FOOTBALL ACCESSORY FOR DOWNING THE BALL CARRIER

An American football apparatus, the removal from a ball carrier of a portion of which is configured to provide an indication that the ball carrier is down, includes an elongate structure attached to the ball carrier so as to be completely removable therefrom. The elongate structure defines opposing ends and a longitudinal axis therebetween. A handgrip portion is located between the ends and is defined by a thickness of material that extends outwardly and in a direction generally orthogonal from the longitudinal axis so as to protrude outwardly from the ball carrier when attached to the ball carrier. An attachment mechanism removably attaches the elongate structure to the ball carrier. The attachment mechanism is configured to limit movement of substantially the entire elongate structure to that of the attachment mechanism such that substantially the entire elongate structure moves in unison with the attachment mechanism, thereby limiting any independent motion of the elongate structure. The attachment mechanism releases the elongate structure from the ball carrier when a force that overcomes an attachment force provided by the attachment mechanism for attaching the elongate structure to the ball carrier is applied to the handgrip portion.201