The Green Bay Packers Gained 37 Yards Yesterday Using A Loophole Most People Don’t Know Exists

packers team

If I ever had to return a kickoff in the NFL, there is a 100 percent chance the ball bonks right off my head in what would look something like this.

via GIPHY

Because I’d be filling my spandex pants up with diarrhea the entirety of the time I was out on the field if I were to be tasked with returning a kick, there’s no way in hell I’d have the presence of mind to use the loophole Green Bay Packers return man Ty Montgomery used against the Lions on Sunday if a ball were to be kicked close to the sideline three yards from the endzone. Granted I didn’t even know such a loophole existed until I saw this play, but even if I did, I’d be so happy the ball wasn’t kicked to me in the air that I’d have taken a knee before leaving a poop trail straight from the 3 yard mark to the bench, leaving my team with awful field position.

The whole deal is that a kickoff is considered out of bounds, and thus taken to the 40 yard line, if the player who receives it is out of bounds — even if the ball itself is firmly planted in play.

That’s just heads up football. People who are calling Montgomery a shyster are the same people who think intentional walks in baseball take away from “the sport of it.” This country was built on loopholes. Namely the worst parts of our country, like the housing market crash and us being left with two oafs running for president because of the two party system, but still — loopholes are as USA as it gets. Football needs more of this.

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h/t Deadspin

Image via Mark Herreid / Shutterstock.com

    1. Jared Borislow

      It is a loophole because the rule is not in place so that people can be out of bounds and stretch for the ball to get extra yards; it’s intended to call a ball dead and out of bounds if the return man is standing on the line when he receives the ball.

      8 years ago at 10:42 am
  1. white_mj

    this is amazing. Not only am I not getting dumber from reading this site…i actually learned something.

    8 years ago at 10:41 am
    1. Wasted Wednesday

      Don’t worry college football fan. They’ll discuss that on the Backdoor Cover Podcast which comes out every week! Sponsored by Man Outfitters and Rowdy Gentleman.

      8 years ago at 10:55 am
      1. Probation Station

        How much did they pay you to say that? Hopefully more than anything Wally gets for his articles.

        8 years ago at 12:07 pm
  2. VandyConservative

    Fans of pussy sports that try to suggest football is a game of dumb brutes should look at this. Dude has presence of mind when other monsters are sprinting at him. That’s a different type of intelligence

    8 years ago at 10:51 am
    1. Frattie Smalls

      I hate when scouts and analysts use the phrase “football intelligence,” but I’ll be damned if that wasn’t the smartest play I think I’ve ever seen in the sport.

      8 years ago at 11:04 am
    1. Larry_Sellers

      My ad blocker routinely blocks 15-20 every time I open the TFM homepage. It’s actually pretty pathetic.

      8 years ago at 12:08 pm
  3. Beerattic

    Randall Cobb did the same thing a couple years ago, by stepping out of bounds prior to picking up the ball on a kickoff. #thepack is #TFM

    8 years ago at 11:29 am