What would happen if the receiving team basically hot potatoes the ball out of bounds via a kick or hand pass ? Can a player bicycle kick a ball out of the air into the stands ? Does it change if the receiving team laterals the ball or illegally forwards passes the ball out of bounds ? Wouldn't the receiving team be assessed a illegal touching penalty at the spot of infraction but retain possession of the ball ?

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If each pass is backwards, it just goes out of bounds at that point and that's where their offense will take over. Kicking the ball will result in a foul and penalty.

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I think you are right, but it seems what the guy is asking, is it for sure the receiving team's ball with a penalty assessed after the play - clearly better with the clock winding down that the kicking team getting the ball? Or does the kicking team have the option to do the onside kick over from 5 or whatever penalty yards forward?

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I've googled online and found nothing so far on a receiving team deliberately kicking the ball out of play on a kick off. I'm down loading the full NFL rulebook 2013 version to see if there is anything specific in that. I am friends on FB with a couple of refs in the UK so will ask them as well.

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I'm pretty sure the penalty would be "unsportsmanlike conduct" and therefore no change of possession if done by the receiving team (i.e., re-kick required).

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rekick

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If the receiving team touches the ball, it is a live ball and if it goes out of bounds, it is their ball where it went out. If they passed/tossed the ball forward, or if they kicked it, there is a foul.

This seems cut and dry so I am probably missing something haha

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So if the receiving team continually throws the ball out of bounds do they keep rekicking it or is possession given to the kicking team?

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Receiving team gets ball at spot it went out of bounds. There's no rekick

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