What is a block punt?

1. A blocked punt is when a defensive player is able to penetrate the offensive line and block a punt attempt behind the line of scrimmage. After a punt has been blocked, the ball is then live and any team may recover and advance the ball.

What happens if a punt is blocked?

“The punt is blocked and goes beyond the line of scrimmage, where it’s touched by the receiving team. Since the receiving team touches the ball beyond the line of scrimmage, the kicking team is eligible to recover the ball.

What is a blocked punt in football?

There are two ways a punt can fail to cross the line of scrimmage: a blocked kick, in which the opposing team obstructs the path of the punt shortly after it leaves the punter’s foot; and a shank, in which the punter fails to advance the kick beyond the line of scrimmage on his own (usually erroneous) action.

Are you allowed to block a punt?

Players aren’t allowed to block below the waist on punt returns. Such an illegal block is a 15-yard penalty and is marked off from where the team returning the punt gained possession of the ball.

How rare is a blocked punt?

A blocked punt is one of the rarest plays in football. Teams do not block many punts. (The Chiefs hold the NFL record for a season, with six, in 1990.) It makes sense: Not only is it hard to block a punt, teams often set up for punt returns instead of going for the block.

How common are blocked punts?

Still, the current rate of blocked punts (0.11 per game) is more than double the rate of blocks in the most recent productive season, 2008 (0.05 per game). The N.F.L. is on a pace for a walloping 28 blocked punts — a figure that would surely get plenty of special teams coaches fired.

Can a punter catch his own blocked punt?

A punt or field goal that is blocked and remains behind the line of scrimmage can be picked up and advanced by either team.

Can a blocked punt be kicked again?

In a case where the ball crosses the line of scrimmage but there is enough backspin on the ball to return it behind the line of scrimmage, the kicking team may recover and advance. However, once the ball has crossed the line of scrimmage, the options to kick a second time or to pass are no longer available.

When was the last blocked punt?

September 16, 2018
The Green Bay Packers blocked 1 punt versus the Vikings on September 16, 2018.

When was the last time the Bears blocked a punt?

The Chicago Bears blocked 0 punts in 2020.

Who has blocked the most punts in NFL history?

The List:

  • Ted Hendricks—He blocked both kicks and punts with remarkable frequency.
  • Alan Page—Mostly an interior rusher on place kicks, but did block a punt, he has the highest total in NFL history with 27 according to Webster.
  • Dave Whitsell—Best edge rusher on placekicks ever with at least 21 career blocked FG and PAT.

Was the double punt legal?

Mike Pereira initially said this was not legal, and Fox Sports announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman thought this would result in a penalty. But as it turns out, it was perfectly fine for the Seahawks’ Michael Dickson to punt the ball twice on one play.