What Is Illegal Touching In Football?

Illegal touching, a common violation in American football, occurs when a player who is not permitted to do so, makes contact with the football. This typically occurs when the non-eligible player comes into contact with the football during a forward pass, leading to a penalty. 

A forward pass thrown from behind the line of scrimmage is penalized when:

• It is touched intentionally or is caught by an ineligible offensive player. In that case, it is a live ball;
• It is caught by an eligible offensive player who has gone out of bounds, either on his own or legally forced, and re-established themselves inbounds. In this case, it is also a live ball.

Every team has players who are eligible and non-eligible to touch the football on a forward passing play. 

Offensive players who are at least one yard behind the line at the snap are eligible to touch the football on a forward pass. Those players either have the numbers (0–49 and 80–89) or have legally reported a non-eligible player.

Penalty for illegal touching by the defense: Loss of five yards and automatic first down. A penalty will only affect the first non-eligible player to touch the football.

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