Can you jam a receiver at the line?

Asked by: Minor Haward

In the NFL, players cannot touch receivers past 5 yards. This is often referred to as the “Mel Blount Rule” (Mel Blount was a famous corner for the Pittsburgh Steelers who was notorious for jamming and punishing wide receivers at the line of scrimmage.

Can you jam a receiver at the line in college football?

In the pros, defenders can “chuck” or jam or joust with receivers for the first five yards. After that, they’re not allowed to initiate contact. The penalty for illegal contact is five yards and an automatic first down. In college, the five-yard window doesn’t exist.

When can you jam a receiver?

College 5 Yard Contact Rule



College football has specific rules that allow contact of any receiver, as long as the ball isn’t in the air. Read more about the rule here. According to the NFHS handbook, a player may not contact a receiver if the ball is in the air. It does not matter how far down the field it is.

Can you hold a receiver behind the line of scrimmage?

A defender who makes contact with an intended receiver behind the line of scrimmage cannot be called for pass interference at any level of American football, although he may still be guilty of a different foul.

Are receivers allowed to block?

Offensive linemen and fullbacks tend to do the most blocking, although wide receivers are often asked to help block on running plays and halfbacks may be asked to help block on passing plays, while tight ends perform pass blocking and run blocking if they are not running routes to receive passes.

How do you jam a receiver?

We want to force the receiver away from the ball. So that's what we're doing right here it teaches young corners. You know a common mistake is when a receiver releases.

Can a CB push a WR?

So unless your league specifically addresses this situation, then yes, it’s perfectly legal for a defender to bump or push an eligible receiver downfield before the ball is thrown. Now, a defender can still be called for holding or illegal contact to the head or neck area if he or she violates those rules.

Can a DB push a WR out of bounds?

So, while you can push a receiver out of bounds if the quarterback has already left the pocket, you could not grab the receiver and throw him out of bounds, since holding has no pocket exception. You could not do either after the ball has been thrown. 3.

Can a CB hold within 5 yards?

Within the area five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, a defensive player may chuck an eligible receiver in front of him. The defender is allowed to maintain continuous and unbroken contact within the five-yard zone, so long as the receiver has not moved beyond a point that is even with the defender.

What is illegal touching of the pads?

Illegal touching is exactly what it sounds like. The receiver touched the ball illegally, usually because he stepped out of bounds and came back in to impact the play. Sometimes it’s a lineman who gets hit with the penalty for catching a ball when they weren’t an eligible receiver. Why does the rule exist?

Can you trip a player in football?

A tripping penalty in football occurs when a player deliberately trips a player on the opposing team. This is dangerous as it can cause serious injury. Most of the time this penalty is called on offensive lineman while blocking, although a trip can be caused by almost any player.