Why does the clock not stop when a player is out of bounds in NFL?

August 2024 · 5 minute read

If you are new to the NFL, understanding the rules might be a bit complex. For instance, you must be confused as to why the clock sometimes keeps running when an offensive player is out of bounds. The NFL play clock is bound by rules and most football fans are not aware of these rules in detail.

You will often hear people claiming that the clock always stops when the ball goes out of bounds. But it is one of the biggest and most common misconceptions in football. Let us clear the misinterpretation and help you understand the working of the play clock and going out of bounds.

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Usually, there are two possibilities for how the play clock works after a play ends:

  • Time will stop until the referee places the ball on the ground from where the next play should begin.
  • The clock continues to run even after the ball goes out of bounds.

    • Why does the clock keep running in NFL?

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    According to the rules, if the player is making forward progress and he goes out of bounds with no member of the defense edging him, then the play is ruled out of bounds. If the defense attacks him and he, on purpose, goes out of bounds, then his forward progress is marked on the field while the clock keeps running.

    Every minute in the NFL is crucial, and the rules were made so that no time is wasted, especially during the last minutes of the game. Most of the time, the clock stops once the ball is out of bounds and the game resumes as soon as the referee places the ball on the ground.

    To make the NFL more interesting and entertaining, the rules were changed. If the ball goes out of bounds in the last two minutes of the first half or the last five minutes of the second half, then the clock is stopped until the next play begins. So, if the ball is out during the start of the game, the clock does not stop and the play continues.

    If you are a keen observer of the game, you must have thought about why the clock keeps running. Now you know why, and the next time it happens, you get to tell your friends the reason behind it. You can also check out the NFL rules yourself by clicking here.

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