It is an illegal launch if a player (i) leaves 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. 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 communications are not restored within one minute, the Referee will conduct the replay review in consultation with the Replay Official. See 3-7, close-line play. Some of these proposals had been considered individually for years, but were finally approved as a package “to put the emphasis on scoring touchdowns instead of winning by kicking field goals,” Paul Brown, a Competition Committee member, told Sports Illustrated at the time. Illegal position of Team A players at the snap, i.e., having fewer than seven players on line 7-5-1, having player neither on nor one yard behind his line unless man under center 7-5-1, More than six players on line of scrimmage on either side of center 9-1-3, Player entering neutral zone contacts opponent 7-4-3, Player not reporting change in eligibility 5-3-1, more than eleven men on field at snap or in formation 5-1-1, player not being stationary (except) one only in motion clearly backwards 7-4-8, single player not moving clearly backward at snap 7-4-8, Pausing less than one second after a shift 7-4-7, failing to place ball on ground as specified 7-6-3, Failing to give impulse by continuous motion or sliding hands along ball before snap 7-6-3, Making forward pass in field of play not from scrimmage 8-1-2, Pass after ball crossed line of scrimmage and returned 8-1-2, Illegal touch of forward pass by an ineligible receiver 8-1-8, Ineligible player downfield on pass 8-3-1, Ineligible player downfield on kick 9-1-2, Kicking team player voluntarily out of bounds during a punt 9-1-5, Running into kicker behind his line (not roughing) 12-2-12, holding, illegal use of hands, arms or body on offense, illegal block in the back above the waist 12-1-3, Batting or punching ball, when loose (unless a pass), towards opponents’ goal line or in any direction if in end zone 12-5-1, Not being able to start each half on scheduled time 4-2-1, Interfering with fair catch (and catch awarded) 10-1-1, Tackling or blocking maker of a fair catch or avoidable running into 10-2-3, Striking, kneeing and kicking (also disqualification) 12-2-14, Striking opponent below shoulders with forearm or elbow by turning or pivoting 12-2-14, Twisting, turning or pulling of opponent’s facemask 12-2-15, Blocking below waist on kicks and change of possession 12-2-4, Falling on or piling on a player on the ground 12-2-8-d, e. Unnecessary roughness (also disqualification when flagrant), i.e., striking an opponent with foot or shin in a whipping motion (leg whip) 12-2-8-a, tackling runner who is out of bounds 12-2-8-b, running into, throwing body against a player obviously out of the play or after the ball is dead 12-2-8-g, Initiating contact with the crown of the helmet 12-2-10, running into from behind or dropping body across back of legs of opponent who is not the runner (clipping) 12-2-1, Illegal block after fair catch signal 10-2-2-Item 5. For violation of this Section 4 that is discovered while player is in the game, and which involves the competitive or player safety aspects of the game (e.g., illegal kicking toe of shoe, an adhesive or slippery substance, failure to wear mandatory equipment), player will be removed from the game until he has complied. Illegal Passes. Further, the Commissioner will keep in mind the potential for competitive inequities if one or both of the involved clubs has already been scheduled for a game following the Tuesday of that week (e.g., Thanksgiving). The Referee has principal responsibility for enforcing these rules. Penalty: For tripping by either team: Loss of 10 yards. after statistics showed the rate dropping precipitously, the league moved the kick to the 30-yard line. Scrimmage Kick10. All other players may wear garments under game jerseys only if the undergarment sleeves either (a) are full length to the wrist; or (b) are the half sleeve length as provided by the licensee each of which must be approved by the NFL. The history and evolution of NFL rules changes is, at its core, a story about the league’s willingness to make any change it believes will benefit the game, its players or its fans as long as it also preserves the game’s integrity. Home clubs shall choose their jersey color (either white or official team color), and visiting clubs must wear the opposite. Note: For purposes of a replay review, the momentum spot is the spot where the second foot (or other body part other than the hands) touched the ground. If a kicking team player touches the ball before re-establishing himself legally inbounds, it is a free kick out of bounds. If the Try results in what would ordinarily be a safety against either team, one point is awarded to the opponent. The officials’ jurisdiction begins 100 minutes before the scheduled kickoff and ends when the Referee declares the final score. The Inbounds Lines are hash marks on the Field of Play that are 70 feet nine inches from and parallel to each sideline. Player Out of Bounds. After a valid fair-catch signal, the opportunity to catch a kick does not end if the ball is muffed. However, it is a False Start, if the action is quick and abrupt. Note: An intentional fumble that causes the ball to go forward is a forward pass and may be illegal (8-1-1-Pen. A Kickoff is a kick that puts the ball in play at the start of each half, at the start of overtime, after each Try, and after a successful field goal. If there is fair-catch interference or illegal contact with the receiver after he has made a fair catch, the 15-yard penalty is enforced from the receiver’s 20-yard line, and the option for a fair-catch kick is awarded. A receiving team player is deemed to have not touched the ball if it is batted or illegally kicked into him by an opponent. 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. A foul for interference with the opportunity to make a catch is enforced from the spot of the foul. Item 2. Item 1. The player may be disqualified if the action is flagrant. Incidental contact is not a foul. If a Try results in a touchdown by either team, two points are awarded. Exception: If a personal foul, unsportsmanlike conduct foul, or a palpably unfair act occurs on a touchdown or successful field goal, the scoring team has the option to begin a new series or to replay the down following enforcement of the penalty from the previous spot, and the score does not count. When a shoe logo or name approved by the League is covered with an appropriate use of tape, players will be allowed to cut out the tape covering the original logo or name, provided the cut is clean and is the exact size of the logo or name. The proposal that was eventually set forth by the competition committee -- … 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 neck, face, or head. For clubs with a third official uniform color, player (non-interior linemen) gloves may also incorporate a third official uniform color as an accent only. 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. The closer to the center the marks got, the less reluctant offenses became to design plays toward the sidelines, increasing their play-calling options and excitement for fans. The player who fumbled is the only player of his team who is permitted to recover and advance the ball. If a club’s solid white border is a minimum of 12 feet wide, there is no requirement that the broken restraining line also be added in the non-bench areas. Contact with Receiver. (The conditions of. Item 4. Whenever the backup defensive user enters or re-enters the game wearing a helmet with a speaker, he must report to the Umpire. Illegal conduct by non-players (also exclusion for flagrant violations), i.e., player on field communicating other than to coach in prescribed area 13-1-1, team representatives using unsportsmanlike conduct during game or between halves or sitting on bench when not qualified 13-1-3, non-players going on field without permission (other than team attendants during a team timeout) 13-1-2, non-players moving along boundary lines (unless substitute warming up or coach in prescribed area) 13-1-5, Illegal touch of forward pass by an eligible receiver who became ineligible 8-1-8, Pass interference by Team B in its end zone and previous spot is inside its 2-yard line 8-5-4, Distance penalty enforced from a spot between goal lines carrying ball more than half the distance to either goal line 14-2-1, Pass interference by Team B in its end zone and previous spot is outside its 2-yard line 8-5-4, Excess timeout (withdrawal only when fourth timeout – also loss of five when fifth or more) 4-5-4, Player being disqualified, suspended (illegal equipment), or replaced 5-4-1. A Charged Down is a scrimmage down that is not nullified by a penalty, or during which there is not a change of possession. forcibly hitting his head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder, even if the initial contact is lower than the player’s neck; lowering the head and making forcible contact with any part of the helmet against any part of the defensive player’s body; or, illegally launching into him. All Replay Reviews will be conducted by the Senior Vice President of Officiating or his or her designee. Double fouls are enforced according to customary rules. Players, Substitutes, Equipment, General Rules6. Item 2. Penalty: For illegal batting or punching the ball: Loss of 10 yards. The 4-inch wide yard lines are to be extended 4 inches beyond the white 6-foot border along the sidelines. The shift also hindered the passing game by making it more difficult for quarterbacks to get a pre-snap read on defensive coverage and call an audible to change the play. If the offense commits a foul beyond the line of scrimmage and the Basic Spot is behind the line of scrimmage, enforcement is from the previous spot. Item 4. For the above exceptions, the number of the down and the line to gain remain the same unless a distance penalty places the ball on or in advance of the line to gain, in which case it is first-and-10 for Team A. Two weeks after colleges approved the change, the NFL voted to do the same. (The ball is not dead if it touches an opponent before or after it strikes the ground. If the team that possesses the ball first scores a field goal on its initial possession, the other team (the second team) shall have the opportunity to possess the ball. There is no distinction between a player touching the ball with his hands, or with any other part of his body, including his hair, except as specifically provided for (9-2-2). If there is an injury timeout prior to the two-minute warning, the game clock is started as if the injury timeout had not occurred. Item 5. Penalty: For a palpably unfair act, see 12-3-4. The committee examined videotape to determine the causes of those injuries and found one source to be “wedges” of three or more blockers. The Forward Progress of a runner or airborne receiver is the point at which his advance toward his opponent’s goal ends and is the spot at which the ball is declared dead by rule, irrespective of the runner or receiver being pushed or carried backward by an opponent. In football, most special teams involve the placekicker or field goal kicker. © 2021 National Football League. (7-2-1-i). The penalty shall be enforced from whichever of the following spots is least beneficial to the receiving team: For enforcement of a personal or unsportsmanlike conduct foul on a play that results in a score, see, Double fouls are enforced according to customary rules. If it is normally a safety, the ball is placed on the one-yard line. If an eligible receiver who is on the line moves to another position on the line (not forward), he must come to a complete stop prior to the snap. A Team B player in a three-point or four-point stance is considered to be on the line of scrimmage if he is within one yard of the neutral zone. Penalty: For illegally kicking the ball: Loss of 10 yards. Item 3. Note: A foul for running into or roughing the kicker or holder can be removed if the kicked ball was touched before the contact. Runner Inbounds. An offensive player is permitted to use his hands or arms to restrict an opponent: Penalty: For illegal use of hands by the offense: Loss of 10 yards. A penalty shall be enforced only if the timeout is erroneously granted. The penalty for a False Start shall be enforced regardless of whether the snap is made or there is a reaction by the defense. Any action that occurs during the down after a change of team possession is Not From Scrimmage. Consistent with the equipment and uniform rules, players must otherwise present a professional and appropriate appearance while before the public on game-day. A down that starts with a snap is a Scrimmage Down (3-30). If the spot of its foul is in the field of play, the penalty is enforced from either the spot of the foul or the touchback spot (20 or 25), whichever is least beneficial to Team B, regardless of whether Team B attempts to advance the ball. An interception is made when an opponent who is inbounds catches a forward or backward pass or a fumble that has not touched the ground. 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. Penalty: For a punt, drop kick, or placekick that is kicked from beyond the line of scrimmage or not from scrimmage: Loss of 10 yards from the spot of the kick. This had the desired effect of opening up the passing game and reducing conservative play calling. All kicking team players must be inbounds and behind the ball when it is kicked, except: the kicker may be beyond the line, provided that his kicking foot is not beyond the line. Basketball-type knee pads are permitted, but must be covered by the outer uniform. A dramatic rule change pertaining to onside kicks could be coming to the NFL in 2020 if the league's owners vote to make it happen. Any such circumstances must be reported to the Commissioner. Members of the chain crew and the ball boys/girls must be uniformly identifiable as specified by the Commissioner. This rule does not prohibit incidental contact by the mask or the helmet in the course of a conventional tackle on a passer. Item 5. Unnecessary physical contact with a game official. The full list is below, but here are a couple of the noteworthy changes from a Patriots perspective. It is not a foul if the defender is blocked (or fouled) into the passer and has no opportunity to avoid him. Ball in Play, Dead Ball, Scrimmage8. When a Team A player is holding the ball to pass it forward, any intentional movement forward of his hand starts a forward pass. It is also used to indicate pertinent references to other rules. Clubs that have a player whose principal position is as a non-quarterback (e.g., wide receiver, running back) and who also is used as a quarterback from time to time must have two helmets for that player—one with and one without radio components. Goal Lines shall be established in the field 10 yards from and parallel to each end line. Penalty: For assisting the runner, interlocking interference, or illegal use of hands, arms, or body by the offense: Loss of 10 yards. 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