re: If a QB accidentally releases the ball on the forward motion of a pump fake

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FR-33

Fumble
ARTICLE 1. To fumble the ball is to lose player possession by any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing (A.R. 2-19-2-I and A.R. 4-1-3-I). The status of the ball is a fumble.


Now that we know what a fumble is defined as, and we know that the play in question is neither kicking nor successful handing (we can look at what that means, but I assume you'll take that as a given since those aren't in question), we are left with two options: the player fumbled the ball or the player passed the ball.

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Yes

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knocked out of a forward-moving hand a throw? If so, then does it matter if the ball is dropped or forced out while in the forward-moving hand/arm of the ball carrier? If you've ever ran or seen others run, you'll know that a runner alternates moving their arms while running. A ball carrier could feasibly drop a ball or have a ball knocked out of their hand/arm while the hand/arm holding the ball is moving forward during the natural running process. Is that considered a "throw"? If so, then the word "throw" is meaningless, and includes obvious fumbles performed by running backs and other ball carriers with butterfingers.

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Right that's the point

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In reality, the reason why this is never a topic of discussion is because it is well understood (even by those individuals and teams who are the victims of fumbled balls) that there is a difference between an intentional passing motion and a ball-carrying motion, though there are variations in both categories. When a player clearly has no intention to "throw" (or even pretend to "throw") a football but merely loses grip of it while positioning the ball while carrying (which is what happens when they extend the ball for yards/points), it is always called a fumble rather than an illegal forward pass. Everyone and their brother knows that a "pass" has some sort of intentionality behind it (either the intention to throw the ball or to fake a throw) while a fumble does not (except for the rare situation where an intentional fumble is identified and penalized, and those intentional fumbles could even possibly be identified as "throws" according to the ridiculous posters here).

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I've granted you this to an extent. Which is why I said I would rule it a fumble. But I don't know why you're quoting the rulebook as the explanation is definitely not in what you're quoting.

You quoted two definitions from the rulebook but then essentially said that it comes down to a non-written understandings.

Again, fair enough. I've always been fine with the call as a fumble. My point is the people saying Jon is an idiot or saying "read the rules" don't really know what's going on. Most of the arguments made are just wrong or irrelevant.


You are the one poster that has made a sensible argument. And it basically comes down to "that's just the way it's understood an accepted to be." I do think it should be a little more solidified in the rulebook though.