# Can a player pass himself in NFL? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 12, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-player-pass-himself-in-nfl/801452 "2017-11-12T18:23:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-player-pass-himself-in-nfl/801452/21 "2017-11-13T14:21:31Z")
The QB being a receiver is used the classic Hook and Lateral play. > **[Hook and ladder (football)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_and_lateral)** > > The hook and lateral is a trick play in American, Canadian football and indoor American football, often colloquially called the hook and ladder play. > Although the latter term is often used generically, a “hook and ladder” route specifically identifies a hook-and-lateral to a receiver on a “ladder” route. Thus a slant, cross, or other pattern collecting a lateral from a stop (or hook) route is not truly a “hook and ladder;” nonetheless, the phrase has long been used in the vernacular to desc... ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-player-pass-himself-in-nfl/801452/22 "2017-11-13T15:19:56Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > The QB being a receiver is used the classic Hook and Lateral play. > > [Hook and ladder (football) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_and_lateral) Though, on a hook-and-lateral, the target of the lateral pass doesn’t have to be an eligible receiver – unlike a forward pass, any member of the offense can legally receive a lateral, since it’s essentially an extended handoff. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-player-pass-himself-in-nfl/801452/23 "2017-11-13T15:21:34Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Even if a quarterback could legally toss an “eephus” pass high in the air and race downfield in time to catch it, that sounds like a really stupid play to call. > > As I say, the only way the passer could possibly get downfield in time to make the catch would be if the pass was a high lob… which would be easier for defenders to intercept than for the passer to get to. Besides, you wouldn’t want your passer taking the big hit he’d be sure to receive after the catch. > > That’s like asking “Could LeBron lob a high pass toward the basket, then run up, catch the ball and dunk it in? And if so, would be get an assist for his own score?” The answer is, “Probably not, but even if he could, why would he?” I’m not sure that’s a good answer to the LeBron question. LeBron could not in fact legally throw a pass to himself unless he bounced it off another player or the rim (or possibly the backboard; I can’t be bothered to check right now). That applies to a lob/alley oop as well. And, if it was legal, NBA players would do it all the time- they’d be able to drive to the rim without actually having to dribble the whole way, making it much easier in some situations. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-player-pass-himself-in-nfl/801452/24 "2017-11-13T20:01:57Z")
Mr. Perfect could throw a pass to himself: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iK7vRYeY3U) ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2017, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-player-pass-himself-in-nfl/801452/25 "2017-11-14T10:28:46Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Mr. Perfect could throw a pass to himself: > > [https://youtu.be/8iK7vRYeY3U?t=42s](https://youtu.be/8iK7vRYeY3U?t=42s) Yeah, he was perfect at everything. Except his own drug tolerance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-player-pass-himself-in-nfl/801452.md?page=1)