My mother makes the best pumpkin pies known to man. She makes my brother and I each an entire pie for Thanksgiving and for Christmas.

My brother and I have a bet on an NFL rule and the winner gets the other guys pie next Thankgiving. Theres is absolutley no doubt in my mind that Im right. If anyone knows where i can get a copy of the NFL rulebook let me know.

Here is the scenario:

The ball is punted near the goal line. The punting teams player is trying to down the ball at the 1 yard line. He steps into the end zone.

The player then touches the ball after jumping back into the field (out of the endzone), but before he establishes himself back into the field by getting both feet onto the ground in the field. In other words, his body is above the ground over the 1 yard line (in the air) but he hasnt touched the ground yet outside the endzone.

Is this a touchback because he hasnt re-established himself in the field after stepping in the end zone?...or is it down at the 1 yard line because his body and the ball are outside the endzone when he touches the ball?

Yes, he has to re-establish himself in the field of play or it is a touchback. If he has not yet done that then it is a touchback.

I agree with JD and I'm pretty sure we're right, but I'm not 100% as positive in that case. I mean everytime I think I know the rules, the refs seem to make new ones up as they go along.