Holding (American football)

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A Dallas offensive lineman holds Giants Justin Tuck, preventing him from tackling Marion Barber.

In gridiron football, holding is the illegal use of the hand or arm to restrain another player who is not in possession of the ball. Holding is prohibited in most football leagues because it does not allow fair play of the game and increases the risk for injury.[1]

While in the field of play, offensive holding results in a 10-yard penalty,[2] or half the distance to the goal line when there are fewer than 20 yards between the line of scrimmage and the offense's end zone. If the act of holding is committed from within the offense's own end zone, the result is a safety. It is one of the most common penalties in American football. In the NFL, when holding is committed by the defense, the penalty is 5 yards and an automatic first down.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ Redding, Rogers; Halpin, Ty; Stubbeman, Marcia (May 2015). 2015 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations (PDF). ISSN 0736-5144 http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/FR15.pdf. Retrieved 22 December 2015. {{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[clarification needed]
  2. ^ a b "About Football Glossary - Holding" on About.com
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