TarquinTheDark wrote:
If it is a dead ball, then
NFL 2019 7-2-1:
(k) when a loose ball comes to rest anywhere in the field, and no player attempts to recover it; the official covering the play should pause momentarily before signaling that the ball is dead. Any legal (or illegal) kick is awarded to the receivers, and any other ball is awarded to the team last in possession. When awarded to a team behind a goal line, the ball is placed on the one-yard line.
The ball could have stayed live bouncing around the end zone, but it was whistled dead crossing the end zone line. I dont think thats correct.
The punter can run outof bounds in the endzone for a safety. Here a block sent the ball on the same course. The only difference here is that impetus...the blocked kick, but as long as no one bats the ball some beneficial direction on purpose the rules say its a safety to me.