A punt is simply a scrimmage kick. As a result, any member of the punt team may collect or recover a punt as long as it is behind the neutral zone, which is essentially the line of scrimmage, and then advance the ball. It is legal for a player to catch a punt. The rule was created to protect players from being injured by errant punts. Punters can be forced into awkward positions, and sometimes misjudge the direction of their kicks, which could cause them to land out of bounds. If this happens, the ball carrier has a chance to take over control of the ball without opposition players getting in his way. Additionally, if the punter is hurt and cannot continue, the punt recovery man would become the new punter, so there is protection for both the punter and the kicker. There have been cases where a player was injured while trying to catch a punt, but these instances are extremely rare. The most serious injury that has ever occurred as a result of a punt came during a 1997 NFL game between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. With less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter and the score tied at 10-10, Brian Mitchell took a direct snap from center and ran 70 yards for a touchdown, giving the Bears a 17-10 lead.