Do You Catch a Punt?

Simply put, a punt is a scrimmage kick. Therefore, any member of the punt team is allowed to catch or recover a punt as long as it is behind the neutral zone, basically the line of scrimmage, and then advance that ball.

What happens if you catch a punt?

If caught, the ball becomes dead and the receiving team gets the ball at the spot of the catch. If a player from the kicking team is the first to touch the ball after it crosses the line of scrimmage, "illegal touching" is called and the receiving team gains possession at the spot where the illegal touching occurred.

Is it hard to catch a punt?

Catching a punt requires the returner to trap the ball between the body and the forearms, squeezing tight when it's within grasps. The elbows must be tight, so the ball doesn't go through your arms, resulting in a fumble.