Can you "goal tend" a field goal kick?

[daneblazer]

[SCRAGGS]

excellent question, I think you can

[ipickwinners]

why would u not be able to? its the same thing as blocking the FG

[rumple]

Yep, you can climb up the goal posts and swat them away!

[SCRAGGS]

why not put a player up there for all long fg's

[ucbearcats1027]

no you cant

[ipickwinners]

no you cant

why cant u? its in the rules? and im not talking about climbing the goal post, im talking jumping and blocking it

[Chi_archie]

yes you can, it was done in the late 70's or early 80's might have been done by ed too tall jones... but I can't remember for sure...


but they put someone back there on an extra long attempt, in case it fell short or was just barely over the cross bar...

[MickChunky]

Interesting, never thought of that

[UntilTheNDofTimE]

[Chi_archie]

actually, my friend is telling me that they changed the rule back in the day... and you are only allowed to block a field goal that is on it's way up now

[teaserpleaser]

never thought about it going to look it up.

[Chi_archie]

Goal-tending by a defensive player leaping up to deflect a kick as it passes above the crossbar of a goalpost is prohibited. The Referee could award three points for a palpably unfair act (12-3-3).

[jellobiafra]

I don't know why they bothered changing the rule. This isn't something you'd see very often. The crossbar is 10ft off the ground. Not many players could get even their whole hand over it in full pads and cleats with a running start. You see guys dunk the ball over it every once in a while, but the chances of blocking a field goal like that are very slim.

[Chi_archie]

it would make things a BIT more interesting on long last sec fg attempts jello...

put your 6'5 DE with a 38 inch vert out there and block that 56 yarder at the end of the half..


I mean if you can return a kick, why can't the returner just jump up to "return" the ball by tipping it to himself?