If a field goal attempt wound up short, could you catch it and run? This is supposing it is still in bounds, and in the air.
In the NFL at least the ball is in play on a field goal attempt, but the way the rules are currently written, people rarely run them back.
IIRC, it used to be that if you missed a field goal, and the ball went through the endzone, the opposing team go the ball on the 20. Now you get the ball at the line of scrimmage, so unless you think you can run it back that far it’s better to let the ball die.
I know I don’t have the details correct, so I’ll let some of our experts give the real answer.
In the NFL, missed field goals are returned to the spot of the kick or the 20 yard line, whichever is farther.
A missed field goal can be returned like a punt. The Jets gave up a return for a touchdown in a game last year. If the defense touches a missed field goal beyond the line of scrimmage, the ball is live and able to be recovered by either team. Ask Leon Lett about that rule.
In the NFL the goalposts used to be at the goalline. Teams did return short FG’s just like a punt return. When they moved the goalposts to the back of the endzone teams stopped returning the kicks.
I think the goalposts were moved in the 60’s. Yes, the goalposts did get in the way of passes and runs at the goal line. If you ever see film of old NFL games you can see the goalposts at the goalline.
Also in the old days of the NFL, it used to be legal to station a guy right under the goal posts to try to swat away any field goals that were coming in low or return errant ones.
However, it is not legal to “goaltend” on field goals anymore.
The goalposts got moved in around 1973 or 1974 I believe.
In the CFL, missed field goals can be returned. Ou goalposts are still on the goal line, and during the attempt, the other team posts at least one player in the end zone. If the ball doesn’t go through the uprights, and the opposing team doesn’t move it out of the endzone, then the kicking team still scores one point. (It’s called the “rouge.”) The ball then gets spotted at the 35 yard line, I think.
If the opposing team runs it out of the endzone, it’s just like a punt return - the ball gets spotted where the returner gets tackled. Last season, there were a few TDs scored on missed field goals.