f. During a free kick a player of the receiving team in position to receive the ball has the same kick-catch and fair-catch protection whether the ball is kicked directly off the tee or is immediately driven to the ground, strikes the ground once and goes into the air in the manner of the ball kicked directly off the tee.
PENALTY [a-g]—For foul between the goal lines (other than a foul behind the B-25 on a free kick): Receiving team’s ball, first down, 15 yards beyond the spot of the foul for an interference foul [S33].
For a foul on a free kick play behind the B-25-yard line against a player who has given a valid fair catch signal: Penalize from the B-25 [S33].
For foul behind the goal line: Award a touchback and penalize from the succeeding spot [S33].
Flagrant offenders shall be ejected or disqualified [S47].
Approved Ruling 6-4-1 I. A Team A player catches a free kick very near receiver B25, thus preventing him from making the catch. RULING: Kick-catch interference. Penalty—15 yards from the spot of the foul.
Approved Ruling 6-4-1 VII. B10 signals for a fair catch, muffs the ball and then catches it. RULING: If B10 has an opportunity to catch the kick after the muff, he must be kicks given an unimpeded opportunity to complete the catch. If B10 catches the muffed kick, the ball is dead where he first touched it.
