38:) and the opposing team gave the ball the momentum, or impetus, to travel over or across the goal line but did not have possession of the ball when it became dead. Since the 2018 season, touchbacks have also been awarded in college football on kickoffs that end in a fair catch by the receiving team between its own 25-yard line and goal line. In the 2023 season, the NFL adopted the same rules as college football in regards to awarding touchbacks on kickoffs that end in a fair catch. In 2024, the NFL moved the placement of the ball after a touchback on a kickoff to the receiving team's 30-yard line; this was part of a radical change to the league's kickoff procedure. Such impetus may be imparted by a kick, pass, fumble, or in certain instances by batting the ball. A touchback is not a play, but a result of events that may occur during a play. A touchback is the opposite of a
261:
attempt was made; in the NFL, either the 20 or the place from which the ball was kicked. (In either case, the ball goes to the spot which is farther from the goal line.) The purpose of this rule is to discourage low-percentage, long-range field goal attempts and to deemphasize the advantage which can accrue when only one team has a kicker who has a reasonable possibility of success from a great distance. In
American
145:, the team awarded the touchback receives possession of the ball at either its own 20-yard line, 25-yard line, or 30-yard line, depending on the specific type of play. The spot is the 25-yard line in college football on kickoffs and free kicks after a safety, as well as free kicks after a safety in the NFL, with the NCAA having changed from the 20 in
198:
games, a touchback results in the team awarded the touchback receiving the football at its own 3-yard line. This can result from any of the above events except for punting, which is not a part of arena football. (In arena football, a kicked ball usually bounces back into play off of the rebound nets,
179:
On kickoffs (including free kicks after a safety), if the ball entered the end zone on the fly and is downed by the receiving team, a "major touchback" was awarded, and the ball was spotted on the receiving team's 35. A kick that bounced into the end zone and was downed there by the receiving team
92:
A kickoff or punt touches the ground in the receiving team's end zone before being touched by a player of the receiving team. If a kicked-off ball goes into the end zone and then is recovered by a member of the kicking team, it is a touchdown for the kicking team, when the ball is touched by the
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attempts. If a missed field goal occurs in these leagues, the spot at which the non-kicking team receives possession of the ball depends on the spot from which the ball had been kicked. In NCAA football, the ball will be placed either on the 20 or the line of scrimmage of the play in which the
77:
to advance the ball out of his own end zone, but the original impetus from the kick remains as long as the ball does not completely cross the goal line into the field of play. If a kick is fielded by the receiving team in its end zone, is advanced beyond the goal line, and then the ball carrier
231:
being scored by the kickers, as well as possession by the receivers at their 35-yard line or at the point the ball was kicked from. A turn-over by fumble or interception in the defense's goal area that is not advanced back into the field of play, or a kick that touches any part of the goalpost
103:
A ball carrier fumbles the ball within the field of play forward into his opponent's end zone and the loose ball then goes out of bounds behind or above his opponent's goal line, is recovered and downed by an opposing player in the end zone, or touches the pylon. The opposing team is awarded a
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apparatus without subsequently going through the goalposts for a successful field goal results in a scrimmage on the 25-yard line with no points awarded. If a player's momentum causes the ball to be in the end zone, the ball is treated as if it was recovered in the end zone.
202:
If a defensive player gains possession of the ball during a play between his own five-yard line and goal line and the player's original momentum carries him into the end zone, there is no touchback. Instead, the ball is dead at the point where possession changed. In the
119:. In all three leagues, the offense retains possession at the spot of the fumble. If the fumble occurs on fourth down and the ball carrier had not reached the line to gain before the fumble, the defense gains possession at the spot of the fumble.
265:(except in Texas), the missed field goal, regardless of where attempted on the field, results in a touchback as long as the attempt breaks the plane of the goal line, and in arena football, the field goal is treated as if it were a punt.
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In college football, any kickoff that ends in a fair catch by the receiving team inside its own 25-yard line. This rule also applies in Texas high school football because that state's base rule set is that of the college
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A defensive player intercepts a forward pass in his own end zone and the ball becomes dead behind or over the goal line. Like the instance of a kickoff or punt fielded in an end zone, the intercepting player can
199:
but the above can still occur when the ball lands in the slack nets behind the goalposts after a kickoff, passes under the rebound nets and out of play, or in the event of fumbles and interceptions.)
157:, treating a fair catch on a kickoff, or free kick following a safety, between the receiving team's goal line and 25-yard line as a touchback. The NFL adopted this later change in
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A blocked punt goes back into the end zone and the defensive team intentionally bats or kicks the ball out the back of the end zone. The offense must decline the penalty.
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enters the end zone and is downed by the receiving team without the ball being advanced beyond the goal line. Thus, a player on the receiving team could
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to advance the ball but it is still a touchback as long as the ball never completely crosses the goal line into the field of play before it is downed.
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405:
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The result of a touchback is that the team in whose end zone the ball became dead receives possession of the ball and starts play with a first
39:
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In high school football (except in Texas), any kicked ball that crosses the plane of the goal line, unless it is a successful field goal.
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is a ruling that is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead on or behind a team's own goal line (i.e., in their
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behind or over the receiving team's goal line or touches the goal posts or crossbar (and does not score a field goal).
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Similarly, a punt that went into the end zone was treated as a major touchback, with the ball spotted on the 35.
172:, all touchbacks are spotted on the 20 except in Texas, which bases its high school rules on the NCAA rule set.
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does not award a touchback in this situation. It retained the rule used by both of its predecessor leagues, the
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Touchbacks awarded on other scrimmage plays resulted in the ball being spotted on the awarded team's own 20.
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with regard to impetus since a safety is scored when the ball becomes dead in a team's end zone after
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retreats back into his own end zone where the ball is downed, it is a safety. If a member of the
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In the second XFL, the placement of the ball on a touchback depended on the circumstances:
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329:"NFL owners pass rule to place ball at 25-yard line following fair catches on kickoffs"
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is not used. The failure to advance a kicked ball out of the goal area results in a
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165:. All other touchback situations in both rule sets result in possession at the 20.
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379:"USFL adds new rules for 2023, brings back popular innovations from last season"
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is the all-time leader in NFL career punts resulting in a touchback, with 178.
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at its own 20-, 25-, or 30-yard line, depending on the situation and league.
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on an 80-yard long field, a touchback is brought out to the 15-yard line.
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team recovers a kickoff in the end zone, the play is ruled as a touchdown.
46:— the team whose end zone it is — caused the ball to cross the goal line.
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161:, and changed its spot for touchbacks on kickoffs to the 30-yard line in
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A special rule applies in college football and the NFL with regard to
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406:"XFL 2023: Rules, player salaries and everything you need to know"
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This article is about the football term. For the 2011 film, see
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resulted in the ball being spotted on the receiving team's 15.
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153:. The NCAA made a further rule change effective in its
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Examples of instances where a touchback is awarded:
354:"NFL owners approve massive revamp to kickoff play"
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307:"Changes to football's kickoff rule recommended"
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431:"NFL Career Leaders - Punting Touchbacks"
285:2012 Official Playing Rules and Casebook
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149:and the NFL making the same change in
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404:Seifert, Kevin (February 16, 2023).
309:(Press release). NCAA. March 2, 2019
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57:Situations resulting in a touchback
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352:Seifert, Kevin (March 26, 2024).
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1:
803:Canadian football terminology
798:American football terminology
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240:For high schools which play
7:
236:Six- and eight-man football
16:Ruling in American football
10:
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282:National Football League.
18:
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693:
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205:National Football League
793:American football plays
433:. The Football Database
96:A kickoff or punt goes
263:high school football
170:high school football
141:In standard outdoor
499:Play calling system
494:Play from scrimmage
246:eight-man football
780:
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658:
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480:Gridiron football
221:Canadian football
215:Canadian football
143:American football
137:American football
28:American football
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615:Play-action pass
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610:Forward pass
435:. Retrieved
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415:February 16,
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746:Onside kick
721:Punt return
252:Differences
155:2018 season
113:second USFL
109:current UFL
104:touchback.
787:Categories
772:Quick kick
767:Trick play
751:Squib kick
736:Fair catch
731:Place kick
685:Zone blitz
670:Man-to-man
620:Incomplete
554:Off-tackle
437:August 27,
383:Fox Sports
338:2024-01-02
269:References
258:field goal
117:second XFL
93:receivers.
726:Drop kick
701:Touchback
650:Alley-oop
645:Hail Mary
640:Drop-back
630:Checkdown
363:March 26,
225:touchback
223:the term
44:that team
32:touchback
410:ESPN.com
358:ESPN.com
313:March 3,
36:end zone
706:Kickoff
663:Defense
625:Lateral
549:Counter
529:Bootleg
508:Offense
333:NFL.com
127:attempt
80:kicking
75:attempt
67:kickoff
635:Screen
564:Option
524:Keeper
40:safety
760:Other
680:Blitz
569:Sweep
544:Power
534:Sneak
483:plays
86:game.
716:Punt
675:Zone
603:Pass
594:Draw
589:Zone
584:Veer
579:Trap
574:Toss
539:Dive
516:Rush
439:2022
417:2023
391:2023
365:2024
315:2019
293:2013
244:and
163:2024
159:2023
151:2018
147:2012
115:and
71:punt
51:down
30:, a
559:End
219:In
190:In
168:In
69:or
26:In
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65:A
472:e
465:t
458:v
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