Flag Football Rules

Play will be governed by the NIRSA 2005 & 2006 Rulebook with the following exceptions and/or highlights.

A. Team Formation

1. Games will be played 7 on 7.

2. Teams will have a 10 minute grace period to field at least 5 players. Players arriving late can join at the next stoppage of play once they have checked in.

a. If a team does not have 5 players ready to play within the grace period, the game will be forfeited. If neither team has 5 players present, the game will be a double-forfeit.

B. Game Length and Timing

1. Coin Toss

a. Visiting team will call toss in air

b. Team winning toss will have choice of offense, defense or side to defend.

c. Team losing toss will have the other decision.

2. Playing Periods

a. Game will consist of two twenty minute halves, with a 5 minute halftime.

b. Clock will stop only for time-outs, injuries and unusual delays during first 38 minutes of play.  The clock only stops for timeouts in first half or first 20 minutes of play.

c. In last 2 minutes, play will stop on the following occurrences:

1. Incomplete Pass – restart on snap

2. Out of Bounds – restart on snap

3. Safety- restart on snap

4. Time Out – restart on snap

5. Touchdown – restart on snap (after the PAT)

6. First Down – restart on the ready

7. Penalty – restart on the ready

8. Touchback – restart on snap

9. Change of possession – restart on snap

10. Team attempting to conserve time illegally – restart on ready

11. Team attempting to consume time illegally – restart on snap

12. Injury Time out – restart on snap

13. Inadvertent whistle – restart on the ready

3. Time-outs

a. Each team will have 2 time-outs per half.

4. Tie Game at end of regulation

a. During the regular season the game will go into forward progression overtime.

1. Coin toss will be administered with Home Team having the call.

2. Team winning toss will have choice of offense, defense or side of field.

3.  Each team will start at 40 yard line with no first downs.  If neither team scores, the team who progressed further will win the game.  Example Team A makes it to there own 3 yard line and does not score in 4 plays.  Team B makes it to there own 5 yard line and does not score in 4 plays.  Team A wins.  Second example if Team A starts the overtime with ball first and throws interception and Team B progresses the ball 1 yard and knees the ball Team B wins.

b. During the playoffs the following method will be used

1. Coin toss will be administered with Home Team having the call.

2. Team winning toss will have choice of offense, defense or side of field.

3. Each team will have 4 downs to score from the 20 yard line.

a. PAT will be attempted according to standard rules.

4. After each team has had one possession, team in the lead will be

declared the winner

a. If score is still tied, process will be repeated.

5.  If Team A has ball first and throws interception and Team B runs it back for a touchdown Team B wins.

5. Mercy Rule

a. If a team is ahead by 18 points or more in the final 2 minutes of the game, the mercy rule will be declared and the game will be over.  35 points with 10 minutes left in second half

6. Players Equipment

a. All players must wear closed-toed athletic shoes

1. Rubber or plastic molded cleats will be allowed. No metal cleats are allowed

b. Players must wear athletic pants or shorts without pockets, exposed

drawstrings or belt loops.

1. A player may not turn their clothes inside out or tape pockets closed.

c. All jewelry must be removed

d. All players must wear like jerseys with numbers on the back

e. All shirts must be tucked in or cut off with a minimum of 4 inches clearance above the flag belt

f. Flag belts will be provided by Alpharetta Flag Football.

g. Knit caps, stocking caps, or a headband no wider than 2” are the only

headwear allowed to be worn

h. Braces made of hard, unyielding material are not allowed to be worn unless covered with at least 2 inches of slow recovery rubber or other similar material.

7. Team area and Substitutions

a. Each team will be assigned a sideline, all players not in the game must remain on that sideline at all times between the two 20-yard lines. Failure to remain within the team box will result in a 5 yard penalty.

b. All substitutions must take place prior to the ball becoming live.

1. All substitutes must enter the field from between the 20-yard lines.

8. All players substituted for must leave the field between the 20-yard lines.

a. A player cannot sub in and then out again without a play occurring, a penalty being called, a timeout being called or the period ending

b. PENALTY for the above infractions – Illegal Substitution – 5 yards

C. Flags

1. The flag belt should be worn around the waist so that a flag hangs off of each side and one from behind.

2. flag belt must be legally worn at the start of each play. PENALTY – Required

equipment worn illegally – 5 yards

3. A player may not tie or otherwise manipulate his/her flag belt so that it will be

difficult to remove. PENALTY – Unsportsmanlike Conduct – 10 yards

4. If a flag comes off inadvertently during a play, no penalty is assessed, to be downed, player can simply be tagged on the body between the shoulders and knees.

D. Basic Gameplay

1. The field will be 80 yards long-separated into 20 yard sections and 40 yards wide; end zones will be 10 yards deep.

2. Teams will start possession on their 20 yard line and have 4 downs to progress the ball 20 yards to the next zone line to gain on the field.

3. Upon crossing the next zone line to gain, a team will be awarded a new set of 4

downs.

4. A team successfully progressing to the end zone will receive 6 points and a point after touchdown attempt. After scoring a touchdown, the scoring team will be given the option of attempting a score from the 3 or 10 yard line. If successful, the team will receive 1 or 2 points respectively.

a. A team will have one attempt to convert their PAT attempt.

b. If the defensive team can intercept the PAT attempt and run the ball back to the opposite end zone, they will receive whatever PAT attempt

the offense was going for.

5. On fourth down a team will have the option of attempting to make a first down,

touchdown, or punting. There are no field goals in flag football.

a. If a team does not earn a first down or score a touchdown after 4 downs, the ball will be turned over to the defense from the spot where they were stopped.

E. Offense

1. Line of scrimmage/starting a play

a. The offense will have a 25 second play clock from the referee’s ready signal. PENALTY – Delay of Game – 5 yard penalty

b. Offensive team must have 4 players on line of scrimmage when ball is

snapped. PENALTY – Illegal Procedure – 5 yard penalty

c. Players on the line shall remain motionless until the ball is snapped.

d. After assuming the position for snap and adjusting the ball, the center may not move or change the position of the ball in any manner simulating the beginning of the play. The ball must be snapped from the ground, and can be done so between the legs or from a side position. PENALTY - Illegal Procedure – 5 yards

e. Only one offensive player may be in motion before the snap; this motion must be lateral or away from the line of scrimmage. If more than one player is in motion, it will be considered a shift, all players must then set for one second before the ball can be snapped. PENALTY – Illegal Shift – 5

            2. Moving the ball

a. Ball can be progressed by ground or air; ball can be handed off or pitched for rushing plays. A dropped handoff or pitch is dead as soon as it hits the ground. A fumbled or pitched ball can be recovered by the defense before it hits the ground.

1. Ball can be passed backwards at any time during a play.

2. A backwards pass or fumble into a team’s own end zone will result in a safety.

3. A fumble into the opponent’s end zone will result in a touchback for the opponent.

b. Passing

1. All offensive players are eligible receivers.

2. Pass must be made from behind the line of scrimmage.

3. Only one forward pass per play.

4. The passer cannot catch their own untouched pass.

5. Ball cannot be thrown out of bounds to save a loss of yardage

a. PENALTY for violating any of the above rules – 5 yards from

the spot of the foul plus loss of down.

6. One foot must land in bounds for a complete pass

7. A catch by a kneeling or prone player inbounds is a legal catch, ball is dead at the spot caught.

8. A ball caught by the offense and defense simultaneously remains in possession of the offense.

c. Running the ball

1. Runners shall not guard their flag belt by using their hands, arms or the ball to prevent an opponent from removing the flag belt. The

following actions are considered flag Guarding, a 5 yard penalty:

a. Placing or swing the hand or arm over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from deflagging.

b. Placing the ball in possession over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from deflagging

c. Lowering the shoulders in such a manner which places the arm over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from

deflagging.

2. An offensive player may not stiff arm to ward off an opponent.

PENALTY – Personal Foul – 10 yards.

3. A Runner shall not charge into or contact an opponent in his path or attempt to run between two opponents unless there is a reasonable chance to make it past without contact. PENALTY – Personal Foul –10 yards.

d. Punting

1. A punt must be announced prior to the ready signal.

2. The kicking team must have 4 players on the line

3. The punter must be lined up at least 5 yards behind the line of

scrimmage

4. Offensive players cannot move until the ball has been kicked.

PENALTY – Illegal procedure – 5 yards

5. Ball may be played off of the ground provided it has not been

touched first. If it is touched and falls to the ground, it is dead on the spot.

6. Quick kicks and fake punts are illegal. PENALTY –

Unsportsmanlike Conduct – 10 yards.

e. Screen Blocking

1. There is No Moving Screen Blocking in this League. A moving contact screen block shall never take place.

2.  The only type of Screen allowed – Once Offense is lined up and does not move at all.  Defense has to go around.  If Offense moves at all to impede Rusher Penalty will be on Offense.

F. Defense

1. Before the Snap

a. The referee will lay down 2 disks on the field, one to mark the line of

scrimmage and another 5 yard beyond the line of scrimmage. The area

between the disks is the neutral zone. No defensive player should be within the neutral zone prior to the ball being snapped. PENALTY –Offside–5 yards

2. Flag Removal

a. The play will end when the flag belt is pulled from the person in possession of the ball.

b. A defensive player should stop as soon as he/she has removed an opponent’s belt and hold it in the air to assist the official in locating the correct spot.

c. A defensive player may not hold, push or knock the ball carrier down in an attempt to remove the flag

1. incidental contact is permitted in the attempt to remove a flag

d. A ball carrier is considered down when the clip on the belt has become

detached.

e. If a flag belt inadvertently falls off of a player during a play, he/she should continue on. This player can be downed with a hand tag between the shoulders and knees.

f. A player can leave his/her feet to remove a flag as long as it does not impede the progress of another player and is not done in a dangerous manner to any participant.

g. A player may not remove the flag belt of an opponent when he/she is not in

possession of the ball. PENALTY – Illegal flag Removal – 10 yards.

G. Additional Clarification

1. Any contact with passer aside from the attempt to remove flags is roughing the

passer. PENALTY – 10 yards + automatic first down

2. Pushing a receiver/defender is not allowed. PENALTY – Illegal use of the hands or pass interference (dependant on time of foul) – 10 yards or spot of foul.

3. Any dead ball penalty on the defense during a PAT attempt will be assessed on the next play from scrimmage at the 20 yard line

4. On an inadvertent whistle by an official, the play will be dead at the point when the whistle was blown.  The offensive team will have the option of accepting the result of the play or replaying the down.