Sideline Interference During Change of Possession Play

[Ref4bills]

Had a situation arise that I wasn’t exactly sure how to handle. 3 seconds left in the half, team A drops back to pass, throws an INT. 0 seconds left on the clock by the time team B intercepted. Team B, who just intercepted, is running it back from the goal line. During the run back, sideline official runs into coach on sideline who is nearly on the field, throws flag for sideline interference. Team B player is tackled at midfield with zeros showing on the clock.

Does team A basically have no enforcement options in this situation? They must decline the penalty and end the half? If they accept the penalty, what would happen, would the half end anyways?

What we ended up doing was, team A declined the penalty and we took it into the half. Is this penalty enforced as a dead ball foul? If so, could we have still ended the half and given team A the 15 on the second half kick off?

Thanks so much for the help!

[prab]

I believe that this constitutes a live ball foul, which is treated as a dead ball foul and therefore can be enforced on the second half KO.  OP does not specify whether A coach or B coach got the flag.  I'm not sure why either coach would want to decline this penalty.

[ncwingman]

Violation of 9-4-8 is a non-player foul, 15 yards from the succeeding spot.

A period is not extended for a non-player foul. (3-3-4b)

The succeeding spot is where the ball is next put in play, which would be the second half kickoff.

[HLinNC]

ncwing is correct, succeeding spot foul.  Should have assessed on kickoff.

[Ref4bills]

Forgot to mention the important detail, it was the intercepting teams coach that got the penalty. Thank you guys for the help! Really clarified it for me. Will not make that mistake again.

[KDJBBBJ]

Would that also be the situation if it was illegal substitution for a B player running onto the field for the extra point during the runback that scored a TD?