Running into or roughing the kicker after the ball has been touched

[Aussie-Zebra]

Rule 9-1-4
Running into or roughing the kicker

4. The kicker and holder must be protected from injury, but contact
that occurs when or after a scrimmage kick has been touched is not
roughing or running into the kicker or holder.

The rule is designed to protect the kicker - a defenseless player - but it allows for a team R player who has touched the kick to contact the kicker.

I had a game on the weekend where a Team R player jumped and tipped ball then landed in front of the kicker and then pushed him to the ground. 

Needless to say the coach wasn't happy.

surely if not running/roughing the kicker - then late hit or unnecessary roughness ?

[TXMike]

It sounds like ball was still live so no late hit.   You can argue for UNR but if it was an otherwise legal block, not sure I see the foul. The punter becomes a potential tackler and can be blocked.

[MJT]

Rule 9-1-4
Running into or roughing the kicker

4. The kicker and holder must be protected from injury, but contact
that occurs when or after a scrimmage kick has been touched is not
roughing or running into the kicker or holder.

The rule is designed to protect the kicker - a defenseless player - but it allows for a team R player who has touched the kick to contact the kicker.

I had a game on the weekend where a Team R player jumped and tipped ball then landed in front of the kicker and then pushed him to the ground. 

Needless to say the coach wasn't happy.

surely if not running/roughing the kicker - then late hit or unnecessary roughness ?

No URN unless after he blocks it he purposely takes a couple of steps and blows him up and it had nothing to do with the block.

[NVFOA_Ump]

IMO the correct first judgement is did the action in blocking the kick directly result in the contact with the kicker?  If yes no flag, but if no, then the second judgment is was the subsequent action after the blocked kick that resulted in the contact with the kicker intentional and flagrant?  If yes then throw the flag.  He doesn't get a "free hit" just because he touched the ball.  If the ball is still live, and the contact could be considered a legal block, then I'd go with TXMike and keep it in my pocket.

[TXMike]

Why should he be restricted from legally blocking the player?  Once the kicker regained his balance as it seems he did here, he is just another player.

[El Macman]

I'm with TxMike, as long as the contact is just a block, which can be a push. Contact that is violent or otherwise intended to solely punish an opponent, or is on a defenslesss player is not part of football, and is to be penalized. But, in the case described, it seems like just a part of football, even if it wasn't really necessary. You can easliy argue that the defensive player was legally blocking a potential tackler of the kick returner. And he certainly isn't "out of the play" or defenseless. Let 'em play.

[James]

I was also thinking along the lines of Mike.
Was he even a kicker still? If the player jumped and tipped the ball, landed then started a seperate action to push the A player, that sounds like the kicker would have had a reasonable time to regain his balance.