# Pass interference

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pass-interference/608488>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [January 5, 2012, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pass-interference/608488 "2012-01-05T09:39:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**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:** [January 5, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pass-interference/608488/21 "2012-01-05T22:01:22Z")

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> [@diku](#):
>
> Penalties (for the most part) can’t be reviewed or challenged.
> 
> My for the most part is too many men on the field. I think that can be reviewed, and it’s a penalty.

Another reviewable instance, particularly relevant to this thread, is whether a pass was tipped prior to pass interference.

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**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pass-interference/608488/22 "2012-01-05T22:20:37Z")

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> [@garygnu](#):
>
> The 5 yard thing applies to pre-pass contact. PI happens when the ball is in the air, and the only allowances for that are behind the line of scrimmage or if the ball is tipped.

For the offense, the ball does not need to be in the air:

“ **The restriction for the passing team starts with the snap.** The restriction on the defensive team starts when the ball leaves the passer’s hand. Both restrictions end when the ball is touched by anyone.”

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**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pass-interference/608488/23 "2012-01-06T00:43:21Z")

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> [@gnoitall](#):
>
> Similarly, “obvious” interference that got overlooked, but the cynic in me shrugs it off.

Freddie Biletnikoff got his shoulder pad yanked in the end zone once, as blatant a non-call as you can get, and boy was he livid afterwards (and drew a 15 yard unsportsmanlike as a result). Only pass I ever saw him drop (in the NFL at least).

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