Yet another play clock question...simultaneous situations occurring...

[Official_21]

In the following situation what should the play clock be set to:

Penalty flag is thrown first, then simultaneously a defensive player helmet comes off.

My first instinct would be to put it on 25 secs since the flag was thrown first.

[ElvisLives]

Read the first sentence of 3-3-9-b. There’s your answer.

[Official_21]

So in other words, I got it backwards.

Helmet off takes precedence due to safety.

So the play clock would be set to 40 or 25, depending on if the helmet came off a defensive/offensive player.

[Kalle]

It doesn't matter in which order the various clock-stopping situations happen during the down, you just take them all and find out if a) any of them cause the game clock to start on the snap and b) all cause the play clock to be set to 40. Otherwise the game clock starts on the ready and the play clock is set to 25.

In your situation, you have two reasons to stop the clock, and only one of these says a 40s play clock, so the play clock is set to 25.

[ElvisLives]

So in other words, I got it backwards.

Helmet off takes precedence due to safety.

So the play clock would be set to 40 or 25, depending on if the helmet came off a defensive/offensive player.

Did anything - ANYTHING - else happen that would stop the clock (except an injury to anybody on his team, including him)? If so, then the helmet off rule does not affect the play clock. Whatever else happened governs the play clock.

[Official_21]

Did anything - ANYTHING - else happen that would stop the clock (except an injury to anybody on his team, including him)? If so, then the helmet off rule does not affect the play clock. Whatever else happened governs the play clock.

That makes a lot of sense.