Fair Catch

Fair Catch in Football means that a player of the Receiving team may catch a punt or kickoff out of the air, without being attacked.

To this end, the player must clearly waving above the head with one arm. If the catching player attacked after a successful signal and during the Ball " kicking " of the team, so this is called Personal Foul ( "kick catch interference" ) counted against the attacker. Touches the catcher of the ball only, without being able to bring it under control, then this is a Muff, a form of fumbles, ie a free ball

If the catcher the Fair Catch runs successfully, it must also achieve no more room for profit after the catch, as the turn is ended with the catch of the ball from the referee.

Origins

In the early days of football, when this split from rugby, it was allowed, with his hand to catch the ball in the air and lay on the ground ( Fair Catch). Only then had to be played with the feet of the ball.

This rule was included in the first binding rules of football from 1848 until 1871 and was abolished. From then on only the goalkeeper allowed to lay hands on the ball, but still throughout the own half, the restriction to the own penalty area took place only in 1912.

Fair Catch Kick

After a fair catch the catching player has the option to use, the football from the trap of a field goal ("After a fair catch, the receiving team Has the option to put the ball in play by a snap or a fair catch kick ( field goal attempt ) "). In the history of the NFL there were only five successful fair catch kicks.