# Football - Loss of yardage on pass interference? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 29, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024 "2008-12-29T03:01:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UncleFred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/1 "2008-12-29T03:01:19Z")
Is it possible in (American) Football for a team to have a pass-interference call against their opponent, that results in a loss of yardage? I am thinking of a scenario where an eligible receiver never crosses the line of scrimage, and is interfered with when a pass is directed to him. Someone here pointed out that the possesing team could decline the penalty (can they?) but I could further envision that the team would accept the penalty to obtain the first down, even with a slight loss of yardage. And if this is possible, has it ever happened? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cheapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8e7dd6/32.png) [@El\_Cheapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cheapo)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/2 "2008-12-29T03:24:52Z")
Pass interference may only be called beyond the line of scrimmage. From the [NFL Digest of Rules](http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/passinterference): It is pass interference by either team when any player movement beyond the line of scrimmage significantly hinders the progress of an eligible player of such player’s opportunity to catch the ball. ---
**Author:** ![UncleFred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/3 "2008-12-29T04:03:54Z")
Yeah, the people I’m watching with came up with that too. But then as a strectch they came up with; Receiver is interfered with approx 10 yards downfield, immediately after which the possesing team commits an “unsportsman like conduct” or similar penalty. Net gain is 10 (gain) minus 15 (penalty) = minus 5 yards. If correct its not really what I was asking about, but it is sort of close. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/4 "2008-12-29T06:38:14Z")
When opposing teams commit penalties on the same play, the penalties offset and the down is played over. There are a few exceptions to this general rule, but the case you describe would not be one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/5 "2008-12-29T06:43:41Z")
Once pass interference is called, the play is over. So, although the net loss would be 5 yards, it wouldn’t technically be one play; it’d be the original penalty, plus a (negative) dead ball foul. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/6 "2008-12-29T15:26:50Z")
Moving to the Game Room. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/7 "2008-12-29T15:29:25Z")
If the pass goes backwards, it isn’t a pass, but a lateral, and pass interference cannot occur. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/8 "2008-12-29T15:41:44Z")
If the pass occurs after the offensive team lines up for a punt, pass interference is not called on receivers lined up in the gunner position (farthest wideout). And pass interference is not called on ineligible receivers downfield. The related illegal contact is not called if the QB is out of the pocket. I personally think offensive pass interference should include loss of a down, to slightly balance out the defensive version, which is the biggest penalty in the game. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/9 "2008-12-29T19:23:05Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > If the pass goes backwards, it isn’t a pass, but a lateral, and pass interference cannot occur. The OP is describing a situation where the quarterback drops back 7, and the receiver is still three yards behind the line of scrimmage. It would most certainly be a forward pass for negative yardage, if completed. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/10 "2008-12-29T19:35:20Z")
If you’re looking for oddball possibilities, consider that you can give up a sack for a first down. Defender strips the ball from the QB, which is a sack. Either somebody on offense scoops it and runs for a first down, (unlikely), or the act of stripping the ball shoots the ball forward past the first down line, where it’s recovered by a WR downfield. I actually saw the latter scenario happen twice in a few week span, albeit by different teams. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/11 "2008-12-29T19:52:10Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > The OP is describing a situation where the quarterback drops back 7, and the receiver is still three yards behind the line of scrimmage. It would most certainly be a forward pass for negative yardage, if completed. Pass interference does not exist behind the line, anyway. In the NFL, PI is a first down at the spot of the infraction, so it’s always a gain for the offense. In college rules, it can’t be more than a 15-yard gain from scrimmage, but it’s still a gain. So I say No. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/12 "2008-12-29T21:36:13Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > Once pass interference is called, the play is over. So, although the net loss would be 5 yards, it wouldn’t technically be one play; it’d be the original penalty, plus a (negative) dead ball foul. This is not true. Calling pass interference (i.e., throwing the flag) does not end the play. Even though intereferance has occurred, the receiver might still be able to catch the ball and run for additional yardage. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/13 "2008-12-30T14:48:24Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > This is not true. Calling pass interference (i.e., throwing the flag) does not end the play. Even though intereferance has occurred, the receiver might still be able to catch the ball and run for additional yardage. True, but the original point that it would be a dead ball foul still stands. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/14 "2008-12-30T15:08:16Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > True, but the original point that it would be a dead ball foul still stands. No, the dead ball foul and the pass interference would offset. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-loss-of-yardage-on-pass-interference/479024/15 "2008-12-30T15:28:24Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > No, the dead ball foul and the pass interference would offset. Dead ball fouls don’t offset “live ball” (?) penalties. Dead ball means it occured after the play is over. The original hypothetical doesn’t sound like a dead ball foul, though, so yeah, that would be offsetting penalties. Though they did add a wrinle within the past couple seasons where IIRC personal fouls or unsportsmanlike conduct or some such don’t get negated by procedural things like illegal formation.