Some players run all the way to the corner of the endzone, despite the play being over at the line. Is that also delay of game? Its holding onto the ball, right? What about players that walk the ball over to the referee or drop it? Dropping is considered relinquishing and that can be done a long way from a referee. Is that also delay of game? What if they jump, dance or pray, while moving toward the ref with the ball?
Its an ill defined rule left open to the subjective judgment of the official. With that in mind, the official's subjective decision is also open to everyone's subjective judgment.
As I said before, delay of game in the case of post touch down action requires that the game actually be delayed by a failure to relinguish the ball. Kneeling with the ball for 3 seconds and then running it to the ref is no more delaying than simply dropping the ball at the back of the end zone. So the penalty was for an action, not for a delay. Right?
If I'm the coach, I tell the kid to drop the ball next time before he kneels and to keep it to 3 seconds or less. If the player is back on his side before the kick, you have no penalty.
Then I have a problem with the penalty then.
The way this was presented initially when it ran was that the player didn’t relinquish the ball to the ref. If the penalty was for the action, then what difference does it make if he does it before he gives the ball to the ref or afterwards.
So if the penalty is for the action, while he still holds the ball, why is that? Because the play is not yet over?
The player brought attention to himself, he’s given a penalty...but would not have been given a penalty had he relinquished the ball. Makes no sense.
If you go back and look at commentary by various officials in this particular league, they talk about the continuity of the game being delayed.
So maybe you’re right, maybe I’m right. I grant you that kneeling for 3 seconds should not constitute a delay, but that’s how they presented it.
Here’s the bottom line for me. For HS sports and probably college too, you score a touchdown, you give the ball to the ref, drop it on the ground..etc. You do any kind of taunting, drawing added attention to yourself, actions that rub it in to the other team, obscene gesture...and it’s a penalty while you’re still on the field of play.
Or are we not in agreement on that this should have been a penalty?