Can you tackle the punter in football

That would eliminate confusion and injuries. And we all know full speed or not, he was well aware he was about to hit the punter. As a matter of fact, I remember a couple years ago our gunner got fined for a block similar to this one and he hit the guy square in the chest. Agree the rule should be better defined.

A punter or kicker trying to make a tackle should not be declared defenseless. Its dumb. But in the Garvin hit he went high when he didnt need to. A shoulder into the mid section would have achieved the desired results. Delivering hits with the helmets to the head, and yes the chin is part of your head, to ANY unexpecting player should be flagged. The Hines Ward rule is in place for a reason. He knew what he was doing and went high. Was a cheap shot. Garvin knew exactly who he was hitting and knew he wanted to make some highlight reel play on him.

Well, he made the highlight reel but it cost him half a seasons worth of checks. There is some validity that the punter is fair game in 11 on 11 plays between the sidelines. If the NFL wants to protect that position, the punter should not be allowed to take part in the play after the ball is kicked.

I still think Garvin acted malicously, after watching that play a dozen or more times now. He inteded injury or he would not have taken the angle he did. He deserves the fine. The hit that hurt Huber was dirty, plain and simple. Helmet to helmet blocks using the face mask as a weapon are supposed to be illegal, regardless of the target. Especially in an official capacity.

I believe that the Punter should be hit with a block just as any other player on the field would. Its not like Huber was standing there defenseless, he was attempting to tackle the runner, which makes him fair game in the situation. Enough is enough with these rules! The league is destroying the game one rule at a time. If they want special protection for kickers, then they need to kick and then trot off the field.

News flash NFL, ligaments can tear in the pocket too!! I agree with getting rid of the defenseless player rule as it applies to punters and kickers trying to make a tackle. You are trying to purposely give them a brain injury. Think about that. I played football for many years, and I guarantee you that Garvin was never taught to block that way. Yes, the football field is just a blur for players. Garvin knew who he was hitting. He was trying to hit someone really hard.

I know a very successful HS coach who never punts unless inside his If he were to punt, his defense would have to be on field much longer and be tired late in the game.

Either his team converts on. His team either holds or the other team scores quickly which gives his high powered offense more time to score. Sounds absurd but works. Maybe NFL ought to abolish punting. His head was to the side and the crown is the top third of the helmet. Did he hit helmet to helmet? Yes, but that IS legal in the open field while blocking.

Leading with the crown is illegal and that he did not do. You cannot aim too awful low effectively or you risk missing the block or wrapping up and getting a holding penalty. Roughing the kicker. It is a foul for roughing the kicker if a defensive player:. Item 2. Running into the Kicker. It is a foul for running into the kicker if a defensive player:. For roughing the kicker: Loss of 15 yards from the previous spot personal foul and an automatic first down.

The player may be disqualified if the action is flagrant. For running into the kicker: Loss of five yards from the previous spot not a personal foul. There is not an automatic first down. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy NFL. NFL Video Rulebook.

Love all the comments how the league wants to eliminate dirty hits and how this was dirty. How about offensive lineman being allowed to dive at defensive players legs right after the snap? That never results in injury? The problem everyone should have is all these rules protect the offensive players and special teamers.

No protection for defensive guys. Get them off the field then. Immediatly after kickoff or punt they should have to exit field. Having played football before, I know that you can tackle any player correctly without using your helmet as a hammer. When everyone on the field is moving as fast as they can accidents happen. That is what it is. How hard is it to understand? How hard is it to really block a punter?

No way did Garvin have to resort to that blocking technique on a punter. Hands up and lock it up with the guy who all players on the field outweigh and overpower. Hell, everyone on this site could hold off a punter with a stiff arm. Watch the replay. Poorly thought-out, worded and written rule that needs to be re-written. Just have them put on lime green Yield signs on their Unis instead of numbers.

Initial contact was forearms to the chest and the helmet contact only occurred because Huber, not bracing for contact, folded as Garvin drove through to finish his block. Watch it again. Too many people worried about the punter kicker being defenseless. Was that hit necessary? The players union should kick Garvin out for hurting one of their own.

In fact lets get on the players being responsible for their actions. Forget the NFL and the medical staff.

The players union should remind these guys that they hurt each other. And when the pay checks stop coming….. The guy that nailed him did a cheap shot to the punter… The idiot came from almost behind the punter and head first hit him… A head first hit is illegal no matter what..

Hold on…the punter was engaging in trying to tackle the return man, you can see it in the replay. He would have very well takled Antonio Brown had he not been touched. If the kickers are off limits for potential brutal hits then everyone saying they should kick the ball and then sprint off the field are right! That he was blasted, whether it was dirty or not, is what happens on almost every single punt and kick return in the NFL. Receivers defenseless when the ball is thrown in the middle of the field?

This is too funny, in a way. The negative commenters are reacting mostly to the rule, not the actual circumstance.

Hey, no flag was thrown, folks! That means the refs a missed it, or b just plain did not consider it an illegal hit although the league did, once again showing how bad the refs are at this, and how complex the rules have become. As for some deciding to not spend money on the game, or watch it, etc.

As long as both exist, football will prosper. And, the stadia where folks traditionally have attended in force are still packed, and the stadia where folks traditionally have stayed away are still less crowded, and are subject to blackouts which are only local in nature, of course. Never changes. No one is supposed to get past him.

Have them not wear helmets, then see if they want to tackle anybody. Actually have all the players not wear helmets. The game is going down the toilet. The nfl cannot figure out what it wants to be and in the process it is getting difficult to watch.

That means they can't be hit in the head or neck, and can't be blocked with a helmet-first hit, even if they are trying to make a tackle on a return. They have all the protections that a quarterback who just threw the ball has, at all times. Article 6: Unnecessary Roughness. There shall be no unnecessary roughness. This shall include, but will not be limited to:. But another rule As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted , it'd technically be a penalty for a returner to ram head-first into a punter who was trying to tackle him.

The defenseless player rule outlaws "unnecessary contact" in situations where players with the ball are hung out to dry — punt returners making a catch, a receiver jumping for pass over the middle, a quarterback who just made a throw, etc.