Can someone explain the difference between these rulings?

Question

How come when a kicker kicks the ball out of bounds on a kickoff there's a penalty, but when a punter kicks the ball out of bounds its not?

Answer 1

Good a simple one......I ain't awake yet this morning (haha).

Kicking out of bounds is a penalty on a kick-off simply because it's a set up kick.....there is no pressure during it's execution. The kicker has the obligation to keep their kick within boundaries.

During a punt, with the addition of pressure to perform while 11 men try to attack you, kicking out of bounds is far more common....not from being done intentionally, but simply due to lack of time to aim.

Answer 2

Kicking the ball out at the 5 from a kickoff is actually relatively easy for an experienced field goal kicker (who will have excellent aim on his kicks). Thus, you have to make it against the rules to kick it out on the kickoff, because teams would start from inside the 10 almost every time, otherwise. On the other hand, punters don't have such great aim (because the ball isn't set on a tee for them, and they're under a lot of pressure). So it's relatively rare that a punter can manage to kick it out inside the 10. Usually, when they try to do so, it ends up going out in the endzone or at the 25 instead. So you don't have to make this illegal, because a punter really earns his team the field position he gives them when he kicks it out at the 5.

Answer 3

One reason could be that the kickoff is from a fixed spot on the field and a punt can be from anywhere. The penalty for kicking out of bounds is to place the ball on the 40-yard line. Since a punt can happen anywhere on the field this would be a difficult penalty to assess. Also, there have been rules implemented over the years to encourage the chance for big kickoff returns.

Answer 4

because a kickoff is supposed to go to the team so they have a chance to get yards.. a punt is more fair game for either team