Declining a false start penalty.

[FSUNolez]

Why can't you decline a false start penalty? There are some cases, while rare, that you would want to decline the penalty. ie: when they are just outside of field goal range and you know the punt will go into the endzone anyway. That 5 yards back could mean the difference in them getting their punt pinned at the 1 yard line.

[shttymcgee]

Because it's against the rules.

[FSUNolez]

Quote: Originally Posted by shttymcgee

Because it's against the rules.

Oh. Well, that's a pretty good reason.




/thread

[lakawak]

It is NOT against the rules and you CAN decline the penalty and it HAS been done before. It is VERY rare...much rarer than declining a delay of game penalty because it is much rarer that a punting team trying to move back 5 yards as you described would do so with a false start. And that is pretty much the only reason why anyone would, since there is no play, so even if you sack the QB for a 15 yard loss, declining the penalty just means the play is played over. (Not really over, since it was never played to begin with.)

But yes...you can decline ANY penalty you want. You can even decline unsportsmanlike conduct penalties even though there is no reason whatsoever to do so since it gives you a free 15 yards. I guess there is one reason it might theoretically happen. Like if you have a player who needs 10 yards to break the record for most yards in a game or season. (whether it is rushing, receiving or passing.) And it is late in the 4th quarter of the last game of the season and the ball is on the 14 yard line. Accepting the penalty would put the ball on the 7 meaning the player couldn't possibly break the record. So the team could decline to try to give that player a chance. My guess is people would consider the record cheapened if he got it that way though.

So, shttymcgee...you should probably not reply if you have no idea what you are talking about. The problem with bluffing is that on the internet, there are billions of people smarter than you. So you can't get away with it.

[Deegeezy]

Quote: Originally Posted by FSUNolez

Why can't you decline a false start penalty? There are some cases, while rare, that you would want to decline the penalty. ie: when they are just outside of field goal range and you know the punt will go into the endzone anyway. That 5 yards back could mean the difference in them getting their punt pinned at the 1 yard line.

I guess it's just because it never happens.

I've watched a lot of football in my day, closely, and I have never once seen a team decline a false start penalty.

I'm sure it's an option; I just don't think coaches ever elect to do it.

The only decline of a free 5 yard pre-snap penalty I have seen is in the situation you describe, but only if it involves a team intentionally taking a delay of game.

To your point though, should we technically have the option? Perhaps. But is that worth the extra administrative step/button click during the game for that 1 out of 500 chance you want to decline it? Probably not.

[RoundingThird]

I saw somebody in the NFL decline a delay of game this past week, in the situation that the OP described: just out of FG range, knowing the punt would go into the end zone. In that sense, a delay of game is the same thing as a false start. One thing baffling me is that I can't ever remember a false start being called in that situation. If and when there ever is one, it would be nice to see how coaches would handle it.