ENRUES
All penalties

Leverage

Penalty: Special teams

What it is

A player on the kick-blocking team uses a teammate for support in order to jump higher, or leaps to block a field goal or an extra point.

The penalty

The penalty is 15 yards. The penalty is enforced from the previous spot.

More detail

The rule limits how defenders can block kicks, since they could land on the long snapper or the holder, or hurt themselves.

Animated play

101020203030404050504040303020201010END ZONEEND ZONEXXXXXXSteps on a teammate to jump higherLeverage15 yardsA field goal is lined up.A defender uses his teammate as a stepping stone to reach the kick.

Blue circles are the team with the ball. X marks the other team. The yellow oval is the ball.

  1. A team is about to attempt a field goal, and the defense tries to block it.
  2. One defender steps on a teammate’s back or shoulders to jump higher and reach the ball.
  3. The officials flag leverage: fifteen yards.