In
, roughing the passer is a
foul in which a defensive player makes illegal contact with the
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ameri ...
after the latter has thrown a
forward pass
In several forms of football, a forward pass is the throwing of the ball in the direction in which the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The forward pass is one of the main distinguishers between gridiron ...
. The
penalty is 10 or 15 yards, depending on the league, and an automatic
first down
A down is a period in which a play transpires in gridiron football. The down is a distinguishing characteristic of the game compared to other codes of football, but is synonymous with a "tackle" in rugby league. The team in possession of the ...
for the offense. Defenders are allowed to contact a player attempting a forward pass while he still has possession of the ball (e.g., a
quarterback sack
In gridiron football, a sack occurs when the quarterback (or another offensive player acting as a passer) is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before throwing a forward pass, when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in th ...
); however, once the ball is released, defenders are not allowed to make contact with the quarterback unless carried to do so by momentum. Judgment over whether contact following release was the result of a violation or momentum is made by the referee on a case-by-case basis.
Roughing the passer can also be called if the defender commits intimidating acts toward the passer, such as picking him up and stuffing him into the ground, or wrestling with him. It can also be called if the player who tackles the passer makes helmet to helmet contact,
or lands with the full weight of his body on the passer.
An exception to the roughing rule is where the passer rejoins a play after throwing the ball, such as in an attempt to block, recover a fumble, or tackle a defensive player who has gained possession of the ball. In this case, the passer is treated as any other player and may legally be contacted. Roughing the passer also does not apply to
lateral passes or backward passes.
Justification
The NFL makes roughing the passer against the rules in an effort to protect its quarterbacks.
Penalty assessed
*
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
: 15 yards (also enforces at the end of the play) and automatic first down
*
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the maj ...
and
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleg ...
: 15 yards (also enforces at the end of the play) OR half the distance to the goal, whichever is less, and an automatic first down.
*
NIRSA
Nirsa is a census town in Nirsa CD block in the Dhanbad Sadar subdivision of Dhanbad district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.
Geography
Location
Nirsa is located at . It has an average elevation of 139 metres (456 ft).
Note: The map ...
: 10 yards (also enforces at the end of the play) and automatic first down
References
{{Gridiron football penalties
Gridiron football penalties