Neutral zone (American football)
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In American football, the neutral zone can be described as the length of the football from one tip to the other when it is spotted (i.e. placed on a certain spot) on the field prior to the start of the next play. No member of either team, other than the center, may be "inside" the neutral zone when the ball is snapped or a penalty will be called.
A new definition of the neutral zone came into effect after a September 12, 2005 fight between the Philadelphia Eagles' Jeremiah Trotter and the Atlanta Falcons' Kevin Mathis that occurred prior to the opening kickoff. The NFL then instituted a rule that each end of the field from the end zone to the 45-yard line is reserved for one team, and that no player other than a kicker may be between the 45-yard lines prior to the game.
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