Ive always wandered why they havent implemented something as simple as the ref throwing a bean bag or maybe a different colored flag on a punt return when/if the return man calls for a fair catch.
Fair catches
- Thread starter jesterondirt
- Start date
the simplest thing would be their hat and you have the back judge (behind the returner) just drop it in place. That way you don't confuse it as an ineligible touching issue which are usually along the sidelines. The bean bag has a purpose on returns as the refs mark the spot of return initialized in the event there is a penalty that would be enforced from that spot. I agree that there needs to be a visual cue for the coverage teams as well. I'm surprised teams don't have a designated person to yell FAIR FAIR FAIR and the refs could be cognizant if it was coming from the return team and call an unsportsmanlike penalty. It would be designed to keep the returner safe as well as ensure there is no bad blood for an unwarranted hit.
On a side note on this, I have often wondered why coverage teams haven't simply just destroyed the blockers and shove them into the returner.
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