No Tackling
ARTICLE 5. No player of the kicking team shall tackle or block an opponent who has completed a fair catch. Only the player making a fair catch signal has this protection.
PENALTY—Dead-ball foul. Receiving team’s ball 15 yards from the succeeding spot [S7 and S38]
Approved Ruling 6-5-5 I. B1 and B2 each signal. B1 muffs, and B2 is about to catch the muffed ball when A1 grabs and pulls him to the ground. RULING: Not interference, but holding. Penalty—10 yards from the previous spot or from the spot where the subsequent dead ball belongs to Team B.
Approved Ruling 6-5-5 II. B22 makes a fair catch and is tackled before he has carried the ball more than two steps. RULING: Foul by the tackler. Penalty—15 yards from the succeeding spot.
Approved Ruling 6-5-5 III. B1 catches the punt after B3 signals for a fair catch. RULING: The ball is dead when and where caught. B1 is not entitled to catch protection but is entitled to the same protection he has after any other dead ball (Rule 6-5-1d).
