Quote:
Originally Posted by csu87
You dont have to just hit the pylon, you have to hit the inside edge of the pylon.
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I believe that is wrong. The plane of the goal line is technically extended into infinity, unless the runner is airborne, in which case the goal line plane is extended as far as (and includes the entirety of) the pylon.
NFL Rule 11, Section 2:
TOUCHDOWN PLAYS
Article 1 Touchdown Plays. A touchdown is scored when:
(a) the ball is on, above, or behind the plane of the opponents’ goal line and is in possession of a runner who has advanced from the field of play; or
(b) a ball in possession of an airborne runner is on, above, or behind the plane of the goal line, and some part of the ball passed over or inside the pylon; or
(c) a ball in player possession touches the pylon, provided that, after contact by an opponent, no part of the player’s body, except his hands or feet, struck the ground before the ball touched the pylon; or
(d) any player who is legally inbounds catches or recovers a loose ball (3-2-3) that is on, above, or behind the opponent’s goal line; or
(e) the Referee awards a touchdown to a team that has been denied one by a palpably unfair act.
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Supplemental Note example:
A.R. 11.2 Second-and-10 on B18. Runner A1 takes handoff and runs down the sideline toward the goal line with the ball in his outside arm. He crosses the goal line plane standing with the ball to the outside of the pylon.
Ruling: Touchdown. Part of the ball crossing over or inside the pylon only applies to an airborne runner who lands out of bounds.
Edit: What if a runner (who is NOT airborne) steps out of bounds (OOB), but PAST the goal line? Rule 1, Section 21 gives the answer. Basically, if a runner steps OOB, the ball is spotted where the ball (not the runner) crossed the OOB line. If that spot is on or past the goal line plane (which extends into infinity), then it's a TD. Ergo, in order for that to happen, the runner needs to have had the ball cross the inside of the pylon when stepping OOB (because the pylon is located outside the OOB line, as the OP noted).