A forward pass is considered beyond the neutral zone when?

A forward pass is considered beyond the neutral zone when all of the ball is beyond the neutral zone. This is critical for determining the legality of a forward pass in football. The neutral zone is the space between the offensive line and defensive line at the start of the play, and for a pass to be deemed as having crossed the neutral zone, every part of the ball must fully break the plane marking that zone.

The importance of this rule lies in when a pass is eligible or ineligible; if only part of the ball has crossed, the play remains in the neutral zone, affecting the rules that apply to both offense and defense. Thus, ensuring that the entire ball must cross this boundary before it is considered a forward pass that has cleared the neutral zone is key to proper game management and adherence to the rules.