why can't a fair catch be called on an onside kick? it doesn't make sense the kicking team can recover the....

Question

..... The ball after the ball goes 10 yards but never touches the receiving team. But on a normal kick the receiving team can call a fair catch, not touch the ball and the ball is just downed once the kicking team touches the ball.
I've seen a hundred questions about kicking rules but this scenario has never been brought up.

Answer 1

A fair catch can be called on an onside kick. I have seen it called but the ball did not bounce on the turf. It is rule #4

Once the ball bounces you can't call it.
Edit: I found the rule
Fair Catch
1) The member of the receiving team must raise one arm a full length above his head and wave it from side to side while kick is in flight. (Failure to give proper sign: receivers’ ball five yards behind spot of signal.) Note: It is legal for the receiver to shield his eyes from the sun by raising one hand no higher than the helmet.

2) No opponent may interfere with the fair catcher, the ball, or his path to the ball. Penalty: 15 yards from spot of foul and fair catch is awarded.

3) A player who signals for a fair catch is not required to catch the ball. However, if a player signals for a fair catch, he may not block or initiate contact with any player on the kicking team until the ball touches a player. Penalty: snap 15 yards.

4) If ball hits ground or is touched by member of kicking team in flight, fair catch signal is off and all rules for a kicked ball apply.

5) Any undue advance by a fair catch receiver is delay of game. No specific distance is specified for undue advance as ball is dead at spot of catch. If player comes to a reasonable stop, no penalty. For penalty, five yards.

6)If time expires while ball is in play and a fair catch is awarded, receiving team may choose to extend the period with one fair catch kick down. However, placekicker may not use tee.

Answer 2

The onside kick is a very risky move. Yes the kicking team could possibly recover the ball. But the receiving team do have their own players rushing and ready for such scenario. In many cases the ball still ends up with the receiving team so the kicking team not only loses the ball, they also will lose a lot of yards and the opponents will be all over their territory ready to score touchdown.

Answer 3

You've got your facts all mixed up here. On a kickoff, the ball is live if nobody touches it, regardless of whether it's an onside kick or kicked deep. The kicking team can recover it anywhere on the field in that case. A fair catch is only valid on a kickoff if the receiving team catches it. If they don't catch it, or don't touch it, it is always live and up for grabs.

On a punt, it would be dead once the kicking team touches it whether or not a fair catch was called (unless it touches the receiving team). So your question is moot.

Answer 4

A fair catch can only be called if the ball is still in the air, a kicker kicking an onside kick will hit the top of the ball driving it in to the ground. the kicker will do this to prevent the receiving team from calling a fair catch.

Answer 5

1. A kickoff at the beginning of a half or after a touchdown or field goal is a free ball after 10 yards.
2. There can be a fair catch on a punt, which is a dead ball when it stops bouncing, not a free ball, unless the receiving team has touched it.

Answer 6

The point of the onside kick is for the kicking team to get the chance to recover the ball to try and score again.

Answer 7

they don't have time to call a fair catch, even in a regular kick the opposing team can recover the ball on a regular kick

Answer 8

A fair catch cant be called for because most times the ball bounces first, and once the ball touches the floor, no fair catches can be called or executed.

Answer 9

Thats kind of the point of an onside kick, so the kicking team can recover and get anothr chance to score

Answer 10

It can while it is in the air.