NFL Video Rulebook Ineligible Receiver

Rule Summary View Official Rule

Section 1 - FORWARD PASS

ARTICLE 6. INELIGIBLE RECEIVERS

All offensive players other than those identified in Article 5 above are ineligible to catch a legal or illegal forward pass thrown from behind the line of scrimmage, including:

1. Players who are not on either end of their line or at least one yard behind it when the ball is snapped;
2. Players who fail to notify the Referee of being eligible as required by Article 5;
3. An eligible receiver who has been out of bounds prior to or during a pass, either by his own volition or by being legally forced out, even if he has reestablished himself inbounds with both feet or with any part of his body other than his hands; or
4. A player who takes his stance as a T-Formation Quarterback unless, before the ball is snapped, he legally moves to a position at least one yard behind the line of scrimmage or on the end of the line and is stationary in that position for at least one second before the snap.