Football Offside On Free Kick Penalty
In football, there are typically many free kicks throughout the game. Players must stay behind their restraining lines until the ball is kicked on a free kick or they will be flagged for being offside. Offside on free kick penalties used to be more common before the NFL banned the running start on free kicks. Read on to learn more about what it means to be offside on a free kick.
Definition
An offside penalty on a free kick occurs when a player goes beyond the restraining line before the ball is kicked. The ball on a free kick sits on a restraining line, which is meant to keep the players of the kicking team behind the ball. When a player crosses this line, they must do so only after the ball has been kicked. If not, an offside penalty will be called.
There are two types of free kicks in football, the normal kickoff and the safety kick. These two kicks have different restraining lines. The normal kickoff occurs at the 35 yard line of the kicking team, while the safety kick occurs at the 20 yard line of the kicking team. Both of these restraining lines can be adjusted due to distance penalties called before the kick.
This penalty is not called very frequently in the NFL anymore, since the league has changed the rules for the kicking team. Members of the kicking team used to be able to have a running start before the ball was kicked, as long as they stayed behind the restraining line. Now, they are not allowed to move until the ball is kicked. This makes it harder for a player to be called offside because they must be lined up over the restraining line for the penalty to be called. This rule was put in place in order to reduce harmful collisions and make the game safer.
Result
Being offside on a free kick will cost your team 5 yards. This is a minor infraction mostly because the penalty does not affect much. Sometimes, a kicking team will be required to re-kick due to this penalty, but the results are often the same.
| Penalty | NFL | NCAA | High School | CFL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offside On Free Kick | 5 Yards | 5 Yards | 5 Yards | 10 Yards |
Penalty Signal
The signal for an offside on a free kick is the same as the false start motion. The ref will rotate their arms at the wrist, creating a circular motion. The referee will also point to the side of the offending team, in this case the kicking team. They will use an outstretched arm to do this.
Examples
- A member of the kicking team crosses the restraining line before the ball is kicked.
- A member of the receiving team is lined up over the restraining line before the ball is kicked.
Similar Penalties To Offside On Free Kick
FAQ
What is the offside on a free kick penalty in football?
In football, an offside on a free kick penalty occurs when a player goes beyond the restraining line before the ball is kicked. This penalty is very uncommon, especially since the NFL changed regulations on what members of the kicking team can do before the ball is kicked. Across all leagues, it results in a loss of five yards for the offending team.
What is the penalty for being offside on the free kick in football?
In football, the penalty for being offsides on the free kick is five yards lost. This result is universal across most leagues, including the NFL, the NCAA, and NFHS (high school). The CFL is the only exception, with a loss of 10 yards. These small penalties are because being offside on a free kick is a minor offense and one that very rarely occurs.
Can you challenge an offside on a free kick penalty in football?
No, you cannot challenge an offside on a free kick penalty in football. Certain fouls and penalties are reviewable by video replay and can be potentially overturned, but offsides of any kind are not considered reviewable in the NFL rulebook. Once called, an offside on free kick penalty irreversibly results in a loss of five yards for the offending team.