Kevin Huber's season came to an abrupt and violent end Sunday night when the Cincinnati Bengals punter was leveled by a block during an Antonio Brown touchdown return. Dean Blandino, the NFL's vice president of officiating, has confirmed what had been speculated upon: Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Terence Garvin should have been penalized for the vicious hit. "Huber, he's a punter. And the key is he's defenseless throughout the down," Blandino said Tuesday on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access." "So even though he's pursuing the play, he still gets defenseless-player protection. You can't hit him in the head or neck, and you can't use the crown or forehead parts of the helmet to the body." On the play, Garvin lines up Huber then goes up high, driving his helmet under the punter's facemask. Huber suffered a broken jaw on the play and may have cracked a vertebrae. He's been placed on injured reserve. Source: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000300186/article/nfl-hit-on-bengals-kevin-huber-was-penalty
One would think so, Captain. However that a punter has been given "defenseless player throughout the entire play" designation, is possibly the most ridiculous rule in the rule book. If that is the case, the punter should run off the field after he punts the ball. The league has put punters on the golden pedestal with this stupid rule.
Yeah that protection is a stupid rule, you're either a football player or you're not. You don't get special protection when trying to make a tackle.
If punters/kickers never made plays, fine...wrap 'em in bubble wrap for all I care but how many times has the last man to beat be the punter/kicker who either slows him up or trips him up.
