Crosses Neutral Zone
ARTICLE 3.
a. A legal forward pass has crossed the neutral zone when it first strikes the ground, a player, an official or anything beyond the neutral zone inbounds. It has not crossed the neutral zone when it first strikes the ground, a player, an official or anything in or behind the neutral zone inbounds.
b. A player has crossed the neutral zone if that player’s entire body has been beyond the neutral zone.
c. A legal forward pass is beyond or behind the neutral zone where it crosses the sideline.
Approved Ruling 2-19-3 I. QB A12 throws a legal forward pass, and receiver A88 first touches the pass when the ball is 1 ½ yards beyond the neutral zone. The receiver’s back foot is not beyond the neutral zone. RULING: The legal forward pass has crossed the neutral zone. Rule 2-19-3a states that a pass has crossed the neutral zone when it strikes anything beyond the neutral zone. By Rule 2-19-3b, A88 as a player is not beyond the neutral zone. Nevertheless, by Rule 2-19-3a, the pass has crossed the neutral zone since it was beyond the neutral zone when A88 touched it. The guiding principle on a pass crossing the neutral zone is the location of the ball when it is first touched.
