A catch made by a player on side who makes a prescribed signal that he will not attempt to advance the ball when caught. He must not then be interfered with.
On a punt, when the receiver wants to catch the ball without being hit, they can do so by raising a hand and waving. The ball is dead at the spot of the catch and the offense starts their drive at this point.
The player catching a kick off can call for a fair catch by waving a hand if it seems that a dangerous tackle during the catch is inevitable. The player can then catch the ball without being tackled, and the offensive turn begins from the point where the ball was caught, instead of a normal kick return. Vapaa kiinniotto (Pinomaa)
(American football) a catch of a punt on the fly by a defensive player who has signalled that he will not run and so should not be tackled
a catch made direct, and at the first attempt, from a kick, knock-on or throw forward by one of the opposite side
A player may make a fair catch by catching the ball cleanly from a kick by the opposing side and calling "Mark!" He must have at least one foot on the ground behind his side's 22-meter line or within the in-goal area. A free kick is usually awarded from the spot of the catch, at the referee's discretion.
When there is a punt, and a receiver is going to catch the ball and signals that he will not advance after catching it (by raising his hand just before the catch), this is a fair catch. Also, players may not tackle the receiver making the fair catch.
An unhindered catch of a kick by a member of the receiving team who must raise one arm a full length above his head and wave his arm from side to side while the kick is in flight.
An unhindered catch of an opponent's kick. The player wanting to make one must signal for a fair catch by waving an arm overhead while the ball is in the air. After that signal, if he gains possession of the ball it is dead immediately and opponents will receive a fifteen yard penalty for hitting him.
when a kick returner decides only to catch a punt or kickoff and not advance it, protecting himself from being hit by an opponent; he signals for a fair catch by raising one hand in the air and waving it.
An unhindered catch by the receiver of a punt or kickoff. The returner raises one arm high over his head to signal a fair catch.
A signal in which a kick or punt returner waives his arms over his head from side to side, indicating that he is going to catch the ball. When he does so, the opposing team cannot touch him and he cannot advance the ball. The ball is marked at the point where he catches the ball.
A fair catch is a catch of a free kick or scrimmage kick by a player of Team B (receiving team) after a valid signal, where the ball is untouched beyond the neutral zone.
A call by a kick returner where he waives his arm in the air prior to catching the ball to indicate that he will not run after catching the ball and that he can not be touched by a defender. It is a penalty if the receiver makes any motion to advance the ball after calling a fair catch. If the receiver touches the ball and drops it, contact may then be made by the defender.
A fair catch is a feature of American football and several other codes of football. In rugby union and Australian rules football, a fair catch is called a mark; see mark (Australian football) and mark (rugby) for more information on fair catches in those games. Fair catches featured in some extinct forms of football, and they have been abolished in other modern codes.
