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Expert: - 8/29/2011


Question
If a receiver and a defender both come down with the ball in the end zone, both are holding the ball with their hands. Who gets the ball?

Answer
David

Thanks for the question. I presume you are asking about a simultaneous catch where both a Team A and Team B player both come down with the ball in the end zone completing the catch.  simultaneous catch go to the passing team or offense [akin to baseball's "tie goes to the runner"]. A simultaneous catch or recovery is a catch or recovery in which there is joint possession of a live ball by opposing players inbounds.

Simultaneous catches are addressed in the rule books under NCAA 2-2-8,7-3-6; NFHS rule2-4-3,7-5-4
Here are some examples to illustrate what is and what is not a simultaneous catch:

* Two opposing players receive a legal forward pass while both are off the ground, and both players return to the ground inbounds at the same time. RULING: Simultaneous catch; the ball is awarded to the passing team (Rule 2-2-8).

* Two opposing players receive a ball while both are off the ground,and one player returns to the ground inbounds before the other. RULING: No simultaneous catch. The legal forward pass is
completed or intercepted by the player who first returned to the ground (Rule 2-2-8).

Thus, If a receiver and a defender both come down with the ball in the end zone (simultaneous catch), both are holding the ball with their hands the ball belongs to the Passing team and the play results in a Touchdown.

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