Fair catch signal?

[pmedic920]

We didn't get screwed because the ball hit Blount on the back. Clearly he interfered. The attempt at a fair catch signal (the rule says "A fair-catch signal is valid if it is made while the kick is in flight by a player who fully extends one arm above his helmet and waves it from side to side.") should have been ignored, but Blount would have been penalized regardless.

And that’s fair.

Regardless, my question was “fair catch signal”?

What I saw didn’t jive with what my understanding of the rule was.

I never saw the signal in real time, what I saw on replay wasn’t what I understood the signal needed to be.

Silly argument I suppose but I’ve been fairly critical of NFL officiating in recent seasons. I get it, the outcome wouldn’t have been different necessarily but it’s still another botched call by the officials

 

[Torc]

Here's the rule on a fair catch:

Item 1: Valid Fair-Catch SignalA fair-catch signal is valid if it is made while the kick is in flight by a
player who fully extends one arm above his helmet and waves it from side to side. A receiver is
permitted to legally raise his hand(s) to his helmet to shield his eyes from the sun, but is not permitted
to raise them above his helmet except to signal for a fair catch.
Item 2: Invalid Fair-Catch Signal. If a player raises his hand(s) above his shoulder(s) in any other
manner, it is an invalid fair-catch signal. If there is an invalid fair-catch signal, the ball is dead when
caught or recovered by any player of the receiving team, but it is not a fair catch. (The ball is not dead
if it touches an opponent before or after it strikes the ground. See Article 3b).
Note: A fair-catch signal given behind the line of scrimmage on a scrimmage kick is ignore

If I'm understanding the rule correctly, the returner did not signal for a fair catch because his hands never went above his shoulders. There isn't an invalid fair catch signal - because he never signaled. The invalid fair catch would be (for example) if a player who wasn't in position to catch the ball signaled to fake out the punt coverage team.

 

[JPatera76]

Here's the rule on a fair catch:



If I'm understanding the rule correctly, the returner did not signal for a fair catch because his hands never went above his shoulders. There isn't an invalid fair catch signal - because he never signaled. The invalid fair catch would be (for example) if a player who wasn't in position to catch the ball signaled to fake out the punt coverage team.

If anything, then I would've expected a re-kick.