NFL competition committee sees no need to change rule on fumbling through end zone, per report

It is an NFL rule that has pained many ball carriers, thrilled defenses and caused a lot of controversy over the years. The league ruling is that if a ball is fumbled into the end zone and out of bounds, it is a touchback and the team that was on defense now gets possession of the ball.

Many fans, and players, do not like this rule, but it seems like it is not going anywhere. The NFL competition committee went over the rule on Monday and the discussion to change it did not get very far, according to Judy Battista of NFL Media.

The competition committee defended the rule, saying the player carrying the ball is responsible for maintaining control, using this as the reasoning for why the rule does not need to be changed. Per NBC Sports, the competition committee is not expected to recommend to teams that the ruling is changed.

The rule is very different than when the ball goes out of bounds between the end zones. If a ball carrier loses control and the ball goes out of play in the 100 yards of the field, the offense maintains possession. Many use the disparity between what happens between the goal lines as a reasoning to change what happens if the ball goes outside of the end zone.

Any rule that goes through a change requires around three to four months of voting. There have been talks of changing the rule to give the offense the ball back at the spot of the fumble or on the opposing team’s 15-yard line, according to Bleacher Report, but nothing is in motion yet. 

One reasoning for not changing the rule is because they do not have a better solution for the situation.

“At the heart of the issue, a source said, is that no one has been able to crystalize what an alternative would be,” CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones said. “And if no one cares enough to offer an alternative to the rule, then there won’t be any change to the rule.”

According to a source, the last time…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-competition-committee-sees-no-need-to-change-rule-on-fumbling-through-end-zone-per-report/

Author : Shanna McCarriston

Publish date : 2024-02-26 22:46:28

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