American football / Rule 09
Punts and other scrimmage kicks
NFL · 2026In short
Kicking after a snap and recovering the ball.
Kicking from scrimmage
A punt, drop kick or place kick must be made on or behind the scrimmage line. Teams often punt to surrender possession while improving field position. A receiving player may return a caught or recovered kick, subject to fair-catch and end-zone rules. Kicking formations and blocking have specific restrictions.
Touching and recovery
Beyond the line, the kicking team’s first touch of a previously untouched kick normally gives the receivers a possession option at that spot. If the receivers touch it beyond the line, the kickers may recover, but cannot advance that recovery. Recovery behind the line follows different rules and may be advanced.
Independent explanations and translations, not official federation publications. Independent summaries of the supplied NFL 2026 rulebook; NCAA and IFAF rules may differ. The comparison covers standard 15-a-side rugby union.
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