So, apparently, you can push the ball carrier forward, but you cannot pull them. In my decade of doing this, I was unaware this was even a rule until Sunday night when the 49ers solidified their 20-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons. If you push (READ: The Tush-Push), it’s fine—at least through 2025.
If you pull, it’s a 10-yard penalty. Better known as Rule 12, Section 1, Article 4
in the NFL rulebook:Article 4. Assisting The Runner And Interlocking Interference
No offensive player may:
- pull a runner in any direction at any time;
- use interlocking interference, by grasping a teammate or by using his hands or arms to encircle the body of a teammate in an effort to block an opponent; or
- push or throw his body against a teammate to aid him in an attempt to obstruct an opponent or to recover a loose ball.
Penalty: For assisting the runner, interlocking interference, or illegal use
of hands, arms, or body by the offense: Loss of 10 yards.
On first and goal, on the 4-yard line, rather than bleed more clock before giving the Falcons the ball, the 49ers scored instead. This was thanks to a Christian McCaffrey run, assisted by Matt Hennessy and Connor Colby.
Just one problem: Colby was pulling McCaffrey through the goal line. And as the rule states, you can’t do that.
Of course, this was the missed call the broadcast crew wanted to focus on and point out how the refs got it wrong. There wasn’t a peep about Demarcus Robinson not getting a PI flag (maybe he was being fairly penalized for not catching it?) on the exact circumstances. Or defensive holding done to Colton McKivitz to blow up a play, or illegal hands to the face by the Falcons’ defense, or the jump the 49ers defense had on the first play of the game.
Bottom line: the officiating was terrible for both sides, yet again. Both teams got slapped with bad calls and no-calls; one found a way to win despite the incompetence. We’ve said on this site numerous times that officiating and the game result are not mutually exclusive. Had the 49ers not scored on that possession and the Falcons found a way to pull out the win, I’d be saying the same thing about how bad Ron Tolbert’s crew was in this game; The 49ers would have lost because Demarcus Robinson can’t catch, regardless of whether he was interfered with; the 49ers would have lost because Jauan Jennings bobbled a ball into a defender’s hands; etc., etc.
And regardless of me being a homer in this, finger of shame to NFL Officiating. You have New York. You have national TV that could ping you the play if you needed it. You review scoring plays, and you didn’t think to even flag them for this? You had no problem doing it to the Detroit Lions last week. This is the 49ers, not the Kansas City Chiefs. That touchdown was awesome, but as a fan, knowing it was an awful missed call does lessen the experience—a little.
But back to Colby and this missed flag. For once, an excellent play by the 49ers got to stay on the books regardless of legitimacy. I’d hate to think what the response would be if it were enforced. It will be curious to see what the response is from the pool reporter, as it’s a good guess someone in the media will chat with Tolbert on what happened and how the botch happened.
49ers fan or not, the missed calls all game are what make the NFL product a joke more often than not. The Falcons had plenty of botched calls/no calls go their way as well. Much like the 49ers, they had plenty of chances to win. The officiating performance is NOT the reason the Falcons lost this game. But they are right to be angry that this officiating is what the NFL rolls out for their team.
The 49ers, with an extensive injury list, managed to pull out the win despite what happened to them.
