What are the rules for an onside kick in football?

General rules A player of the kicking team (at any kick, not just a free kick) who is “onside” may recover the ball and retain possession for his team. This includes the kicker himself and anyone else behind the ball at the time it was kicked, other than the holder for a place kick.

Can you kick an onside kick in the air?

Yes, you can fair catch a kickoff in the NFL. The ball must be caught in flight; once the ball touches the ground, a receiver cannot make a fair catch. (If an onside kick does not touch the ground, a quick-thinking defender will signal for a fair catch — but if the kick touches the ground, it’s a free-for-all.)

Does an onside kick have to touch the ground?

It does not have to hit the ground. The reason it is kicked on the ground is because if the ball is kicked in the air, the receiving team would have the option to call for a fair catch. Once called for, the kicking team could not interfere and have to allow the receiving team a clear catch.

How often do onside kicks work?

Due to new rules regarding onside kick formations, the recovery rate in the NFL has fallen to just over 8\%, leaving very little incentive for teams to try this unconventional play. In college football, however, onside kicks were successfully recovered by the kicking team 23.8\% of the time between 2014-2020.

When was the onside kick invented?

Nov. 12, 1921
The first reference to an onside kick appears to have taken place before there was the SEC, which was founded in 1932. Vanderbilt, then a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, is credited with the first successful onside kick on Nov. 12, 1921.

Has any NFL team ever started the game with an onside kick?

No team has ever tried an onside kick to open overtime and the fact that an onside kick is so unlikely means it just might work. For example, in Super Bowl XLIV, the New Orleans Saints shocked both the Colts and the entire football world when they started the second half with an onside kick.

Can receiving team touch onside kick?

Yes, once the ball goes 10 yards or is touched by the receiving team before it reaches 10 yards, it is a live ball. Much like a muffed punt return, the ball can then be recovered but not advanced. Which is why, as a kicker in high school and college we had a few onside kicks that we recovered because of this rule.

When can an onside kick be touched?

An onside kick can be recovered by the kicking team only after it travels 10 yards beyond the point where it was originally kicked. If the kicking team touches the ball prior to it traveling 10 yards, or if the kick goes out of bounds, it is a penalty and the receiving team gains possession of the football.

What is the difference between an onside kick and a regular kick?

An onside kick IS simply a kickoff, but one the kicking team wants to try and recover. Thus, in an onside kickoff attempt the kicker rarely wants it to go much further than the minimum 10 yards or else the chances for recovery are almost zero.

What is an onside kick in football?

Onside kicks are chaotic, happen rarely, and are often quite confusing, even to football fans. The first step in understanding and making sense out of the onside kick is to categorize it as a tactic, not a special type of play that has special rules. The onside kick is a tactical option during any kickoff play for the team kicking off.

What are the rules for kicking in high school football?

A player who lines up one yard behind the restraining line must have at least one foot (either the front or the back foot) touching that yard line. 2. All kicking team players must be inbounds and behind the ball when it is kicked, except: the kicker may be beyond the line, provided that his kicking foot is not beyond the line. 3.

Do all kickoffs have the same rules?

All kickoffs have the same rules. The team kicking off must line up with no less than four players on either side of the ball and with all its players behind or even with the ball when it is kicked. The receiving team must line up on their side of where the ball is.

How did the NFL’s rule changes affect onside kicks in 2018?

Two aspects of the NFL’s rule changes for kickoffs in 2018, which are still in place in 2020, directly impacted kicking teams’ ability to recover onside kicks.