Fumbled a punt in my own endzone.. Safety?

[Jimplication]

The CPU just punted to me. The ball was going to land in the center of my end zone. There were no tacklers immediately around, so I opted to try and return the punt.

In the end zone, the ball hit my player, fell (fumble), and then he recovered and was tackled, never leaving the end zone.

It was ruled a safety. To me it seems it should be a touchback, but I am not sure, so I would appreciate it if someone could tell me which it should be.

My player, or the ball, never left the end zone, prior to, or after, the fumble. No players from the opposing team touched the ball from the time it was fumbled to the time it was recovered.

Should this be a touchback, and the game is incorrect ruling it a safety? Or is it, by rule, a safety?

[Rules]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jimplication

The CPU just punted to me. The ball was going to land in the center of my end zone. There were no tacklers immediately around, so I opted to try and return the punt. In the end zone, the ball hit my player, fell (fumble), and then he recovered and was tackled, never leaving the end zone. It was ruled a safety. To me it seems it should be a touchback, but I am not sure, so I would appreciate it if someone could tell me which it should be. My player, or the ball, never left the end zone, prior to, or after, the fumble. No players from the opposing team touched the ball from the time it was fumbled to the time it was recovered. Should this be a touchback, and the game is incorrect ruling it a safety? Or is it, by rule, a safety?

It should be ruled a touchback!

[mhgoulet]

Im pretty sure thats a touchback. On a sidenote, I had a perfect punt called a touchback today. It bounced on their one and came back towards the five. TOUCHBACK! wtf???

[metal134]

I remember something similar happening a couple years ago in the NFL. I believe it is a safety.

[JRod]

Quote: Originally Posted by metal134

I remember something similar happening a couple years ago in the NFL. I believe it is a safety.

(d) Player on receiving team muffs punt and, trying to get ball, forces or illegally kicks (creating new impetus) it into end zone where it goes out of the end zone or is recovered by a member of the receiving team in the end zone.

Here's the rule. Sounds like a safety.

[mhgoulet]

Quote: Originally Posted by JRod

(d) Player on receiving team muffs punt and, trying to get ball, forces or illegally kicks (creating new impetus) it into end zone where it goes out of the end zone or is recovered by a member of the receiving team in the end zone. Here's the rule. Sounds like a safety.

I think he was already in the endzone though.

[coogrfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jimplication

The CPU just punted to me. The ball was going to land in the center of my end zone. There were no tacklers immediately around, so I opted to try and return the punt. In the end zone, the ball hit my player, fell (fumble), and then he recovered and was tackled, never leaving the end zone. It was ruled a safety. To me it seems it should be a touchback, but I am not sure, so I would appreciate it if someone could tell me which it should be. My player, or the ball, never left the end zone, prior to, or after, the fumble. No players from the opposing team touched the ball from the time it was fumbled to the time it was recovered. Should this be a touchback, and the game is incorrect ruling it a safety? Or is it, by rule, a safety?

The key question here is whether it was actually a fumble.

Quote:

1. The distinction between a fumble and a muff should be kept in mind in considering rules about fumbles. A fumble is the loss of player possession of the ball. A muff is the touching of a loose ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain possession.

As I read your post, that sounds like a muff to me. In that case, I believe that a muffed punt recovered by the recieving team would be a safety. If the ball had been recovered by the kicking team, it would be a td.

http://www.nfl.com/fans/rules/

...and shame on you for fielding a punt in your own end zone in the first place.

[laker8la]

Quote: Originally Posted by mhgoulet

I think he was already in the endzone though.

A ball that is not touched by the receiving team and bounces in the endzone is dead, and considered a touchback once the whistle blows, unless the receiving team touches it, where then it becomes a live ball and if recovered by the receiving team and tackled in the endzone, results in a safety.

You should never receive a punt inside your own 10. They teach you to let it go for two reasons, to avoid a fumble, and because chances are the ball will bounce into the endzone for a touchback. NEVER attempt to catch the ball in the endzone, only bad things can happen (such as in your case).

But the call was correct.