Inadvertant Whistle

[WCGrad92]

Scenario.

Team A is punting from the -44 yd line to Team B.  Punt goes off successfully. Team B catches the ball at the 21 yd line, Official behind the player blows the whistle like he saw a Fair Catch.   Most of the field stops moving, except the Punt Returner, who returns it for a Touchdown.  Officials confer, first showing Touchdown,  then going back on that decision, and decide that Team B gets the ball at the 45 yard line  1st Down.  1 yard away from where the orginal snap took place.  

 

This cant be right?   There were a multitude of other issues with this crew in this game.

 

Team A at the 17 yard line, throws a pass into the endzone and completed for a touchdown. Team B gets called for Pass Interference on the play.  Team A declines the penalty to take the touchdown. Xp goes on.  But officials mark off a 15 yard penalty for the PI on the Kickoff.

Some of the worst, most egregious examples of an officiating crew that had no clue.  

 

There were multiple mechanic flaws as well, when it came to spotting the balls or enforcing penalties.  We had a 10 yard penalty marked off on a personal foul Face Mask, which should have been 15.

 

I am only really asking about the first two examples though.

[5GetsYou1]

Without seeing the video and just as a case play, it should have been 1st & 10 at the 21 for B. Straight from the Redding Study Guide:

If an official blows his whistle while a player has possession of the ball, the play is dead immediately. The team in possession has one of two options: to take the ball where it was blown dead, or to replay the down at the previous spot. 

 

For the PI, the scoring team has the option to take the penalty at the succeeding spot or the succeeding kickoff, so based on your description that seems correct. They shouldn't signal a decline motion, but point to the spot of the kickoff instead. 

[wabashalwaysfights]

10 minutes ago, 5GetsYou1 said:

Without seeing the video and just as a case play, it should have been 1st & 10 at the 21 for B. Straight from the Redding Study Guide:

If an official blows his whistle while a player has possession of the ball, the play is dead immediately. The team in possession has one of two options: to take the ball where it was blown dead, or to replay the down at the previous spot. 

 

For the PI, the scoring team has the option to take the penalty at the succeeding spot or the succeeding kickoff, so based on your description that seems correct. They shouldn't signal a decline motion, but point to the spot of the kickoff instead. 

My understanding is that you would only take the penalty on the succeeding kickoff if it were a dead ball foul, but I may be mistaken.

[5GetsYou1]

9 minutes ago, wabashalwaysfights said:

My understanding is that you would only take the penalty on the succeeding kickoff if it were a dead ball foul, but I may be mistaken.

It can be live ball or dead ball, they can take it on the try, kickoff, but not overtime. Penalties on a try or field goal by the opposing team can be taken to overtime though.

[Huge Football Fan]

On 10/21/2025 at 12:48 PM, wabashalwaysfights said:

My understanding is that you would only take the penalty on the succeeding kickoff if it were a dead ball foul, but I may be mistaken.

Yes you are mistaken. This for some reason has been an issue this season. Maybe people will read this and a few will learn from it.