Around the NFL: NFL Offseason

[FrenchSkin]

Originally Posted by SunnySide

^^ This isnt holding IF the rusher used a swim/rip technique

Penalty: For holding by the offense: Loss of 10 yards.

Blocking Notes:

When a defensive player is held by an offensive player during the following situations, Offensive Holding will not be called:
if the runner is being tackled simultaneously by another defensive player;
if the runner simultaneously goes out of bounds;
if a Fair Catch is made simultaneously;
if the action clearly occurs after a forward pass has been thrown to a receiver beyond the line of scrimmage;
if the action occurs away from the point of attack and not within close line play;
if a free kick results in a touchback;
if a scrimmage kick simultaneously becomes a touchback;
if the action is part of a double-team block, unless the defender splits the double team, gets to the outside of either blocker, or is taken to the ground; or
if, during a defensive charge, a defensive player uses a “rip” technique that puts an offensive player in a position that would normally be holding.

https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules...hands-and-arms

I saw it on reddit and didnt know this.

Yeah that's a basic of refereeing holding. You always have to keep in mind you only flag what has an impact on the play (unless it's unsportsmanlike conduct and/or relative to players safety). So when a defender makes a shitty rip move and '"loses", the fact that he ends up "visually" being held doesn't erase the fact that the OL was making a legal block and the defender put himself in that position. The Olineman isn't supposed to let go just because the DL made a rip move.
Now when it becomes a foul is if the OL drags the defender to the ground and/or keeps holding while the defender is past him.