# Football Q **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 16, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q/777295 "2017-01-16T05:50:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q/777295/1 "2017-01-16T05:50:53Z")
Ok, imagine it’s Green Bay’s last play before the game-winning FG. And let’s say that they have one time out. Now say they make that reception in the middle of the field. Now as far as I know, a receiver can’t just throw himself to the ground and say “I’m down!! Time out!!” So the question is: Are football players ever trained in that exact scenario NOT to tackle the guy? I know that would go against the defenders normal thinking but has it happened? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q/777295/2 "2017-01-16T06:07:50Z")
From the NFL Rules: > [@](#): > > Section 2 Dead Ball > Article 1: Dead Ball Declared. An official shall declare the ball dead and the down ended: > > (d) when a runner declares himself down by sliding feet first on the ground. The ball is dead the instant the runner touches the ground with anything other than his hands or his feet; or > Note: Defenders are required to treat a sliding runner as they would a runner who is down by contact. > > (e) when a runner is out of bounds, or declares himself down by falling to the ground, or kneeling, and making no effort to advance; So yes, if he just went to ground, play would be dead. This happens, by the way, all the time on kickoffs into the endzone. In the NFL, the player has to establish he’s not going to run it out, to get the touchback. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q/777295/3 "2017-01-16T06:23:41Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > From the NFL Rules: > > So yes, if he just went to ground, play would be dead. > > This happens, by the way, all the time on kickoffs into the endzone. In the NFL, the player has to establish he’s not going to run it out, to get the touchback. Well that’s a simple answer. Thank you!! Edit: Btw, I knew QBs could. I just didn’t know a receiver could. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q/777295/4 "2017-01-16T13:39:20Z")
It’ll also happen from time to time on game ending interceptions. The DB just falls to the ground (then usually gets up to celebrate). ---
**Author:** ![bobo\_blesinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@bobo\_blesinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobo_blesinger)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q/777295/5 "2017-01-16T21:10:02Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > So the question is: Are football players ever trained in that exact scenario NOT to tackle the guy? I know that would go against the defenders normal thinking but has it happened? Maybe I’m missing something but if the defenders didn’t bother to tackle the guy what is stopping him from waltzing all the way to the end zone and winning the game? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q/777295/6 "2017-01-16T21:12:28Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > From the NFL Rules: > > So yes, if he just went to ground, play would be dead. > > This happens, by the way, all the time on kickoffs into the endzone. In the NFL, the player has to establish he’s not going to run it out, to get the touchback. Since you’ve got your rule book out, I’ve always wondered why spiking the ball to stop the clock isn’t technically “intentionally grounding.” ---
**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:** [January 16, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q/777295/7 "2017-01-16T21:21:14Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Since you’ve got your rule book out, I’ve always wondered why spiking the ball to stop the clock isn’t technically “intentionally grounding.” When the “spike” became a play (in the 1980s, IIRC), there was a special exemption to the intentional grounding rule written to accommodate it – because, without that, yes, it _would_ qualify as intentional grounding. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2017, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/football-q/777295/8 "2017-01-16T21:21:34Z")
Section 2 Intentional Grounding Article 1 Item 3: Stopping Clock A player under center is permitted to stop the game clock legally to save time if, immediately upon receiving the snap, he begins a continuous throwing motion and throws the ball directly into the ground.