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Fair Catch
For a fair catch to be made, team R must give a valid signal (one hand above the head waved side to side). Only a receiver who signals can make a fair catch. If one receiver who signals for a fair catch but a teammate catches the ball, the ball is dead. However, it is not a fair catch and the player who caught the ball does not receive the same protection as a player who made a valid fair-catch signal. After the signal, the ball must be possessed in flight (caught) for a fair catch. A ball that hits the ground and is recovered is not a fair catch. In NFHS, a fair catch cannot be made in the end zone; the ball is dead when it breaks the plane of the team R's goalline. A fair catch cannot be made behind the line on a scrimmage kick, or behind the team K's line on a free kick. In NFHS, a player who signals for a fair catch cannot block an opponent until the kick ends. A player using his hand to shield his eyes is not considered to have given a fair-catch signal. The "get-away" signal (one or both arms waved at or below chest level) is considered by the NFHS interpretation to be an invalid fair-catch signal. No receiver may deliberately advance the ball after a valid or invalid fair-catch signal has been given. Result would be a five-yard penalty for delay of game. An illegal fair-catch signal is any signal by a runner after the kick has been caught or recovered. |