I have noticed that one of the officials in an NFL football game, the one closest to a player receiving a kick or punt, throws down a blue object after the player makes the catch and begins running. I don’t see the significance of this gesture but have noticed it enough to make me wonder as to its purpose. It is obvious why the officials chuck a bright yellow “flag.” Its color and size cannot be missed, nor the action of the toss itself. But what exactly is being accomplished by throwing down a barely visible object, whose color itself blends in with the color of the grass or turf?
The blue object is a little beanbag. The official throws down it on the field at the spot wherever there is a change of possession: punt return, kick return, interception, fumble. The officials don’t always get a chance to throw it however, especially on interceptions.
That bean bag can then be referenced by the officials and stat keepers to see where the ball exactly changed hands.
It’s designed not to look like a penalty flag. For some reason, college officials throw little white beanbags.
What I have always heard, though admittedly not from anyone with any offical knowledge, is that this is purly for statistical purposes. they try to throw the marker to the yard line why the kick was caught, thus making it easier for the statistician to figure out how many yards the return was.
Are there penalties would would negate the any return and return the ball to that spot? If so, it would need to be marked.
It is helpful to know the spot where the receiving team first touched the ball. For example, if there is a muff (the receiver touches the ball, but never catches it), the ball can’t be advanced and is moved back to the spot of the muff.
Most penalties on kick returns are marked from the spot of the foul.