NFL Eligibility Rules
NFL eligibility rules dictate which players are eligible to catch a forward pass. The National Football League implemented the rules to make covering receivers easier for the defense. There are a limited number of players who are allowed to receive a forward pass on any given play. This allows certain defensive players to rush the quarterback without fear that the offensive linemen trying to stop the pass rush might catch the football.
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Offensive Eligibility
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NFL eligibility rules state that the offense is required to line up at least seven of their eleven players on the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. The five players on the interior of the offensive line (the center, the two guards and the two tackles) are ineligible to catch a forward pass. Only the two players on the end of the offensive line and the four players who are lined up at least one yard back of the line of scrimmage can be eligible receivers. In the case of the quarterback, he is only eligible if he receives the ball in shotgun formation and not while under center.
Defensive Eligibility
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Any player on the defense is considered an eligible receiver. While it is not common, defensive linemen can intercept passes and run them back for touchdowns. This usually happens when a pass is deflected into the air at the line of scrimmage.
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Eligibility Changes
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NFL Eligibility rules allow all offensive players to catch forward passes once the football is touched by an eligible receiver. This includes the center, both guards, both tackles and a quarterback who was hiked the ball from under center. This rule usually comes into play when the football is deflected into the air by a defensive player, or in the case of a planned lateral pass after the forward pass. This is commonly referred to as the "flea flicker" play. An eligible receiver catches the ball then tosses it back to another player.
Eligibility Penalties
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If an ineligible receiver touches or catches a forward pass, the play is negated and the offensive team is penalized five yards. This is regardless of whether the infraction occurred behind or beyond the line of scrimmage, or whether the touching was intentional or inadvertent. The offensive team is also penalized five yards if an ineligible receiver is past the line of scrimmage without contacting a defensive player before a forward pass is thrown. This is called "ineligible man downfield." The NFL requires normally eligible receivers to wear certain numbers. Wide receivers have to be numbered between 10 and 19 or 80 and 89. Tight ends must wear between 80 and 89 or 40 and 49 if all the 80's are taken. Running backs are limited to numbers between 20 and 49.
Tackle Eligible
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It is possible for a tackle to become an eligible receiver. This is known as the "tackle eligible" play. A tackle is lined up on the outside of the offensive line where a tight end would usually be positioned. The player or team captain must inform the referee that the tackle is eligible before each tackle eligible play begins. The referee then tells the defensive captain. Once this is done, the tackle can catch a forward pass just like any other eligible receiver. The tackle eligible play is usually used in short yardage goal line situations where the massive tackle doesn't need to run very far and is often neglected by the defensive coverage.
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