Quick Links: Defensive spot fouls Offensive spot fouls Defensive flag football penalties Offensive flag football penalties. The referee calls all flag football penalties and also determines judgment calls, such as contact resulting from normal run of play. Only the team captain or the head coach may inquire about flag football rule clarifications and interpretations. Unlike sports—like basketball—where individual players accumulate infractions, flag football penalties affect the team as a whole, typically resulting in a loss or gain of yardage and downs.

But we realize that learning flag football penalties and terms can get a bit overwhelming. In the past three seasons, the five most common penalties have finished in the same order of occurrence: Offensive Holding False Start Defensive Pass Interference Defensive Holding Unnecessary Roughness Other common penalties include encroachment , offside , targeting, tripping , and unsportsmanlike conduct. The offense is allowed to move down 5 yards towards the end zone , as measured from the line of scrimmage.

False Start A member of the offense moves out of his set position before the center has snapped the ball to the quarterback. The offense must move back 5 yards away from the end zone, as measured from the line of scrimmage.

Offside A member of the defense is not on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. Unlike other offenses, where the referee immediately stops the play , when an offside occurs, the play is allowed to continue. At the end of the down, the offense is then given the choice to move down 5 yards towards the end zone from the initial line of scrimmage and restart, or to just continue the game.

The option that the offense chooses will depend on how successful the down was. Holding A player holds or grasps another player who is not carrying the ball.

If committed by a member of the offense, the team must move back 10 yards away from the end zone, as measured from the line of scrimmage. The severity of the penalty varies with each. Previous Next.

Football Penalties List. Table of Contents. Penalties List In football , when a team commits an infraction against the rules of the game a foul will be called and a penalty will be assessed. A loose ball that is not in player control is out of bounds when it touches a boundary line or anything that is on or outside such line, including a player, an official, or a pylon.

If a Loose Ball touches anything on or outside a boundary line, the Out-of-Bounds Spot is the forward point of the ball when the ball crosses the sideline. Runner Out of Bounds. If the ball is in player possession when that player goes out of bounds, the out-of-bounds spot is the forward point of the ball when the ball crosses the side line, or, if the ball does not cross the sideline, the forward point of the ball at the instant the player is out of bounds.

Runner Inbounds. If the ball, while in possession of a player who is inbounds, is declared out of bounds because of touching anything that is out of bounds, the out-of-bounds spot is the yard line through the forward point of the ball at the instant of such touching. The Inbounds Spot is a spot on the Inbounds Line the hash marks that passes through the spot where the ball went out of bounds between the goal lines. A pass is the movement caused by a player intentionally handing, throwing, shoveling shovel pass , or pushing push pass the ball Such a movement is a pass even if the ball does not leave his hand or hands, provided a teammate takes it hand-to-hand pass.

A player who makes a legal forward pass is known as the Passer until the play ends. The teammates of any player who passes the ball forward legally or illegally are known collectively as the Passing Team or Passers. A Pass Play begins with the snap and ends when a forward pass thrown from behind the line of scrimmage is caught by a player of either team or is incomplete. After the pass is caught, a Running Play begins. Contact by Team B Player.

If a Team B player contacts the passer or the ball after forward movement begins, a forward pass is ruled, regardless of where the ball strikes the ground or a player. When this occurs, intentional grounding rules do not apply. If a Team B player contacts the passer or the ball before forward movement begins, the direction of the pass is the responsibility of the passer, and grounding rules apply. Passer Tucks Ball. If the player loses possession of the ball during an attempt to bring it back toward his body, or if the player loses possession after he has tucked the ball into his body, it is a fumble.

Passer re-cocks his arm. If the player loses possession of the ball while attempting to re-cock his arm, it is a fumble. Item 4. Fumbled or Muffed Ball Goes Forward. The fact that a fumbled or muffed ball goes forward is disregarded, unless the act is ruled intentional.

If it is intentional, a fumbled ball that goes forward is a forward pass , and a muff is a bat 5 A snap becomes a backward pass when the snapper releases the ball.

Note: If a pass is batted, muffed, punched, or kicked in any direction, its original designation as a Forward Pass or a Backward Pass does not change. A Penalty is imposed upon a team that has committed a foul and may result in loss of down, loss of yardage, an automatic first down, a charged timeout, a loss of playing time, withdrawal or disqualification of a player, extension of a period, the award of a score, or a combination of the preceding.

The phrase Loss of Down indicates that a team committing a foul will not have the opportunity to repeat the down after enforcement of any yardage penalty. A Free Kick Play begins with a legal or illegal free kick and ends when a player of either team establishes possession of the ball, or when the ball is dead by rule. A Running Play begins when a player of Team B establishes possession. At the instant that a pass is caught, a Running Play begins.

Note: The running play includes the loose-ball action before a player gains or regains possession or the ball is declared dead. A Scrimmage Kick Play begins with the snap. It ends when a player of either team establishes possession of a kicked ball, or when the ball is dead by rule. A Fair Catch Kick Play begins when the ball is kicked. It ends when a player of either team establishes possession of the ball, or when the ball is dead by rule. After the ball leaves the pocket area, this area no longer exists.

A foul by the receiving team is a post-possession foul if it occurs during a scrimmage kick that crosses the line of scrimmage, provided that the receiving team does not lose possession during the rest of the down. See Exc. A Runner is the offensive player who is in possession of a live ball , i.

Note: The statement that a player may advance means that he may become a runner, make a legal kick , make a backward pass , or throw a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage. It is a Safety if the spot of enforcement for a foul by the offense is behind its own goal line, or if the ball is dead in possession of a team on or behind its own goal line when the impetus comes from the team defending that goal line.

A Scrimmage Down is one that starts with a snap From Scrimmage refers to any action from the start of the snap until the down ends or until Team B secures possession. Any action that occurs during the down after a change of team possession is Not From Scrimmage. A Shift is any simultaneous change of position or stance by two or more offensive players before the snap after the ball has been made ready for play for a scrimmage down, including movement to the line of scrimmage by the offensive team prior to the snap A Snap is a backward pass that puts the ball in play to start a scrimmage down, either by handing it or passing it backward from its position on the ground.

The Snapper is the offensive player who initiates this action. See for conditions pertaining to a legal snap. A Suspended Player is one who must be withdrawn, in accordance with Rule 5, for correction of illegal equipment After the ball leaves the tackle box, this area no longer exists. The Tight End Box is a rectangle that is enclosed by imaginary lines two yards outside the normal tackle positions and five yards on either side of the line of scrimmage.

The Tight End Box continues to exist after the ball leaves the area. Tackling is an attempt by a defensive player to hold a runner to halt his advance or bring him to the ground. Whenever a team is in possession of the ball, it is the Offense, and its opponent is the Defense. The team that is the Offense becomes the Defense, and vice versa, when there is a change of possession during the down. The team that puts the ball in play is Team A, and its opponent is Team B.

They remain Team A and Team B until a down ends, even though there may be one or more changes of possession during the down. Team A is always the Offense when a down starts, but becomes the Defense if Team B secures possession during the down.

The opponents are B1, B2, etc. A change of possession occurs when a player of the defensive team secures possession of a ball that has been kicked, passed, or fumbled by a player of the offensive team, or when the ball is awarded to the opposing team by rule.

A change of possession includes, but is not limited to:. A Timeout is any interval during which the Game Clock is stopped and includes the intermission and During any timeout, including an intermission, all playing rules continue in effect. Representatives of either team are prohibited from entering the field, unless they are incoming substitutes, or team attendants or trainers entering to provide for the welfare of a player, and any game-type activities are prohibited on the Field of Play.

The Head Coach may enter the field to check on the welfare of a player who is injured, but no assistant coach may enter the field. A Charged Team Timeout is an interval during which the Game Clock is stopped and play is suspended at the request of one of the teams or when it is charged to one of the teams by rule.

A Timeout may be granted only when the ball is dead. Time In is any interval during which the Game Clock is running It is a Touchback if the ball is dead on or behind the goal line a team is defending, provided that the impetus comes from an opponent, and that it is not a touchdown or an incomplete pass. Tripping is the use of the leg or foot to obstruct any opponent including a runner c and A Try is the attempt by a team that has scored a touchdown to add one point by a field goal or two points by a touchdown during one untimed scrimmage down The two-minute warning is an automatic timeout that occurs at the conclusion of the last down for which the ball is legally snapped or kicked prior to two minutes remaining on the game clock in the second and fourth periods.

The length of the game is 60 minutes, divided into four periods of 15 minutes each. In the event the score is tied at the end of four periods, the game is extended by an overtime period or periods as prescribed in Rule There will be intervals of at least two minutes between the first and second periods first half and between the third and fourth periods second half.

During these intermissions all playing rules continue in force, and no representative of either team shall enter the field unless he is an incoming substitute, or a team attendant or trainer, entering to see to the welfare of a player. Penalty: For illegally entering the field: Loss of 15 yards from the succeeding spot Pen. The Back Judge times the two-minute intermissions and shall signal visibly and sound the whistle if necessary after one minute and 50 seconds.

The Referee shall sound the whistle immediately thereafter for play to start and for the play clock operator to start the second clock. Between the second and third periods, there shall be an intermission of 13 minutes.

During this intermission, play is suspended, and teams may leave the field. The Back Judge will time halftime.

See for fouls by non- players between halves. The stadium electric clock shall be the official time. The game clock operator shall start and stop the clock upon the signal of any official in accordance with the rules. The Side Judge shall supervise the timing of the game, and in case the stadium clock becomes inoperative, or if it is not being operated correctly, the Side Judge shall take over official timing on the field.

Note: Game officials can correct the game clock only before the next legal snap or kick, including an untimed down or try. Both teams must be on the field to kick off at the scheduled time for the start of each half.

Prior to the start of the game, both teams are required to appear on the field at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled kickoff to ensure sufficient time for proper warm-up. Designated members of the officiating crew must notify both head coaches personally of the scheduled time for kickoff prior to the start of each half. Unless the winner of the toss defers his choice to the second half, he must choose one of two privileges, and the loser is given the other.

The two privileges are:. If the coin does not turn over in the air or the toss is compromised in any way, the Referee shall toss it again. Penalty: For failure to comply: Loss of coin-toss option for both halves and overtime, and loss of 15 yards from the spot of the kickoff for the first half only. For the second half, the captain who lost the pregame toss is to have the first choice of the two privileges listed in a or b , unless one of the teams lost its first and second half options, or unless the winner of the pregame toss deferred his choice to the second half, in which case he must choose a or b above.

Immediately prior to the start of the second half, the captains of both teams must inform the Referee of their respective choices. At the end of the first and third periods, the teams must change goals.

Team possession, the number of the succeeding down, the relative position of the ball on the field of play, and the line to gain remain the same. The game clock operator shall start the game clock time in after a free kick when the ball is legally touched in the field of play. The game clock shall not start if:.

Following any timeout , the game clock shall be started on a scrimmage down when the ball is next snapped, except in the following situations:. The game clock operator shall start the game clock for a fair-catch kick down when the ball is kicked.

Note: No extension of the automatic timeouts in this section shall be allowed unless any player requests a team timeout, or the Referee orders a team timeout or suspends play. The Referee shall suspend play while the ball is dead and declare a charged team timeout upon the request for a timeout by the head coach or any player not a substitute to any official.

If an assistant coach signals for a timeout and it is inadvertently granted, the timeout will stand. Three Timeouts Allowed. A team is allowed three charged team timeouts during each half. Length of Timeouts. Charged team timeouts shall be two minutes in length, unless the timeout is not used by television for a commercial break.

Timeouts shall be 30 seconds in length when the designated number of television commercials have been exhausted in a quarter, if it is a second charged team timeout in the same dead-ball period, or when the Referee so indicates. Consecutive Team Timeouts. Each team may be granted a charged team timeout during the same dead-ball period, but a second charged team timeout by either team during the same dead-ball period is prohibited. Penalty: When a team is granted a second timeout during the same dead-ball period, or a timeout after exhausting its three timeouts during a half: Loss of five yards.

Note: If an attempt is made to call a timeout in such situations, the officials shall not grant it, and play will continue. A penalty shall be enforced only if the timeout is erroneously granted. If a timeout is inadvertently granted, it shall be charged to the team, and the penalty shall also be enforced.

After enforcement, all normal rules regarding the game and play clock will apply. Unsportsmanlike Conduct. This will apply to field goal or Try attempts. Note: If an attempt is made to call a timeout in such situations, the officials shall not grant a timeout; instead, play will continue, and a penalty will be called, with customary enforcement.

If a timeout is inadvertently granted and charged, the penalty shall also be enforced. See w. If an official determines a player to be injured, or if attendants from the bench come on the field to assist an injured player, an injury timeout will be called by the Referee. When an injury timeout is called, the injured player must leave the game for the completion of one down.

The player will be permitted to remain in the game if:. At the conclusion of an injury timeout, the game clock will start as if the injury timeout had not occurred.

If either team takes, or is charged with, a timeout, the clock will start on the snap. Penalty: For the second and each subsequent excess team timeout after the two-minute warning: Loss of five yards from the succeeding spot for delay of the game. Such situations include, but are not limited to:.

The time remaining on the play clock shall be the same as when it stopped. See Rule 4, Section 6, Article 3. It is a delay of the game if the ball is not put in play by a snap within 40 seconds after the start of the play clock. The play clock operator shall time the interval between plays upon signals from game officials. The second interval starts when a play ends, unless Article 2 below applies. Such stoppages include, but are not limited to:.

A second interval will be used in these situations, even if the second clock is already counting down. Note: Following a Try or successful field-goal attempt, unless there is a commercial break, the teams will have 40 seconds to align prior to the ball being made ready for play.

When the 40 seconds have elapsed, the second play clock will begin. If the play clock is stopped prior to the snap for any reason, after the stoppage has concluded, the time remaining on the play clock shall be the same as when it stopped, unless:.

If the ball is not put in play within the applicable period, the Back Judge shall blow his whistle for the foul, and the ball remains dead. See Item 1. Other examples of action or inaction that are to be construed as delay of the game include, but are not limited to:. A team is not permitted to conserve time after the two-minute warning of either half by committing any of these acts:.

Penalty: For Illegally Conserving Time: Loss of five yards unless a larger distance penalty is applicable. When actions referred to above are committed by the offensive team while time is in, officials will run off 10 seconds from the game clock before permitting the ball to be put in play on the ready-for-play signal.

The game clock will start on the ready-for- play signal unless another rule prescribes otherwise. If the offensive team has timeouts remaining, it will have the option of using a timeout in lieu of a second runoff, in which case the game clock will start on the snap after the timeout.

The defense always has the option to decline the second runoff and have the yardage penalty enforced, but if the yardage penalty is declined, the second runoff is also declined. If the action is by the defense, the play clock will be reset to 40 seconds, and the game clock will start on the ready signal, unless the offense chooses to have the clock start on the snap.

If the defense has timeouts remaining, it will have the option of using a timeout in lieu of the game clock being started. After the two-minute warning of either half, if there is a violation of the substitution rule while the ball is dead and time is in, in addition to the applicable yardage penalty for illegal substitution, there will be a second runoff pursuant to Article 1 above, unless it is obvious that the offensive team is not attempting to conserve time.

Penalty: For Illegal Substitution: Loss of five yards unless a larger distance penalty is applicable and a second runoff. In the last 40 seconds of either half, if there is a defensive foul prior to the snap while time is in, the half will end, unless the defense has timeouts remaining, or the offense chooses to have the Game Clock start on the snap.

If a replay review after the two-minute warning of either half results in the on-field ruling being reversed and the correct ruling would not have stopped the game clock, then the officials will run 10 seconds off the game clock before permitting the ball to be put in play on the ready-for-play signal. The defense cannot decline the runoff, but either team can use a remaining timeout to prevent it. If time expires at the end of any period while the ball is in play, the period continues until the down ends.

At the election of the opponent, a period may be extended for one untimed down, if any of the following occurs during a down during which time in the period expires, or during which the period had been extended pursuant to this Article:. If the first or third period is extended for any reason, or if a touchdown occurs during the last play of such a period, any additional play, including a Try attempt, shall be completed before the teams change goals.

If Team A has more than 11 players in its formation for more than three seconds, or if Team B has more than 11 players in its formation and the snap is imminent, it is a foul. Once the ball is made ready for play, if either team has more than 11 players in its formation prior to a free kick, it is also a foul. In these instances, game officials shall blow their whistles immediately and not allow the snap or kick to occur.

Penalty: For more than 11 players in the formation prior to the snap or free kick: Loss of five yards from the succeeding spot. If a team has more than 11 players on the field of play or the end zone when a snap, free kick, or fair-catch kick is made, the ball is in play, and it is a foul.

Penalty: For more than 11 players on the field of play or the end zone while the ball is in play: Loss of five yards from the previous spot.

Note: It is not a foul if a team has fewer than 11 players on the field of play or the end zone when a snap, free kick, or fair- catch kick is made. All players must wear numerals on their jerseys in accordance with Rule 5, Section 4, Article 3, Item 3. Such numerals must be by playing position, as follows:.

If a player changes his position during his playing career in the NFL, and such change moves him from a position as an ineligible pass receiver to that of an eligible pass receiver, or from a position as an eligible pass receiver to that of an ineligible pass receiver, he must be issued an appropriate new jersey numeral. A change in jersey numeral is not required if the change is from an ineligible position to another ineligible position, or from an eligible position to another eligible position, provided that the player has participated at least one season at his position prior to the change.

Any request to wear a numeral for a special position not specified above e. During the preseason period when playing rosters are larger, the League will allow duplication and other temporary deviations from the numbering scheme specified above, but the rule must be adhered to for all players during the regular season and postseason.

Clubs must make numerals available to adhere to the rule, even if it requires returning to circulation a numeral that has been retired or withheld for other reasons. See for reporting a change of position. There can never be more than 11 players in the offensive huddle while the play clock is running.

It is a foul, the whistle is blown immediately, and the ball remains dead. See a. A player becomes a substitute when he is withdrawn from the game and does not participate in at least one play. A play negated by penalty prior to the snap or during the play counts as a missed play. If a substitute enters the field of play or the end zone while the ball is in play, it is an illegal substitution. If an illegal substitute interferes with the play, it may be a palpably unfair act see Note: The intent of the rule is to prevent teams from using simulated substitutions to confuse an opponent, while still permitting a player or players to enter and leave without participating in a play in certain situations, such as a change in a coaching decision on fourth down, even though he has approached the huddle and communicated with a teammate.

Similarly, if a player who participated in the previous play leaves the playing field by mistake, and returns to the playing field prior to the snap, he is not required to reach the inside of the field numerals, provided the defense has the opportunity to match up with him.

However, a substitute i. A player must be withdrawn and substituted for when he is disqualified , or suspended A suspended player may re-enter after at least one legal snap, provided that the reason for his suspension has been corrected. A disqualified player must leave the playing field enclosure and go to the team locker room within a reasonable time. Following a timeout or change of possession, the offense may huddle outside the numbers near its bench area, but will not be allowed to line up and snap the ball before the defense has an opportunity to match personnel.

If the offense snaps the ball before the defense has had an opportunity to complete its substitutions, and a defensive foul for too many players on the field results, no penalties will be enforced, except for personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct fouls, and the down will be replayed. At this time, the Referee will notify the head coach that any further use of this tactic will result in a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Penalty: For Unsportsmanlike Conduct after a warning: Loss of 15 yards from the succeeding spot. If a substitution is made by the offense, the offense shall not be permitted to snap the ball until the defense has been permitted to respond with its substitutions. While in the process of a substitution or simulated substitution , the offense is prohibited from rushing quickly to the line of scrimmage and snapping the ball in an obvious attempt to cause a defensive foul i.

If the offense substitutes, the following procedure will apply:. Note: The quick-snap rule does not apply after the two-minute warning of either half, or if there is not a substitution by the offense.

Using entering substitutes, legally returning players, substitutes on sidelines, or withdrawn players to confuse opponents, or lingering by players leaving the field when being replaced by a substitute, is unsportsmanlike conduct.

See l. The offense is prevented from sending simulated substitutions onto the field toward its huddle and returning them to the sideline without completing the substitution in an attempt to confuse the defense. An offensive player wearing the number of an ineligible pass receiver 50—79 and 90—99 is permitted to line up in the position of an eligible pass receiver 1—49 and 80—89 , and an offensive player wearing the number of an eligible pass receiver is permitted to line up in the position of an ineligible pass receiver, provided that he immediately reports the change in his eligibility status to the Referee, who will inform the defensive team.

He must participate in such eligible or ineligible position as long as he is continuously in the game, but prior to each play he must again report his status to the Referee, who will inform the defensive team. The game clock shall not be stopped, and the ball shall not be put in play until the Referee takes his normal position. Note: An offensive player wearing the number of an eligible pass receiver who reports as ineligible must line up within the normal five-player core formed by ineligible players.

The player cannot be more than two players removed from the middle player of a seven-player line. A player who has reported a change in his eligibility status to the Referee is permitted to return to a position indicated by the eligibility status of his number after:.

Penalty: If a player fails to notify the Referee of a change in his status when required, or an offensive player with an eligible number reports as ineligible and lines up outside the tackle box: Loss of five yards for illegal substitution.

The communication begins once a game official has signaled a down to be over and is cut off when the play clock reaches 15 seconds or the ball is snapped, whichever occurs first.

Each offensive and defensive team is permitted no more than one player on the field with a speaker in his helmet. Each team is permitted to have a maximum of three active radio receivers to be used on offense by its quarterbacks, and a maximum of three active radio receivers to be used on defense by players who have been designated as a primary and backup users. Clubs that have a player whose principal position is as a non-quarterback e.

When a quarterback enters the game for the first time, or re-enters the game if he has previously been in the game and removed, he must report to the Referee. Whenever the backup defensive user enters or re-enters the game wearing a helmet with a speaker, he must report to the Umpire. If the primary defensive user subsequently re-enters the game wearing a helmet with a speaker, he must report to the Umpire.

If the primary and backup players have been removed from the game, no other player may wear the radio speaker in his helmet. Teams must use other methods to communicate signals to their players. All players that have radio components in their helmet must have a decal, supplied by the League, displayed on the midline of the rear of the helmet.