Player Conduct
Player Conduct#
Section 1 — Blocking, Use of Hands and Arms#
Article 1 — Legal and Illegal Block#
A player of either team may block (obstruct or impede) an opponent at any time, provided that the act is not:
(a) pass interference (see Rule 8, Section 5, Article 1);
(b) illegal contact (see Rule 8, Section 4);
(c) fair catch interference or interference with the opportunity to catch a kick (see Rule 10, Section 1);
(d) clipping against a non-runner (see Section 2, Article 1);
(e) a chop block (see Section 2, Article 5);
(f) an illegal crackback block (see Section 2, Article 6);
(g) an illegal low block during a free kick, a scrimmage kick, after a change of possession, or outside the Tight End Box (see Section 2, Article 4);
(h) unnecessary roughness (see Section 2, Article 8);
(i) roughing the passer (see Section 2, Article 11);
(j) an illegal cut block (see Rule 8, Section 4, Article 5);
(k) roughing the kicker or holder (see Section 2, Articles 12 and 13);
(l) offensive or defensive holding (see Section 1, Article 3(c); Section 1, Article 6);
(m) illegal use of hands (see Section 1, Article 3-a);
(n) an illegal block in the back above the waist (see Section 1, Article 3-b);
(o) tripping (see Section 2, Article 14);
(p) an illegal peel back block (see Section 2, Article 2);
(q) an illegal blindside block (see Section 2, Article 7);
(r) an illegal double team block (see Rule 6, Section 2, Article 1); or
(s) an illegal wedge block (see Rule 6, Section 2, Article 1).
Article 2 — Legal Block by Offensive Player#
An offensive player is permitted to block an opponent by contacting him with his head, shoulders, hands, and/or outer surface of the forearm, or with any other part of his body that is not prohibited by another rule.
A blocker may use his arms, or open or closed hands, to contact an opponent on or outside the opponent’s frame (the body of an opponent below the neck that is presented to the blocker), provided that he does not materially restrict him. The blocker must work immediately to bring his hands inside the opponent’s frame, and as the play develops, the blocker is permitted to work for and maintain his position against an opponent, provided that he does not illegally clip or illegally push from behind.
An offensive player is permitted to use his hands or arms to restrict an opponent:
(a) If he is a runner. A runner may ward off opponents with his hands and arms. He may also lay his hand on a teammate or push him into an opponent, but he may not grasp or hold on to a teammate.
(b) During a loose ball that has touched the ground. An offensive player may use his hands/arms legally to block or otherwise push or pull an opponent out of the way in a personal attempt to recover the ball. See specific fumble, pass, or kick rules.
(c) A kicking team player. See 6-2 and 9-1-4 for blocking restrictions during a kick.
Article 3 — Illegal Block by Offensive Player#
It is a foul if an offensive blocker:
- Thrusts his hands forward above the frame of an opponent to forcibly contact him on the head or neck in a direct or prolonged manner; or
Penalty: For illegal use of hands by the offense: Loss of 10 yards.
- Blocks an opponent (from behind) in the back above the opponent’s waist, or uses his hands or arms to push an opponent from behind in a manner that affects his movement, except in close-line play. This prohibition also applies to a player of the kicking team while the ball is in flight during a scrimmage kick.
The use of hands on the back is not a foul when:
(1) a player is making a personal attempt to recover a loose ball;
(2) the opponent turns away from the blocker when contact is imminent; or
(3) both of the blocker’s hands are on the opponent’s side
(if either hand is on the back, it is a foul).
Penalty: For an illegal block in the back above the waist by the offense: Loss of 10 yards.
(c) Uses his hands or arms to materially restrict or alter the defender’s path or angle of pursuit. It is a foul regardless of whether the blocker’s hands are inside or outside the frame of the defender’s body. Material restrictions include but are not limited to:
(1) grabbing or tackling an opponent;
(2) hooking, jerking, twisting, or turning him; or
(3) pulling him to the ground.
Penalty: For holding by the offense: Loss of 10 yards.
Blocking Notes:
(1) When a defensive player is held by an offensive player during the following situations, Offensive holding will not be called:
(a) if the runner is being tackled simultaneously by any defensive player;
(b) if the runner simultaneously goes out of bounds;
(c) if a fair catch is made simultaneously;
(d) if the action clearly occurs after a forward pass has been thrown to a receiver beyond the line of scrimmage;
(e) if the action occurs away from the point of attack and not within close-line play;
(f) if a free kick results in a touchback;
(g) if a scrimmage kick simultaneously becomes a touchback;
(h) if the action is part of a double team block, unless the defender splits the double team, gets to the outside of either blocker, or is taken to the ground; or
(i) if, during a defensive charge, a defensive player uses a “rip” technique that puts an offensive player in a position that would normally be holding, unless and until the defender’s feet are taken away from him by the blocker’s action.
(2) If a blocker falls on or pushes down a defender whose momentum is carrying him to the ground, Offensive holding will not be called unless the blocker prevents the defender from rising from the ground.
Article 4 — Assisting the Runner and Interlocking Interference#
No offensive player may:
(a) pull a runner in any direction at any time;
(b) use interlocking interference, by grasping a teammate or by using his hands or arms to encircle the body of a teammate in an effort to block an opponent; or
(c) push or throw his body against a teammate to aid him in an attempt to obstruct an opponent or to recover a loose ball.
Penalty: For assisting the runner, interlocking interference, or illegal use of hands, arms, or body by the offense: Loss of 10 yards.
Article 5 — Legal Use of Hands or Arms by Defense#
A defensive player may use his hands, arms, or body to push, pull, or ward off offensive players:
(a) when he is defending himself against an obstructing opponent while attempting to reach the runner;
(b) when an opponent is obviously attempting to block him;
(c) in a personal attempt to reach a loose ball that has touched the ground during a backward pass, fumble, or kick;
(d) during a forward pass that has crossed the neutral zone and has been touched by any player; and
(e) during a kick. See 6-2 and 9-1-4 for blocking restrictions during a kick.
Article 6 — Defensive Holding#
It is a foul for defensive holding if:
(a) a defensive player tackles or holds any opponent other than a runner, except as permitted in Article 5. For this purpose, a player is considered a runner while in the pocket if a teammate pretends to give him the ball and/or he pretends to possess the ball.
(b) during a punt, field goal attempt, or Try kick attempt, B1 grabs and pulls an offensive player out of the way, allowing B2 to shoot the gap (pull-and-shoot) in an attempt to block an apparent kick, except if B1 is advancing toward the kicker.
Penalty: For defensive holding: Loss of five yards and an automatic first down.
Article 7 — Illegal Use of Hands by Defense#
It is a foul if a defensive player thrusts his hands or arms forward above the frame of an opponent to forcibly contact him on the head or neck in a direct or prolonged manner.
Penalty: For illegal use of hands by the defense: Loss of five yards and an automatic first down.
Section 2 — Personal Fouls#
Article 1 — Clipping#
Clipping is blocking an opponent from behind below the waist, and is prohibited against a non-runner. This does not apply to offensive blocking in close-line play where it is legal to clip above the knee(s), but it is illegal to clip at or below the knee(s). See 3-6, close-line play.
Exception: An offensive lineman may not clip a defender above the knees who, at the snap, is aligned on the line of scrimmage opposite another offensive lineman who is more than one position away, and the defender is responding to the flow of the ball away from the blocker. Example: An offensive tackle cannot clip a defensive nose tackle on a sweep away.
If there is a block from the side, or if an opponent turns his back as the block is being made, it is not clipping if the opponent is able to see or ward off the block.
If an offensive player’s block (legal or illegal) is followed by the blocker rolling up on the back or side of the leg(s) of a defender, it is clipping, including in close-line play.
When a blocker, who is moving in the same direction as an opponent, initially contacts the opponent on his side, and subsequently contacts the opponent below his waist from behind, it is not clipping if the contact is continuous.
Penalty: For clipping: Loss of 15 yards.
Article 2 — Peel Back Block#
An offensive player cannot initiate contact on the side and below the waist against an opponent if:
(a) the blocker is moving toward his own end line; and
(b) he approaches the opponent from behind or from the side unless his near shoulder completely crosses the front of both of his opponent’s legs.
Penalty: For a peel back block: Loss of 15 yards.
Article 3 — Illegal Cut Block#
See 8-4-5.
Article 4 — Blocking Below the Waist#
Blocks below the waist are prohibited in the following situations:
(a) By players of either team after a change of possession; or
(b) By players of the kicking team after a free kick, safety kick, fair catch kick, punt, field goal attempt, or Try kick; or
(c) By players of the receiving team during a down in which there is a free kick, safety kick, fair catch kick, punt, field goal attempt, or Try kick; or
(d) By players of either team during a scrimmage down prior to a change of possession unless the contact occurs in the tight end box. (Note: Players are prohibited from initiating contact below the waist of an opponent outside the tight end box (See 3-33), except against a runner or a player who is attempting to catch a forward or backward pass).
Note: The following blocking restrictions may result in a foul even if they occur in the tight end box:
-
Illegal cut block. See 8-4-5.
-
Clipping. See 12-2-1.
-
Peel back block. See 12-2-2.
-
Chop block. See 12-2-5.
-
Crackback block. See 12-2-6.
Penalty: For illegally blocking below the waist: Loss of 15 yards.
Article 5 — Chop Block#
All chop blocks are illegal. A chop block is a high/low double team block by the offense in which one offensive player (designated as A1 for purposes of this rule) blocks a defensive player in the area of the thigh or lower while another offensive player (A2) engages that same defensive player above the waist. The order of the blocks is irrelevant. It is not
a foul if the defender initiates the contact with the blocker, or if the blocker is trying to slip or escape from the defender and any engagement with him is incidental.
Chop blocks include, but are not limited to, the following situations:
(a) A1 chops a defensive player while the defensive player is physically engaged above the waist by the blocking attempt of A2.
(b) A2 physically engages a defensive player above the waist with a blocking attempt, and A1 chops the defensive player after the contact by A2 has been broken and while A2 is still confronting the defensive player.
(c) A1 chops a defensive player while A2 confronts the defensive player in a pass-blocking posture but is not physically engaged with the defensive player (“lure”).
(d) A1 blocks a defensive player in the area of the thigh or lower, and A2, simultaneously or immediately after the block by A1, engages the defensive player high (“reverse chop”).
(e) A1 is lined up in the backfield at the snap and subsequently chops a defensive player engaged above the waist by A2.
(f) A1, an offensive lineman, chops a defensive player after the defensive player has been engaged by A2 (high or low).
Penalty: For chop block: Loss of 15 yards.
Article 6 — Crackback Block#
Item 1. Definition. It is an illegal crackback block if the following conditions are fulfilled:
The block occurs within an area five yards on either side of the line of scrimmage, including within close-line play, by an offensive player who is moving toward the position from which the ball was snapped; and
(a) the offensive player was in a set position and aligned more than two yards outside an offensive tackle (flexed) when the ball was snapped; or
(b) the offensive player was in a backfield position when the ball was snapped and moved to a position more than two yards outside an offensive tackle; or
(c) the offensive player was in a backfield position and in motion when the ball was snapped.
Item 2. Prohibited Contact. The following is prohibited against a player who is the recipient of a crackback block:
(a) Contacting the player below the waist; or
(b) Initiating contact that is prohibited against a player in a defenseless posture (Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9(b)(1-3)).
Penalty: For an illegal crackback block: Loss of 15 yards.
Article 7 — Blindside Block#
It is a foul if a player initiates a block when his path is toward or parallel to his own end line and makes forcible contact to his opponent with his helmet, forearm, or shoulder, unless the contact occurs in close-line play prior to the ball leaving that area. The ball is not considered to have left that area if the player who takes the snap, either from shotgun position or from under center, retreats in the pocket immediately or with slight delay, and hands the ball to another player, or runs with the ball himself during a designed play. Any forcible contact in close-line play is still subject to the restrictions for crackback and peel back blocks.
Penalty: For a blindside block: Loss of 15 yards.
Article 8 — Unnecessary Roughness#
There shall be no unnecessary roughness. This shall include, but will not be limited to:
(a) using the foot or any part of the leg to strike an opponent with a whipping motion (leg whip);
(b) forcibly contacting a runner when he is out of bounds;
Note: Defensive players must make an effort to avoid contact. Players on defense are responsible for knowing when a runner has crossed the boundary line, except in doubtful cases where he might step on a boundary line and continue parallel with it.
(c) a player of the receiving team who has gone out of bounds and blocks a kicking team player out of bounds during the kick. If this occurs on a kick from scrimmage, post-possession rules will apply if appropriate (9-5-1);
(d) running, diving into, or throwing the body against or on a runner whose forward progress has been stopped, who has slid or taken a knee, or who has declared himself down by going to the ground untouched and has made no attempt to advance. See 7-2-1-d-Notes regarding a sliding player;
(e) running, diving into, or throwing the body against or on any player on the ground either before or after the ball is dead;
(f) throwing the runner to the ground after the ball is dead;
(g) unnecessarily running into, diving into, or throwing the body against or on a player who (1) is out of the play or (2) should not have reasonably anticipated such contact by an opponent, before or after the ball is dead;
(h) pulling an opponent off a pile of players in an aggressive or forcible manner; or
(i) a kicker/punter, who is standing still or fading backward after the ball has been kicked, is out of the play and must not be unnecessarily contacted by the receiving team through the end of the down or until he assumes a distinctly defensive position. However, a kicker/punter is a defenseless player through the conclusion of the down (see 12-2-9-a-8).
Penalty: For unnecessary roughness: Loss of 15 yards. The player may be disqualified if the action is judged by the official(s) to be flagrant. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.
Article 9 — Players in a Defenseless Posture#
It is a foul if a player initiates unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture. A player who initiates contact against a defenseless opponent is responsible for avoiding an illegal act. A standard of strict liability applies for any contact against an opponent, even if his body position is in motion, and irrespective of any acts by him, such as ducking his head or curling up his body in anticipation of contact.
(a) Players in a defenseless posture are:
(1) A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass (passing posture).
(2) A receiver running a pass route when the defender approaches from the side or behind. If the receiver becomes a blocker or assumes a blocking posture, he is no longer a defenseless player.
(3) A player attempting to catch a pass who has not had time to clearly become a runner. If the player is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player.
(4) The intended receiver of a pass in the action during and immediately following an interception or potential interception. If the player is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player. Violations of this provision will be enforced after the interception, and the intercepting team will maintain possession.
(5) A runner already in the grasp of a tackler and whose forward progress has been stopped.
(6) A kickoff or punt returner attempting to field a kick in the air who has not had time to clearly become a runner. If the player is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player.
(7) A player on the ground.
(8) A kicker/punter during the kick or during the return (also see Article 8-i for additional restrictions against a kicker/punter).
(9) A quarterback at any time after a change of possession (also see Article 11-e for additional restrictions against a quarterback after a change of possession).
(10) A player who receives an illegal blindside block.
(11) A player who receives an illegal crackback block.
(12) The offensive player who attempts a snap during any scrimmage kick. He is no longer a defenseless player after he has had an opportunity to defend himself or moves downfield.
(b) Prohibited contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture is listed below. However, these provisions do not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or helmet in the course of a conventional tackle or block on an opponent:
(1) forcibly hitting the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder, even if the initial contact is lower than the player’s neck, and regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him;
(2) lowering the head and making forcible contact with any part of the helmet against any part of the defenseless player’s body; or
(3) illegally launching into a defenseless opponent. It is an illegal launch if a player (i) leaves one or both feet prior to contact to spring forward and upward into his opponent, and (ii) uses any part of his helmet to initiate forcible contact against any part of his opponent’s body. (This does not apply to contact against a runner, unless the runner is still considered to be a defenseless player, as defined in Article 9).
Penalty: For unnecessary roughness: Loss of 15 yards and an automatic first down. The player may be disqualified if the action is judged by the official(s) to be flagrant.
Article 10 — Impermissible Use of the Helmet#
It is a foul if a player:
(a) lowers his head and makes forcible contact with his helmet against an opponent; or
(b) uses any part of his helmet or facemask to butt or make forcible contact to an opponent’s head or neck area.
These provisions do not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or the helmet in the course of a conventional tackle or block on an opponent.
Penalty: For impermissible use of the helmet: Loss of 15 yards. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down. The player may be disqualified.
Article 11 — Roughing the Passer#
Because the act of passing often puts a passer in a position where he is particularly vulnerable to injury, special rules against roughing the passer apply. Players in a passing posture are considered to be a player in a defenseless posture. Any physical acts against a player who is in a passing posture (i.e. before, during, or after attempting a pass) which, in the game official’s judgment, are unwarranted by the circumstances of the play will be called as fouls. The following principles apply:
(a) Roughing will be called if, in the game official’s judgment, a pass rusher clearly should have known that the ball had already left the passer’s hand before contact was made; pass rushers are responsible for being aware of the position of the ball in passing situations; the game official will use the release of the ball from the passer’s hand as his guideline that the passer is now fully protected; once a pass has been released by a passer, a rushing defender may make direct contact with the passer only up through the rusher’s first step after such release (prior to second step hitting the ground); thereafter the rusher must be making an attempt to avoid contact and must not continue to “drive through” or otherwise forcibly contact the passer; incidental or inadvertent contact by a player who is easing up or being blocked into the passer will not be considered significant.
(b) A rushing defender is prohibited from committing such intimidating and punishing acts as “stuffing” a passer into the ground or unnecessarily wrestling or driving him down after the passer has thrown the ball, even if the rusher makes his initial contact with the passer within the one-step limitation provided for in (a) above. When tackling a passer who is in a defenseless posture (e.g., during or just after throwing a pass), a defensive player must not unnecessarily or violently throw him down or land on top of him with all or most of the defender’s weight. Instead, the defensive player must strive to fall to the side of the quarterback’s body, or to brace his fall with his arms to avoid landing on the quarterback with all or most of his body weight.
(c) In covering the passer position, game officials will be particularly alert to fouls in which defenders impermissibly use the helmet and/or facemask to hit the passer, or use hands, arms, or other parts of the body to hit the passer forcibly in the head or neck area (see also the other unnecessary roughness rules covering these subjects). A defensive player must not use his helmet against a passer who is in a defenseless posture - for example, (1) forcibly hitting the passer’s head or neck area with the helmet or facemask, even if the initial contact of the defender’s helmet or facemask is lower than the passer’s neck, and regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the passer by encircling or grasping him; or (2) lowering the head and making forcible contact with any part of the helmet against any part of the passer’s body. This rule does not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or the helmet in the course of a conventional tackle on a passer.
(d) A rushing defender is prohibited from forcibly hitting in the knee area or below a passer who has one or both feet on the ground, even if the initial contact is above the knee. It is not a foul if the defender is blocked (or fouled) into the passer and has no opportunity to avoid him. A defender cannot initiate a roll or lunge and forcibly hit the passer in the knee area or below, even if he is being contacted by another player. It is not a foul if the defender swipes or grabs a passer in the knee area or below in an attempt to tackle him, provided he does not make forcible contact with the helmet, shoulder, chest, or forearm.
(e) A passer who is standing still or fading backward after the ball has left his hand is obviously out of the play and must not be unnecessarily contacted by an opponent through the end of the down or until the passer becomes a blocker, or a runner, or, in the event of a change of possession during the down, until he assumes a distinctly defensive position. However, at any time after the change of possession, it is a foul if:
(1) an opponent forcibly hits the quarterback’s head or neck area with his helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder
(2) if an opponent lowers his head and makes forcible contact with any part of his helmet against any part of the passer’s body. This provision does not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or the helmet in the course of a conventional block.
(f) When the passer goes outside the pocket area and either continues moving with the ball (without attempting to advance the ball as a runner) or throws while on the run, he loses the protection of the one-step rule provided for in (a) above, and the protection against a low hit provided for in (d) above, but he remains covered by all the other special protections afforded to a passer in the pocket (b, c, and e), as well as the regular unnecessary roughness rules applicable to all player positions. If the passer stops behind the line to clearly establish a passing posture, he will then be covered by all of the special protections for passers.
(g) The game official must blow the play dead as soon as the passer is clearly in the grasp and control of any tackler behind the line, and the passer’s safety is in jeopardy.
Penalty: For roughing the passer: Loss of 15 yards and an automatic first down; disqualification, if flagrant.
Article 12 — Roughing/Running Into the Kicker#
No defensive player may run into or rough a kicker who kicks from behind the line unless such contact:
(a) is incidental to and occurs after the defender has touched the kick in flight, or occurs simultaneously with the kicker kicking the ball;
(b) is caused by the kicker’s own motions;
(c) occurs during a quick kick or when the kicker carries the ball outside the pocket area, unless he clearly establishes a kicking posture;
(d) occurs during or after a run behind the line;
(e) occurs after the kicker or holder recovers a loose ball on the ground;
(f) occurs because a defender is pushed or blocked (causing a change of direction) into the kicker; or
(g) is the result of a foul by an opponent.
Item 1. Roughing the kicker. It is a foul for roughing the kicker if a defensive player:
(a) contacts the plant leg of the kicker while his kicking leg is still in the air;
(b) slides into or contacts the kicker when both of the kicker’s feet are on the ground. It is not a foul if the contact is not severe, or if the kicker returns both feet to the ground prior to the contact and falls over a defender on the ground; or
(c) commits any other act of unnecessary roughness against the kicker.
Item 2. Running into the Kicker. It is a foul for running into the kicker if a defensive player:
(a) contacts the kicking leg or foot of the kicker, even if the kicker is airborne when the contact occurs; or
(b) slides under the kicker, preventing him from returning both feet to the ground.
Penalties:
(1) For roughing the kicker: Loss of 15 yards from the previous spot (personal foul) and an automatic first down. The player may be disqualified if the action is flagrant.
(2) For running into the kicker: Loss of five yards from the previous spot (not a personal foul). There is not an automatic first down.
Article 13 — Roughing the Holder#
It is a foul for roughing the holder if a defensive player:
(1) forcibly contacts the holder of a place kick, unless the contact:
(a) is incidental and occurs after the defender has touched the kick in flight;
(b) is caused because a defender is blocked into the holder; or
(c) occurs after the holder recovers a ball that has touched the ground; or
(2) commits any other act of unnecessary roughness against the holder.
Penalty: For roughing the holder: Loss of 15 yards from the previous spot (personal foul) and an automatic first down. The player may be disqualified if the action is flagrant.
Note: When two defensive players are making a bona fide attempt to block a kick from scrimmage (punt, drop kick, and/or place kick), and one of them runs into the kicker or holder after the ball has left the kicker’s foot at the same instant the second player blocks the kick, the foul for running into the kicker or holder shall not be enforced, unless in the judgment of the Referee, the player running into the kicker or holder was clearly the direct cause of the kick being blocked.
Article 14 — Striking, Kicking, Tripping or Kneeing Opponents#
All players are prohibited from:
(a) striking an opponent with his fists;
(b) kicking or kneeing an opponent;
(c) tripping an opponent, including the runner;
(d) striking, swinging at, or clubbing the head or neck of an opponent with the wrist(s), arm(s), elbow(s), or hand(s); or
Exceptions: Contact to the head, neck, or face of an opponent with the palm of the hand is permitted:
(1) by a defensive player who is attempting to ward off an offensive player at the line of scrimmage, provided that it is not a repeated act against the same opponent during any one contact; or
(2) by any player in a personal attempt to recover a loose ball.
(e) striking an opponent below the shoulders with his forearm or elbows by turning the trunk of his body at the waist, or by pivoting, or by any other way that is clearly unnecessary.
Penalty: For prohibited acts in (a-e) above: Loss of 15 yards. If any of the fouls is judged by the official(s) to be flagrant, the offender may be disqualified as long as the entire action is observed by the official(s). If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.
Article 15 — Twisting, Pulling, or Turning the Facemask or Helmet Opening#
If a player grasps an opponent’s facemask or helmet opening, he must immediately release it. He shall not grasp and control, twist, turn, push, or pull the facemask or helmet opening of an opponent in any direction.
Penalty: For twisting, turning, pushing, pulling, or controlling the mask or helmet opening: Loss of 15 yards. The player may be disqualified if the action is flagrant. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.
Article 16 — Horse-Collar Tackle#
No player shall grab the inside collar of the back or the side of the shoulder pads or jersey, or grab the jersey at the name plate or above, and pull the runner toward the ground. This does not apply to a runner who is in the pocket area or in the area defined by close-line play. If his knees are buckled by the action, it is a foul, even if the runner is not pulled completely to the ground.
Penalty: For a horse-collar tackle: Loss of 15 yards and an automatic first down.
Article 17 — Use of Helmet as a Weapon#
A player may not use a helmet that is no longer worn by anyone as a weapon to strike, swing at, or throw at an opponent.
Penalty: For illegal use of a helmet as a weapon: Loss of 15 yards and automatic disqualification. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.
Article 18 — Hip-Drop Tackle#
It is a foul if a player uses the following technique to bring a runner to the ground:
(a) grabs the runner with one or both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and
(b) unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and/or trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.
Penalty: For a hip-drop tackle: Loss of 15 yards and an automatic first down.
Article 19 — Other Personal Fouls#
Fouls that include a 15-yard penalty but are not listed in this Section or in Section 3, are considered Personal Fouls for penalty enforcement purposes.
Section 3 — Unsportsmanlike Conduct#
Article 1 — Prohibited Acts#
There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct. This applies to any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship. Such acts specifically include, among others:
(a) Throwing a punch, or a forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even though no contact is made.
(b) Using abusive, threatening, or insulting language or gestures to opponents, teammates, officials, or representatives of the League.
(c) Using baiting or taunting acts or words that may engender ill will between teams.
(d) Any violent gesture, which shall include, but not be limited to, a throat slash, simulating firing or brandishing a gun, or using the “nose wipe” gesture, or an act that is sexually suggestive or offensive.
(e) Unnecessary physical contact with a game official. Under no circumstance is a player allowed to shove, push, or strike an official in an offensive, disrespectful, or unsportsmanlike manner. The player shall be disqualified from the game, and any such action must be noted in the game report.
Note: Violations of (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) will be penalized if they occur anywhere in the stadium in which the officials have jurisdiction.
(f) Prolonged or excessive celebrations or demonstrations by an individual player or multiple players.
(g) Using any object as a prop, or possessing any foreign or extraneous object(s) that are not part of the uniform on the field or the sideline during the game, other than the football after a scoring play or change of possession. If any foreign object(s) are deemed a safety hazard by the game officials, in addition to a yardage penalty, the player will be subject to ejection from the game, whether he uses the object or not.
Note: Violations of (f) and (g) will be penalized if they occur anywhere on the field other than the bench area.
(h) Removal of his helmet by a player in the field of play or the end zone during a celebration or demonstration, or during a confrontation with a game official or any other player.
Penalty: For unsportsmanlike conduct (a) through (h): Loss of 15 yards from the succeeding spot or whatever spot the Referee, after consulting with the crew, deems equitable. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down. If the action is flagrant and a game official sees the entire action, the player is also disqualified. See 19-2 for authority of Replay Officials to instruct officiating crew to disqualify a player. Two violations of (a), (b), or (c) by the same player which occur before or during the game will result in disqualification in addition to the yardage penalty. Any violations at the game site on the day of the game, including postgame, may result in discipline by the League.
(i) Using acts or words by the defensive team that are designed to disconcert an offensive team at the snap. An official must blow his whistle immediately to stop play.
(j) Concealing the ball underneath the uniform or using any article of equipment to simulate a ball.
(k) Using entering substitutes, legally returning players, substitutes on sidelines, or withdrawn players to confuse opponents, including lingering by players leaving the field after being replaced by a substitute. See 5-2.
(l) An offensive player lining up or going in motion less than five yards from the sideline in front of his team’s designated bench area. However, an offensive player is permitted to line up less than five yards from the sidelines on the same side as his team’s player bench, provided he is not in front of the designated bench area.
(m) Conserving time after the two-minute warning of either half by repeatedly violating the substitution rule while the ball is dead and time is in. See 4-7-2.
(n) Two successive delay-of-game penalties during the same down when time is in.
(o) Jumping or standing on a teammate or opponent to block or attempt to block an opponent’s kick or apparent kick.
(p) Placing a hand or hands on a teammate or opponent to gain additional height to: (1) block or attempt to block an opponent’s kick or apparent kick; or (2) attempt to jump through any gap between offensive players to block an opponent’s kick or apparent kick.
(q) Picking up a teammate to block or attempt to block an opponent’s kick or apparent kick.
(r) Running forward and leaping across the line of scrimmage in an obvious attempt to block a field goal or Try Kick, or apparent kick, unless the leaping player was in a stationary position within one yard of the line of scrimmage when the ball was snapped. A player who is more than one yard behind the line of scrimmage before or at the snap, may run forward and leap, provided he does not cross the line of scrimmage or land on players.
(s) Goaltending by a defensive player leaping up to deflect a kick as it passes above the crossbar of a goalpost. The referee may award three points for a palpably unfair act (12-3-4).
(t) A punter, placekicker, or holder who simulates being roughed or run into by a defensive player.
(u) If a member of the kicking team is forced out of bounds, or goes out of bounds voluntarily, and does not attempt to return inbounds in a reasonable amount of time.
(v) Attempting to call an excess or illegal timeout to “freeze” a kicker prior to a field goal attempt or a Try kick when:
(1) a team has already been charged a timeout during the same dead ball period; or
(2) a team has exhausted its three charged team timeouts that are permitted in a half.
If an attempt is made to call a timeout in these situations, the officials shall not grant a timeout, play will continue, and a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct shall be enforced after the down has been completed. The penalty shall be enforced as a dead ball foul if a timeout is inadvertently granted.
Penalty: For unsportsmanlike conduct (i) through (v): Loss of 15 yards from:
(a) the succeeding spot if the ball is dead; or
(b) the previous spot if the ball was in play.
If the infraction is flagrant, the player is also disqualified. If the foul is by the defense, it is also an automatic first down.
Article 2 — Fouls to Prevent Score#
The defense shall not commit successive or repeated fouls to prevent a score.
Penalty: For successive or repeated fouls to prevent a score: If the violation is repeated after a warning, the score involved is awarded to the offensive team.
Article 3 — Intentional Fouls to Manipulate Game Clock#
A team may not commit multiple fouls during the same scrimmage or kick down in an attempt to manipulate the game clock.
Penalty: For multiple fouls to run off time from the game clock: Loss of 15 yards, and the game clock will be reset to where it was at the snap. After the penalty is enforced, the game clock will start on the next snap.
Article 4 — Palpably Unfair Act#
A player or substitute shall not interfere with play by any act which is palpably unfair.
Penalty: For a palpably unfair act: Offender may be disqualified. The Referee, after consulting the officiating crew, enforces any such distance penalty as they consider equitable and irrespective of any other specified code penalty. The Referee may award a score. See 19-1-3.
Section 4 — Automatic Disqualification#
Article 1 — Multiple Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls#
In addition to any penalty referenced elsewhere in the Official Playing Rules, a player or non-player personnel will be automatically disqualified if that person is penalized twice in the same game for committing one of the unsportsmanlike conduct fouls listed below, or a combination of the fouls listed below:
(a) Throwing a punch, or a forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even though no contact is made.
(b) Using abusive, threatening, or insulting language or gestures to opponents, teammates, officials, or representatives of the League.
(c) Using baiting or taunting acts or words that may engender ill will between teams.
The player or non-player personnel will be automatically disqualified regardless of whether the penalty is accepted or declined by the opponent. The fouls do not have to be judged by the official to be flagrant for the automatic disqualification to occur, and any foul that occurs during the pregame warm-up period will carry over into the game. Nothing in this section supersedes the Game Official’s discretion to judge a foul to be flagrant and disqualify the player based on one occurrence.
Section 5 — Illegal Bats and Kicks#
Article 1 — Illegal Bat#
It is an illegal bat if:
(a) any player bats or punches a loose ball in the field of play toward his opponent’s goal line;
(b) any player bats or punches a loose ball (that has touched the ground) in any direction, if it is in either end zone;
(c) an offensive player bats a backward pass in flight toward his opponent’s goal line; or
(d) a forward pass that is controlled by a player prior to completing the catch is thrown forward (the ball remains alive if caught by a teammate or intercepted).
Exception: A forward pass in flight may be tipped, batted, or deflected in any direction by any eligible player at any time.
Article 2 — Illegally Kicking Ball#
No player may deliberately kick a loose ball or a ball that is in a player’s possession. The ball is not dead when an illegally kicked ball is recovered, unless another rule prescribes otherwise.
Penalty: For illegal batting or kicking the ball: Loss of 10 yards. If the foul is by Team A before possession changes during a scrimmage down: Loss of down and loss of 10 yards except for a foul by Team A beyond the line of scrimmage during a scrimmage kick, in which case there is no loss of down.
Article 3 — Ball Batted or Illegally Kicked Into Opponent#
A player is deemed to have not touched the ball if it is legally or illegally batted or illegally kicked into him by an opponent. Such touching is disregarded, although the bat or kick could create a first touching violation or a foul for an illegal bat or illegal kick.