This is why officials initially ruled a touchback on muffed punt recovered by Chiefs
First, let’s give credit to the officials for getting this review right during Sunday’s Chiefs-Packers game.
Late in the first half of their 13-7 win, the Chiefs punted but caught a break when Green Bay wide receiver Malik Taylor was falling backward and the ball hit his foot. The Chiefs recovered.
Officials on the field missed the ball glancing off Taylor’s foot, but Chiefs coach Andy Reid challenged the play. The replay official noted the error on the field, and the Chiefs took possession.
But there was some confusion as to why the officials at first ruled it a touchback. Chiefs cornerback Chris Lammons recovered the ball and tried to advance it by running into the end zone.
A player can’t advance a muffed punt, but NBC Sports rules analyst Terry McAulay explained that the ball wasn’t dead when Lammons grabbed it at the 10-yard line.
Strange as it sounds, had the ball not touched the foot of the Packers’ Taylor, Lammons would have run into the end zone for a touchback.
McAulay shared a photo from the NFL rulebook to illustrate his point.
“If kicking team player carries the ball across the goal line it is a touchback regardless where possession was gained. Yes, this is really a rule. It also happened last season in the Was/TB Wild Card game,” McAulay wrote.
There is a rule for every situation in an NFL game.
This story was originally published November 8, 2021 at 12:47 PM.
