I was wondering if the BGP people could help me answer a question. If a player hits another player helmet to helmet, what is usually the penalty?

Edited September 11, 201115 yr by Birdsfan

I am not an official but some helmet to helmet hits are unavoidable so all cannot be penalties.

Illegal helmet contact.

Edited September 11, 201115 yr by Birdsfan

If both players are on the same team then I bet there was just a touchdown scored!

Don't believe there's a helmet to helmet rule in HS.

Here is what the NFHS put out about contact with the helmet:

 

 

 

CONTACT BOTH TO AND WITH THE HELMET

Over the years the NFHS Football Rules Committee has repeatedly emphasized the need

to keep the HEAD OUT OF FOOTBALL, due to the potential for catastrophic head and neck

injuries. Some form of helmet review or illegal helmet contact emphasis has been specifically

targeted by the committee in its publications for review by coaches and officials 22

times since 1980. In the past few years, all levels of football have increased the focus on

decreasing the risk of concussion, and it is widely conceded that one of the biggest steps

in this effort is to eliminate direct helmet-to-helmet contact and any other contact both by

and to the helmet.

Any initiation of contact with the helmet is illegal; therefore, there must be a focus on

enforcing the existing rules. This year, the committee is taking the step to emphasize all

types of illegal helmet contact:

• Spearing – an act by an offensive or defensive player who initiates contact against any

opponent with the top of his helmet.

• Face Tackling – an act by a defensive player who initiates contact with a runner with

the front of his helmet.

• Butt Blocking – an act by an offensive or defensive player who initiates contact against

an opponent who is not a runner with the front of his helmet.

The committee is encouraging a renewed emphasis by both coaches and officials on

other types of contact with and to the helmet, which are prohibited by the existing three

rules cited above, as well as the unnecessary roughness provisions of Rule 9, which

include:

• Blows to the Head by the Defender – Any act by a defensive player using the hand(s)

to slap the opponent’s head is illegal. A blocker may not initiate contact with his arm or

hand against an opponent above the opponent’s shoulder.

• Initiating Contact to the Head – It is illegal for a member of either team to use any other

part of the body or equipment to initiate contact to the head. Contact to the helmet of

another player could be one of the three specific illegal helmet contact fouls, or it could

also be a personal foul for unnecessary roughness as defined by Rule 9-4-3g. This is

not limited to acts by the defense (such as the defensive back making the “big hit” on

the receiver, or the linebacker making the blow against a back out of the backfield), but

such prohibition against contact to the helmet extends to all players on all parts of the

field. When in doubt, it should be a foul.

• Helmet-to-Helmet Contact – Particularly in light of the recent RIO data findings, initiated

acts of helmet-to-helmet contact must be penalized when they occur in contests,

and must be corrected immediately if observed in practice. Contact initiated by one

2011 NFHS Football Rules Page 84

player with the helmet to the helmet of another player could be one of the three specific

illegal helmet contact fouls, or it could also be a personal foul for unnecessary roughness

as defined by Rule 9-4-3g. While inadvertent contact between helmets may occur

in close line play or as players are closely engaged, all involved must be aware when

the proverbial “line has been crossed,” and an illegal act has occurred. When in doubt,

it should be ruled a foul.

• Making Initial Contact with the Defender while Running with the Head Down – This

act by the runner lowering his helmet to spear an opponent is not legal per Rule 9-4-3i,

but needs special emphasis to help with risk minimization.

The illegal acts noted above have no place in the game, and the committee believes that

renewed emphasis on getting illegal acts out of the game will improve player safety. When

in doubt, these acts should be viewed as illegal.

__________________

It's pretty tough to tackle without contacting with your face mask.

It also would be dependent on whether the contact happened in bounds or after the whistle has blown.

It's pretty tough to tackle without contacting with your face mask.

 

I believe they are to use their shoulders. Definitely not their heads.