What occurs when a kick touches a receiver?

When a kick touches a receiver, the fair catch signal is rendered invalid. This is because the signal is intended to protect the receiver from contact when they are attempting to make a catch. If the kick touches the receiver, it essentially negates the protective measure that the fair catch signal provides, as the receiver has become part of the play by allowing the ball to touch them.

In this situation, the rules dictate that once the kick has touched the player, the signal does not hold, and the receiver must then be prepared for action—either to continue the play or to attempt to recover the ball, depending on how the situation unfolds. The other options do not accurately reflect the rule concerning touches on kicks in football; hence they are not applicable to this scenario.