a. Use of Hands. A teammate of a ball carrier or a passer legally may block with their shoulders, their hands, the outer surface of their arms or any other part of their body under the following provisions.
1. The hand(s) shall be:
(a) In advance of the elbow.
(b) Inside the frame of the opponent’s body (Exception:When the opponent turns their back to the blocker).
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.
(c) At or below the shoulder(s) of the blocker and the opponent (Exception:When the opponent squats, ducks or submarines).
(d) Apart and never in a locked position.
2. The hand(s) shall be open with the palm(s) facing the frame of the opponent or closed or cupped with the palms not facing the opponent.
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 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 9-3-3 VIII. A1 in, beyond or behind the neutral zone contacts an opponent with an open hand or with hands closed or cupped and palms not facing the opponent. RULING: Legal block.
b. Holding. The hand(s) and arm(s) shall not be used to grasp, pull, hook, clamp or encircle in any way that illegally impedes or illegally obstructs an opponent.
PENALTY—10 yards Penalties for Team A fouls behind the neutral zone are enforced from the previous spot. Safety if the foul occurs behind Team A’s goal line [S42].
c. Kicking Team. A player on the kicking team may:
1. During a scrimmage kick play, use their hand(s) and/or arm(s) to ward off an opponent attempting to block them when they are beyond the neutral zone.
2. During a free kick play, use their hand(s) and/or arm(s) to ward off an opponent who is attempting to block them.
3. During a scrimmage kick play or a free kick play, when they are eligible to touch the ball, legally use their hand(s) and/or arm(s) to push an opponent in an attempt to reach a loose ball.
d. Passing Team. An eligible player of the passing team legally may use their hand(s) and/or arm(s) to ward off or push an opponent in an attempt to reach a loose ball after a legal forward pass has been touched by any player or official (Rules 7-3-5, 7-3-8, 7-3-9 and 7-3-11).
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 IX. A12 takes the snap and retreats to pass. Defensive end B95 gets past A75 and is about to tackle A12, who is still inside the tackle box. A75 pushes B95 in the back at the numbers to prevent him from making the tackle. A12’s pass is complete for a touchdown. RULING: Touchdown counts. No foul by A75. Such continuing action involving pass protection while the passer remains inside the tackle box are within the spirit of the exception to Rule 9-3-6 and are thus legal. However, if this is a totally separate action and a new block outside the blocking zone, it is a foul for a block in the back.
