Player Safety Question.

[TheRef59]

Hopefully someone smarter than I can answer this question that I have questioned for 2 years and still have not received an answer to.

Why, if Player Safety is our Number 1 concern, do we allow a kick receiver get blasted by the kicking team just because he used an illegal fair catch signal?
Why don't we just penalize the receiving team yardage from the spot of the catch instead of making the receiver fair game and the ball being spotted where the illegal signal was given?

Anyone who can answer that and make me believe making that change does not make sense is the closest thing to Football God in my opinion.

 

[JasonTX]

Any team B player who is in position to make the catch must be giving an unimpeded oppurtunity to make the catch. The protection is given regardless if that player calls for a fair catch (valid or invalid) or not. The main difference is that if an invalid signal is given he isn't given the additional protection than that with a valid signal would provide. Basically if a player gives an invalid signal and then makes the catch the ball still becomes dead but some contact by team A would not be a foul unless it is obviously after the ball has become dead. With a valid signal, it is pretty much "hands off".