Eligible Receiver

Eligible Receiver

In American football and Canadian football, not all players on offense are entitled to receive a forward pass. Only an eligible pass receiver may legally catch a forward pass, and only an eligible receiver may advance beyond the neutral zone if a forward pass which crosses the neutral zone is thrown. If the pass is received by a non-eligible receiver, the penalty for the foul "illegal touching" is assessed (the play is treated as an incomplete pass, unless the ball is downed behind the line of scrimmage — in either case a down is lost). If an ineligible receiver is beyond the neutral zone when a forward pass which crosses the neutral zone is thrown, a foul of "ineligible receiver downfield" (penalty—a loss of yardage, but not loss of down) is called. Each league has slightly different rules regarding who is and is not considered an eligible receiver.