# Can you punt a field goal? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 21, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480 "2010-11-21T22:27:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/21 "2010-11-22T17:21:03Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I’ve never seen a penalty on plays like that. If it hasn’t crossed the line of scrimmage, it’s still eligible to kick. Only if the punter regains control of the ball. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/22 "2010-11-22T17:40:17Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Only if the punter regains control of the ball. Okay - so if it’s rolling around, you can’t kick it (without a penalty)? Maybe I haven’t seen that… Though I think I’ve seen someone kick it out the back for a safety to prevent the defense from recovering for a TD. ---
**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 22, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/23 "2010-11-22T18:03:14Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > In practice, nobody returns punts from the endzone, because they’re really unlikely to get better yardage than a touchback, but don’t they have the option in theory? Hmmm…good question. I’m fairly sure that a returner could bring a punt out of the end zone, as long as he caught the ball on the fly (as **Munch** notes, once a punt touches the ground in the end zone, the play is blown dead, and it’s a touchback). But, yes, it’s never done in practice. As a rule, punt returners (at least, in the NFL) let a ball go if it’s going to land inside the 10-yard line. A good NFL punt returner averages about 10 yards per return; as you’d need to get at least 20 yards to make it worthwhile to return a punt out of the end zone, it’s almost never going to be a good idea. About the only time I could see it happening is if the punter really nailed one, and significantly outpunted his coverage men (but, in that case, it’s likely that the ball would be over the returner’s head anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/24 "2010-11-22T18:19:44Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Hmmm…good question. I’m fairly sure that a returner could bring a punt out of the end zone, as long as he caught the ball on the fly (as **Munch** notes, once a punt touches the ground in the end zone, the play is blown dead, and it’s a touchback). Nope - if the returner catches it in the endzone, it’s a touchback. If the returner catches it on the 5, he can run backwards into the endzone and then out of it. ---
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/25 "2010-11-22T18:47:31Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > there is the [drop kick](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_kick) (from wiki) > > [Flutie’s Drop kick on youtube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0Jsz-fSNd4) Maybe it’s just a bad angle, but this looks just like a punt to me. I don’t see where the ball hits the ground. ---
**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 22, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/26 "2010-11-22T18:53:42Z")
> [@davidw](#): > > Maybe it’s just a bad angle, but this looks just like a punt to me. I don’t see where the ball hits the ground. From a distance (and that video doesn’t give you a particularly good look at it) a punt and a dropkick are going to look pretty similar. On a dropkick, you’re kicking the ball just after it bounces back up off the ground (given that you’re dropping it from only about 2-3 feet above the ground, it’s not going to bounce that high, anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/27 "2010-11-22T19:03:40Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Okay - so if it’s rolling around, you can’t kick it (without a penalty)? Maybe I haven’t seen that… Though I think I’ve seen someone kick it out the back for a safety to prevent the defense from recovering for a TD. Yes, it makes sense if the ball is in the end zone, to kick it through the back of the end zone, and I’ve seen that a few times in college football. (It’s probably more common in college because of less talented long snappers.) In that case the penalty and the result of the play are both a safety, and you avoid the risk of an opponent TD. But it **is** still a penalty–pro or college, you can’t intentionally kick a loose ball. > [@kenobi65](#): > > From a distance (and that video doesn’t give you a particularly good look at it) a punt and a dropkick are going to look pretty similar. On a dropkick, you’re kicking the ball just after it bounces back up off the ground (given that you’re dropping it from only about 2-3 feet above the ground, it’s not going to bounce that high, anyway). My late father was old enough to remember when drop-kicks were common, and he told me that the referee would always be looking at the drop _very closely_, to make sure that it touched the ground, because it was hard to tell. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/28 "2010-11-22T19:03:44Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > At first I thought that was amazing, but now I’m wondering if the ball ever hit the ground. Can’t tell from the video. It must have, otherwise it would have been disallowed. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/29 "2010-11-22T19:24:00Z")
Yes it did, the camera angle and Steyn’s speed make it hard to see. You can sort of see it at 20 seconds at full speed (the replay doesn’t show the ground at all). ---
**Author:** ![Steely\_Dan\_Fan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Steely\_Dan\_Fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steely_Dan_Fan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/30 "2013-12-03T03:18:05Z")
Yes, I know this is an old thread; as I understand the rules, it’s not as big a deal in this section of the forum as it is everywhere. > [@Munch](#): > > Nope - if the returner catches it in the endzone, it’s a touchback. If the returner catches it on the 5, he can run backwards into the endzone and then out of it. You are correct about “if the returner catches it on the 5” bit. But you are incorrect (at least in the NFL) about what happens if the returner catches it in the end zone. The rules _explicitly_ state that a ball kicked from scrimmage (this includes both field goal attempts and punts) and caught in the end zone by the receiving team can return it. Per Rule 9, Section 4 (“BALL CROSSES GOAL LINE, TOUCHES GOAL POSTS, OUT OF BOUNDS, DEAD IN FIELD OF PLAY”), Article 1: “If a scrimmage kick crosses the receiver’s goal line from the impetus of the kick, the following shall apply: . . . (b) If the receivers catch the ball in the end zone, or recover it in the end zone after touching it in the field of play or the end zone, they may advance.” ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/31 "2013-12-03T14:41:57Z")
Meanwhile, if you want to see goals punted, watch Australian Rules where they do that all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/32 "2013-12-03T14:49:38Z")
> [@Steely\_Dan\_Fan](#): > > You are correct about “if the returner catches it on the 5” bit. But you are incorrect (at least in the NFL) about what happens if the returner catches it in the end zone. Yeah, not sure why I said that, or what I was thinking of at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/33 "2013-12-04T00:13:56Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Meanwhile, if you want to see goals punted, watch Australian Rules where they do that all the time. Or CFL, where you can punt for a single point, or kick for either a field goal or a single point (called a “rouge” in both cases). ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/34 "2013-12-05T16:03:18Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Or CFL, where you can punt for a single point, or kick for either a field goal or a single point (called a “rouge” in both cases). I get the first part of the sentence, I think. If you punt it through the end zone, you get a point, right? What does the second part mean? Are you talking about an extra point or something else? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/35 "2013-12-05T21:00:15Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > I get the first part of the sentence, I think. If you punt it through the end zone, you get a point, right? What does the second part mean? Are you talking about an extra point or something else? The way I understand it, if a kick is downed in the endzone or goes out a sideline of the endzone, you get a point. If a punt or KO goes out the back, it appears it is still a touchback. It is worth noting that the Canadian endzone is 20 yards deep, and the goalpost is set at the front rather than the back of it as in modern US football, so a missed FG is much more likely to remain a live ball. And if a missed FG lands in the endzone, the defending team can either eat the rouge point or pick up the ball and run it out in attempt to prevent a score. ---
**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:** [December 5, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/36 "2013-12-05T21:11:22Z")
> [@For You](#): > > And if a missed FG lands in the endzone, the defending team can either eat the rouge point or pick up the ball and run it out in attempt to prevent a score. Or, they can actually try to punt it back out of the end zone! [This happened in a CFL game a couple of years ago.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5BFaykcxGg) Tie game between Montreal and Toronto, and Montreal tried a field goal to win it. They missed the FG, and a Toronto player fielded the ball in the end zone, then punted it back out to avoid giving up the point. However, that punt was fielded by Montreal’s kicker, who punted it **back** into the end zone. Toronto tried (but failed) to punt the ball back out for a second time, Montreal fell on the ball in the end zone, and scored a TD to win the game. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/37 "2013-12-05T21:34:57Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Or, they can actually try to punt it back out of the end zone! > > [This happened in a CFL game a couple of years ago.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5BFaykcxGg) Tie game between Montreal and Toronto, and Montreal tried a field goal to win it. They missed the FG, and a Toronto player fielded the ball in the end zone, then punted it back out to avoid giving up the point. However, that punt was fielded by Montreal’s kicker, who punted it **back** into the end zone. Toronto tried (but failed) to punt the ball back out for a second time, Montreal fell on the ball in the end zone, and scored a TD to win the game. That is awesome, US football needs to add the rouge. Then at least we would see more runbacks (I assume that the return man cannot just catch and down the ball in the endzone for a touchback). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/38 "2013-12-06T01:49:44Z")
> [@For You](#): > > The way I understand it, if a kick is downed in the endzone or goes out a sideline of the endzone, you get a point. If a punt or KO goes out the back, it appears it is still a touchback. It is worth noting that the Canadian endzone is 20 yards deep, and the goalpost is set at the front rather than the back of it as in modern US football, so a missed FG is much more likely to remain a live ball. And if a missed FG lands in the endzone, the defending team can either eat the rouge point or pick up the ball and run it out in attempt to prevent a score. This is almost right. You can’t score a rouge on a kickoff. Kickoffs can’t go out of bounds, from either the playing field or the end zone -that’s an illegal kick-off. Plus, since the kick-off us from the 35 yard line, you’d have to kick it 75 yards to get it just across the goal line, which is pretty difficult. For punts, if they land in the end-zone and then go out either the side or the end, it’s a single. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/39 "2013-12-06T01:55:59Z")
> [@For You](#): > > That is awesome, US football needs to add the rouge. Then at least we would see more runbacks (I assume that the return man cannot just catch and down the ball in the endzone for a touchback). Yes, defence has that option. The choice of running it out or taking a knee depends largely on the score and the clock. In a very close game, close to the end, they’ll usually try to run it out, even if that gives them poor field position. But in the early stages of the game, defender is more likely to take a knee, concede the single, and get better field position at the 25 yard line. And if the team receiving the ball has a good lead, the fielding player will often try to run around the end zone as much as possible to eat up the clock, before conceding the single or being tackled. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480/40 "2013-12-06T02:37:56Z")
Yes I can, from about 30 yards out, too. I can punt the ball a long way (former soccer goalie for many, many years). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-punt-a-field-goal/561480.md?page=3)