Block in the Back
ARTICLE 4.
a. A block in the back is contact against an opponent occurring when the force of the initial contact is from behind and above the waist. When in question, the contact is at or below the waist (see Clipping, Rule 2-5) (Rule 9-3-5).
Approved Ruling 9-3-3 I. A6 is advancing the ball. During the run, A12 vigorously blocks B2 with a rough push in the back above the waist. RULING: Illegal block in the back. Penalty—10 yards.
Approved Ruling 9-3-3 II. A teammate of the passer or ball carrier, while charging across the neutral zone, contacts an opponent with his hands and arms not parallel to the ground or his hands cupped or closed but with the palms not facing the opponent. RULING: Legal use of hands.
Approved Ruling 9-3-3 III. A teammate of the passer or ball carrier, behind the neutral zone, has his arms parallel to the ground and contacts an opponent above the shoulders. RULING: Illegal use of hands. Penalty—10 yards or 15 yards for personal foul, previous-spot enforcement. Safety if the foul occurs behind Team A’s goal line.
Approved Ruling 9-3-3 IV. A teammate of the passer or ball carrier delivers a blow with the hand(s) closed to an opponent below the shoulders. RULING: Personal foul. Penalty—15 yards. Enforce at the previous spot if foul occurs behind the neutral zone. Safety if the foul occurs behind Team A’s goal line.
Approved Ruling 9-3-3 V. A2’s hands contact defensive player B2 in a legal block. B2 spins to avoid blocker A2, whose hands then contact B2’s back. RULING: Legal block.
Approved Ruling 9-3-3 VI. A2’s hands contact defensive player B2’s back when B2 spins to avoid A2. A2 keeps his hands on B2’s back while B2 advances toward the passer. RULING: Legal block.
Approved Ruling 9-3-3 VII. A2’s hands contact defensive player B2 when B2 spins to avoid blocker A2, whose hands then contact B2’s back. After A2’s hands lose contact with B2, A2 advances and pushes B2 in the back. RULING: Illegal block in the back. Penalty—10 yards. Enforce at the previous spot if foul occurs behind the neutral zone (Rule 2-3-4). Safety if the foul occurs behind Team A’s goal line.
Approved Ruling 10-2-2 XII. During the return of a scrimmage kick, B40 blocks A80 in the back above the waist at the B-25. Team B’s ball carrier is downed with the ball in his possession at Team B’s 40-yard line. RULING: Team B foul, illegal block in the back. Penalty—10 yards from the spot of the foul. Team B’s ball, first and 10, from its 15-yard line.
b. The position of the blocker’s head or feet does not necessarily indicate the point of initial contact.
