foul or not?

[boydmarq]

Thank God football season has arrived.  Game tonight - two dual safeties standing about 7 yards apart at the same depth awaiting a scrimmage kick.  The kick is headed for a spot right in between them and both make a valid fair catch signal.  They both head for the ball; one finally backs off at the last second and the other makes the catch.  Neither attempts to make a block.

I say no foul.  My "R" disagrees.

[VALJ]

I don't have a foul.  Any R players is allowed to make a (legal) fair catch signal, and all players that make the signal give up the right to block.

And if ANYONE gives a legal fair catch signal, the play is over when the kick is possessed by ANY R player, though only the player(s) who gave the legal signal are given protection.

[lawdog]

What does he think the foul is???    There is nothing wrong with this play as you describe it.

[busman]

Let's think through it.  What advantage did they gain?  Since one gave it, no one on R can advance the ball.  That certainly doesn't hurt K.  Neither can block so if it starts rolling toward the end zone they can't interefere with k's opportunity to down it on the one.   There can't be a fumble, because once possession is gained the play is over.  I don't see where a muff after two fair catch signals has any impact on K.

Unless I am missing something, no foul.

[JugglingReferee]

Let's think through it.  What advantage did they gain?  Since one gave it, no one on R can advance the ball.  That certainly doesn't hurt K.  Neither can block so if it starts rolling toward the end zone they can't interefere with k's opportunity to down it on the one.   There can't be a fumble, because once possession is gained the play is over.  I don't see where a muff after two fair catch signals has any impact on K.

Unless I am missing something, no foul.

Forgive the Canadian interjecting here, but if multiple R players signal a fair catch, and thus remove themselves as legal blockers, they are placing themselves at a disadvantage because R now has less players to block K should the situation arise where K can down the ball as close to R's goal line as K can.

[With_Two_Flakes]

As lawdog said - if your R says it is a foul, then exactly what foul is it?

Just 'cos something looks odd or unusual doesn't automatically make it a foul...

[LarryW60]

There's no rule that says only ONE player can give a valid fair catch signal.  Sounds like that referee needs to attend some refresher training.

Protection is afforded a player giving a valid fair catch signal, but only if they actually CATCH it.  If they didn't attempt to block and the ball was blown dead as soon as the ball was caught, then I have a big, fat, first and 10 for R at the spot where it was caught.