Muffed Punt
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gridiron football Gridiron football ( ),"Gridiron football"
''Encyclopædia Britannica'' ...
, a muffed punt is defined as "touching of the ball prior to possessing the ball.” A muffed punt occurs when there is an "uncontrolled touch" of the football by a player on the returning team after it is punted. This can occur when:
* The kicking team interferes with the other team's right to catch the punt * A player on the kicking team is struck unaware by the football running down-field to cover the punt. * A player attempts to return the ball, makes contact with it but cannot retain the ball in his hands and it comes loose.
To be a fumble, the receiving team must ''possess'' the football, then lose control. In the case of a fumble, the ball is live and can be returned by the team that recovers the ball. In the case of a muffed punt, it is possible for the punting team to recover the ball and continue the drive, but at least in
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
and NFL rules, they cannot advance the ball on that same play. Rules vary by league about how to handle a muffed punt. In the NFL, a muffed punt recovered by the kicking team cannot be challenged by a coach for review because all turnovers are automatically reviewed.


Notes

{{American football concepts, state=collapsed American football terminology