds before the ball hit kyles knee, so technically kyle williams was the first player to touch the ball.

The player who went out of bounce was not the first player to touch touch the ball Kyle Williams was the first player to touch the ball.

Yup.

Originally posted by TXNinerFan52:
The player who went out of bounce was not the first player to touch touch the ball Kyle Williams was the first player to touch the ball.

First player on the kicking team. The penalty has also been called, when a player that steps out of bounds makes the tackle. Obviously he is not the first "player" touching the ball, since the return man had to touch it to catch it, and then get tackled.

In other words, you cannot run out of bounds and then come back in and be the first to affect the play. That should have been 49ers ball, at the spot of the recovery - and then a 5 yard penalty on the Giants.

Originally posted by RDB4216:

Originally posted by TXNinerFan52:
The player who went out of bounce was not the first player to touch touch the ball Kyle Williams was the first player to touch the ball.

First player on the kicking team. The penalty has also been called, when a player that steps out of bounds makes the tackle. Obviously he is not the first "player" touching the ball, since the return man had to touch it to catch it, and then get tackled.

In other words, you cannot run out of bounds and then come back in and be the first to affect the play. That should have been 49ers ball, at the spot of the recovery - and then a 5 yard penalty on the Giants.

This is not a new rule. TX is right. Here is the NFL rule:

KICKING TEAM PLAYER OUT OF BOUNDS Article 3􀀃 A player of the kicking team, who has been out of bounds, may not touch or recover ascrimmage kick beyond the line of scrimmage until it has been touched by a kicking team player who hasnot been out of bounds, or until it has been touched by a player of the receiving team beyond the line. http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/12_Rule9_Scrimmage_Kick.pdf

Here is the link to the full 2011 NFL Rules http://www.nfl.com/rulebook