Touchdown or no touchdown? Forward progress rules...

Question
QUESTION: If a receiver catches a pass near the end zone line, establishes his feet in the end zone, but the ball never crosses the plane of said end zone, would that be considered a touchdown?

Thanks for your time!

ANSWER: Hello Steve,

This is a good question. If  the ball never crosses the goal line, then it would NOT be a touchdown. The Ball must cross the plain of the end zone to be considered a touchdown.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your answer (and so quickly)...

A quick follow-up...If this same scenario happened in the field of play (Let's say the team was going for a first down at the 35 yard line).  If the player caught the ball, established his feet on the first down side of the 35 yard line, the ball never crosses that line, then the player is pushed back and tackled, where would the ball be placed?

My guess would be where the player established his feet on the ground - therefore a first down, which makes this different than the prior scenario of crossing the end zone line for a touchdown.  Am I correct?

Thanks again for your time.

Answer
Of course, in the NFL the have the luxury of instant replay. So they would review it and place the ball where it was at when the player caught it, and not where his feet were at (unless he caught the ball standing straight up in his chest). If he extended his arms back to catch it, then this would not be a first down.