The rule states feet first, not foot first. From this angle it looks like he is clearly not in possession of the ball. Can you provide any clarification?
If a player is not in control of the ball while initiating a slide, how is that not a fumble? The fumble was not due to contact, he just lost it.
I think the better way to view it (and this is a bit of pedantry) is that the ball is dead at the moment a player starts to slide. Anything that happens with the ball after that moment doesn't exist.
100%. hence the caveat about pedantry. but i like to think about it that way rather than whether the guy is down because what happens with the ball and things like late hits are analyzed differently.
Kenny Pickett made sure they added simulation of a slide puts you down, so as soon as you start a feet first slide, even if you don't actually slide, you're down.
I would agree that should be the rule. It's what I had thought it was.
Just comparing that we had officials in 2 different games state the rule differently. Not talking about wrongly applying (happens, whatever), but actually giving different rules.
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If a player is not in control of the ball while initiating a slide, how is that not a fumble? The fumble was not due to contact, he just lost it.
What is the actual rule?
I don't mean a blown call, but "rule is x" vs "rule is y"
Just comparing that we had officials in 2 different games state the rule differently. Not talking about wrongly applying (happens, whatever), but actually giving different rules.