Illegal Wedge Formation
ARTICLE 10.
a. A wedge is defined as two or more players aligned shoulder to shoulder within two yards of each other.
b. Free-kick down only: After the ball has been kicked, it is illegal for two or more members of the receiving team intentionally to form a wedge for the purpose of blocking for the ball carrier. This is a live-ball foul, whether or not there is contact between opponents.
PENALTY—Noncontact foul. 15 yards, spot of the foul, or 15 yards, spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B if this is behind the spot of the foul. 15 yards, previous spot with the down repeated if the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team A. [S27]
c. Formation of the wedge is not illegal when the kick is from an obvious onside kick formation.
d. There is no foul if the play results in a touchback, a foul for free kick out of bounds or fair catch.
CFO Bulletin August 2019
Play #1: During a Free Kick from the A-35, the kickoff is high and deep towards the pylon where B22 is in position to make the catch. The ball (a) hits B22 in the facemask at the B-3 and caroms forward and out of bounds at the B-10; (b) lands at the B-3 and goes out of bounds untouched at the B-2. During the kick, B56 and B44 form a two man wedge at the B-40 yard line.
RULING: The intent of 6-1-10d is that there is no foul for an illegal wedge if the play results in a touchback, a foul for a free kick out of bounds or a fair catch. Based on this interpretation, (a) foul for an illegal wedge formation. After enforcement, it will be Team B's ball 1st and 10 at the B-5; (b) foul for free kick out of bounds and no foul for an illegal wedge formation.
