Neutral zone (gridiron football)

In gridiron football, the neutral zone is an area in which no member of either team may be, other than the person holding the ball. The neutral zone only exists in dead ball situations (i.e. when play is not ongoing).

Description

In

XFL but eventually rejected.^[3]

The neutral zone is much longer for kickoffs, safety kicks and fair catch kicks, where ten yards separates the kicking team from the receiving team. The kicker and, if used, a holder are allowed to enter this neutral zone. In addition to not being allowed to enter the neutral zone before the kick, the kicking team may not recover their own kick until the ball has traveled beyond the neutral zone or has been touched by an opposing player.

Knowing whether the ball has passed beyond the neutral zone or remained in or behind the neutral zone is important during forward pass plays and during scrimmage kicks.

"Behind the neutral zone" refers to the "offensive" side of the neutral zone.
"In the neutral zone" refers to the actual neutral zone.
"Beyond the neutral zone" refers to the "defensive" side of the neutral zone.

In accordance to

NFL rules, an additional definition of the neutral zone came into effect after a September 12, 2005, fight between the Philadelphia Eagles' Jeremiah Trotter and the Atlanta Falcons' Kevin Mathis that occurred prior to the opening kickoff. A new rule was instituted that each end of the field from the end zone

to the 45-yard line is reserved for one team, and that no player other than a kicker may be between the 45-yard lines prior to the game.

References

^ Canadian Football League. "Rule 4, Section 1, Article 3: Scrimmage Zone". The Official Playing Rules of the Canadian Football League 2018. The Canadian Football League Database. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
^ "CAFL 2019 COMPETITION BREAKDOWN! - CAFL – Professional American Indoor Football in China".
^ Maese, Rick (May 10, 2019). "The XFL doesn't just want to avoid the AAF's fate. It wants to change football". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 10, 2019.

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[1] Canadian Football League. "Rule 4, Section 1, Article 3: Scrimmage Zone". The Official Playing Rules of the Canadian Football League 2018. The Canadian Football League Database. Retrieved January 15, 2019.

[2] "CAFL 2019 COMPETITION BREAKDOWN! - CAFL – Professional American Indoor Football in China".

[doesntjustwant-3] Maese, Rick (May 10, 2019). "The XFL doesn't just want to avoid the AAF's fate. It wants to change football". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 10, 2019.

[3]