illegal contact
Against the rules
Illegal contact is a penalty in American football for impermissible physical interference with an eligible receiver.
Defenders may contact receivers within five yards of the line of scrimmage, but beyond that zone, touching a receiver before the ball is thrown draws a flag.
The rule opened up passing offenses when strictly enforced beginning in 2004.
In basketball, illegal contact covers fouls involving impermissible touching of an opponent.
- foulOffensive or illegal
- offensive foulIllegal contact by attacker
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- flagCloth symbol or signal
- whistleShrill air-blown sounder
interference · holding · tackle · roughing · unnecessary roughness · face mask · violation · infraction · referee · call · pass interference · push · grab · shove · defender · defensive back · receiver · helmet
- football rulesdowns, first down, first downs, touchdowns, field goals
- basketball rulespersonal foul, technical foul, traveling, double dribble, carrying
- flag footballflags, two-hand touch, quarterback, touchdown, end zone
- football officiatingreferee, penalty flag, yellow flag, false start, offside
- game callsfoul, offsides, offside, traveling, travel
- hockey penaltiescharging, elbowing, holding, hooking, high-sticking
illegal, contact, legal, legally, illegally, legality, legalize, legalization, illegality