Flag Football Rules

ELIGIBILITY, PLAYERS, AND EQUIPMENT

    1. Players may compete on only one team per division of NYC Flag Football.
    2. The game shall be played between 2 teams of 5 players each.  Four players are required to avoid a forfeit. Teams are allowed to pick up players from other league teams to meet the minimum to avoid a forfeit, additional pick up players are allowed only at the opposing team’s discretion. 
    3. Jerseys must be either: Long enough so they remain tucked in the pants/shorts during the entire down OR short enough so as not to cover the flag belt.
    4. The flag belt must be accessible from 360 degrees. If in the judgment of the official an untucked shirt is covering the flag belt, the play will end when a defensive player touches the runner with ONE hand between the shoulders and the knees.
    5. Each Player must wear a three-flag belt with one flag on each hip and one in the rear. All players must have their belts on at the beginning of each play, or will be subject to a one hand touch rule.
  • If a runner loses their flag during action and in the judgment of the officials the flag was not pulled but fell off, play continues. The play ends when a defensive player touches the runner with ONE hand between the shoulders and the knees. ALWAYS PLAY TILL YOU HEAR A WHISTLE.  
  1. A player wearing illegal equipment shall not be permitted to play.  This applies to any equipment, which in the opinion of the Referee is dangerous or confusing.  Types of equipment or substances, which shall always be declared illegal include:
  • Headgear containing any hard, unyielding, or stiff material, including billed hats, and bandannas.
  • Jewelry
  • Pads or braces worn above the waist.
  • Shoes with metal spikes (This includes screw-in cleats if games are on turf)
  • Shirts or jerseys that do not follow rule #3 above
  • Pants or shorts with belt loops. (Ex.) Jeans, khaki shorts.
  • Leg and knee braces made of hard, unyielding material.
  • Towels attached at the player’s waist.

 

PLAYING FIELD AND FIRST DOWN PROCEDURE

  1. The ideal flag football field is an 60 yard field divided into three 20 yard segments with 8-10 yard endzones (for a total of approx. 80 yards). 
  2. Given field limitations in NYC, we will make necessary adjustments to the fields. For instance, there might be a field that is divided into three 17 yard segments, and has 7.5 yard endzones. We understand that small fields may help some teams out, but this is an unavoidable aspect of playing sports in New York City.
  3. A first down is achieved at every 20 yard segment. PLEASE NOTE, there is not a chain to follow first downs.
  4. Each drive begins at the 7 yard line, so you start each drive at 1st and 13. If you have a long play and gain 25 yards, you will have a 1st down. That said, you will now be at 1st and 8 as the next 20 yard marker will only be 8 yards away.

GAME TIMING RULES

Playing time shall be 40 minutes divided into two 20 minute halves. The intermission between halves shall be no more than 5 minutes. Halftime may be cut short in order to keep the league on schedule. Half length may be adjusted when necessary. 

  1. Each team has three timeouts per half. Timeouts do not carry over.   
  2. First Half timing rules: The clock only stops at the 2 minute warning and for team and referee’s time-outs. After the 2 minute warning the clock remains continuous and only stops for timeouts. THIS INCLUDES TOUCHDOWNS AND EXTRA POINTS.
  3. Second Half timing rules: The clock will run continuously for the first 18 minutes unless it is stopped for a team and/or referee’s time-out.
  4. Second Half Two Minute Warning – With two minutes remaining in the half, there will be an official timeout. After the two minute warning of the second half, the clock is managed with normal college timing rules. The clock will stop for team timeouts, official timeouts, incomplete passes, all scores, temporarily for first downs (clock starts when the ball is set ready for play and the play clock has started), and penalties.

Timing rules with penalty enforcement under 2 minutes – 

Defensive penalty – clock is stopped until the snap. Offensive penalty – if a running clock, the clock is stopped and ten seconds run off the clock. Time wasting rule – while under 2 minutes in the second half, in the event the team leading has committed an offensive penalty there will be no ten second runoff and the clock will be stopped until the snap of the next play. This rule also applies to both teams in the first half for any offensive penalties beyond the first, under two minutes. This rule is to prevent teams from intentionally taking penalties to run out the clock. 

LATE ARRIVAL/FORFEIT 

Ready to Play: “Ready to play” means that a team must be on the playing area, ready to play, with the minimum number of players (four).  The team must be able to respond immediately to game officials’ signal to begin play. 

If a team is not ready to start play at the scheduled game time, the playing time will be reduced to 15 minute halves and the team that was ready for play has the option to take a 8-0 lead to start the game. Teams can start play with a min of four players to avoid this plenty. 

Forfeit time is 10 minutes after the hour and will be strictly enforced. In the event a game is a forfeit we will always play an exhibition/pickup game with the remaining players once both teams are ready for play, but play will end promptly once it’s time for the next game to start or a few minutes prior to the scheduled end time if another organization has the field at that time. 

Please emphasize these rules with your players and encourage everyone to arrive early for games. Players should leave themselves plenty of extra travel time so that normal NYC delays don’t impact your arrival at the field. Our hope is to never have to enact late enforcement or forfeit rules all season. 

 

OVERTIME 

  1. Regular season games can end in a tie.  Only in the playoffs will overtime procedures be used.
  2. OVERTIME PROCEDURES: League playoff games that go to overtime feature college overtime rules. A coin will be flipped by the Referee to determine the options at the start of the overtime period. There will be only one coin flip during the overtime. If additional overtime periods are played, field captains will alternate choices.  The winner of the toss shall be given options of offense, defense, or direction.  The loser of the toss shall make a choice of the remaining options.  ALL OVERTIME PERIODS ARE PLAYED TOWARD THE SAME GOAL LINE. Unless moved by penalty, each team will start 1st and goal from the 10 yard line. The object will be to score a touchdown.  An overtime period consists of one possession by each team.  If the score is still tied after one period, additional periods will be played until a winner is determined. 

NOTE:  If the defense intercepts the pass and returns it for a touchdown, the game is over.  Each team is entitled to one time-out per overtime period. They are administered similar to the regular game.  Team A shall be awarded a new series of 4 downs when the penalty for defensive pass interference or roughing the passer is accepted.  Dead ball fouls following touchdowns are penalized on the try-for-point.  Dead ball fouls following a successful try-for-point will be penalized from the succeeding spot, the Team B 10 yard line, if accepted.

Mercy Rules

  1. If a team leads by 17 or more points at the two minute warning of the second half, the game will end.
  2. At any time after the completion of the first half, if one team has a lead of 40 or more points, the game will end.

 Scoring Rules 

  1. All touchdowns are worth 6 points.
  2. The players scoring the touchdown may on occasion be asked to raise their arms so the nearest official can deflag the player.  If the player is not de-flagged with one pull, and the official determines the flag belt has been secured illegally, the touchdown is disallowed. Penalty:  Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 10 yards from the previous spot and a loss of down.
  3. After a touchdown, the scoring team attempts a PAT from the 3-yard line worth 1 point or the 10-yard line worth 2 points. An interception on a PAT attempt can be returned for a touchdown worth 2 points.
  4. A safety shall count as 2 points. 
  5. Clear path rule – In the event the last defensive player illegally tackles the ball carrier (contact, tripping, pushing, diving for the flag that results in contacting the player to the ground), by any means other than a legal flag pull, the offensive team will be awarded a touchdown. 

PUNTING THE BALL

THERE ARE NO KICKOFFS, the opening drive and all drives after a score will start on the 7 yard line.

  1. The only legal kicking is a punt.
  2. All punts must be announced to the referee. Punts may also be thrown. There are no fake punts.
  3. The kicking team must have 4 players on the line of scrimmage.
  4. The kicker/thrower must catch and kick/throw the ball immediately in one continuous motion.
  5. The team may not advance beyond their respective scrimmage line until the ball is kicked.  Penalty:  Illegal procedure, 5 yards from the previous spot or applied to the end of the return.
  6. If the offense declares to punt, then wants to change their decision, they may do so after a charged timeout or an accepted penalty in which the down is to be replayed.
  7. If the receiving team fails to catch the punt the ball is dead where it touches the ground.

Ball spotting procedure

At the end of the play the ball will be spotted where the ball is at the time of the flag belt removal or the ball carrier has stepped out of bounds. If any part of the ball is across the goal line at the time the flag is pulled the result of the play is a touchdown. While on offense with the endzone to your back, if the ball is not completely out of the endzone when the ball carrier’s flag is pulled, the result of the play is a safety. 

Flag Belt Removal

  1. Players must have possession of the ball before they can legally be de-flagged.
  2. When a runner loses their flag-belt inadvertently (not removed by grabbing or pulling) or prematurely (flag pulled before the catch) play continues. The de-flagging reverts to a one-hand tag of the runner shoulders and the knees.
  3. Pulling a flag belt from an offensive player without the ball by a defensive player intentionally is illegal. Penalty:  Personal Foul, 10 yards. First offenses will normally not be flagged, but repeated offenses by teams/players will be flagged. 
  4. Tampering with the flag belt in any way to gain an advantage including tying, using foreign materials, or other such acts is illegal.  Penalty:  Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 10 yards from the previous spot, loss of down and possible player ejection.
  5. While you may not tackle a player, we do allow you to wrap up a ball carrier. These are instances where you may wrap up a player:

– If the ball carrier makes a spin move and initiates contact with the player attempting to remove the flag.

– If the ball carrier inadvertently makes contact coming off of a screen or contact block. Or if a wide receiver makes contact as part of his catching motion where contact is not enough to warrant a pass interference call by either player.

You may not wrap up a player if you are trying to make an open field tackle  Penalty:  Illegal contact, 5 yards from the spot.

SNAPPING, HANDING, AND PASSING THE BALL

  1. The ball must be hiked from the ground next to the offensive line of scrimmage marker. The ball can be hiked between the legs or one handed across the center’s body. 
  2. Offensive players are responsible for retrieving the ball after every scrimmage down.  
  3. The offensive team must have at least three players on their scrimmage line (the cone closest to your side of the field) at the snap. All players must be inbounds.  A player in motion is not counted as on the scrimmage line.  Penalty: Illegal Procedure, 5 yards replay the down.  NOTE:  If in doubt, you may check with the line judge.
  4. To mark the lines of scrimmage the official will place two flat cones (ball spotters) on the field. The space between the two cones is the neutral zone and both the offense and the defense need to be behind the ball spotter on their side until the ball is snapped.  Penalty: Offsides, 5 yards replay the down.
  5. All players must be set at the snap and not move before the ball is snapped. Penalty: False Start, 5 yards replay the down.
  6. Direct snaps to players in motion are illegal. The player who receives the snap must be at least two yards behind the offensive scrimmage line. Penalty: Illegal Procedure, 5 yards loss of down.
  7. A runner may pass the ball backward at any time, except if intentionally thrown out of bounds to conserve time.  Penalty:  Illegal Pass or Delay of Game, 5 yards and loss of down.
  8. A backward pass or fumble which touches the ground between the goal lines is dead at the spot where it touches the ground and belongs to the team last in possession unless lost on downs. Yards can’t be gained on a fumble. If the offense fumbles the ball forward it will be marked down at the spot the fumble occurred. If a ball is fumbled forward and lands in the endzone the result is a touchback and change of possession. 

Receiver Eligibility –

All players are eligible to touch or catch a pass.  A forward pass may be thrown provided any part of the passer’s body is on or behind the offensive line of scrimmage when the ball leaves the passer’s hand. Only one forward pass can be thrown per down. NOTE: Once the offense possesses the ball beyond the line of scrimmage a forward pass may not be thrown legally.

  1. One foot must land inbounds before any part of the body lands in the out-of-bounds area for a legal pass reception. One knee is equivalent.
  2. An illegal forward pass is defined as:
  • If the passer’s entire body is beyond the offensive line of scrimmage line when the ball leaves their hand.
  • If thrown after team possession has changed during the down.
  • If intentionally thrown to the ground or out-of-bounds to save loss of yardage.
  • If a passer catches their untouched forward pass.
  • If there is more than one forward pass.

Penalty:  5 yards from the spot of the foul and a loss of down..

Pass rush rules – 

There will be a 5 yard neutral zone between the defensive and offensive lines of scrimmage. Any player beyond their respective line of scrimmage at the time of the snap is offsides. 

There are no limits on the number of times a defense may blitz the offense. The defense may blitz the offense at the snap of the ball, there is no delay or rush count.

The player that receives the snap is designated the QB for the play. There are no QB runs allowed, even if blitzed. The QB cannot run the ball beyond the line of scrimmage unless they have received a legal forward pass. Teams may hand the ball off to a second player who may then advance the ball as a runner. Direct snap run plays are not allowed by definition, as the player that receives the snap is designated the QB and QB runs are not allowed. 

Roughing the passer – 

Defensive players must make a definite effort to avoid charging into a passer after it is clear the ball has been thrown. No defensive player shall contact the passer who is standing still or fading back as they are considered out of the play after the pass. You may also not make contact with the passer’s arm during the throwing motion, this is automatic running into the passer. If the defense attempts to bat down a throw you do so at your own risk, even if your hands are straight up, if the QB’s follow through hits your hands it is running into the passer.  

Penalty: Running into the passer, 5 yards repeat the down or Roughing the Passer, 10 yards, automatic first down.

Blocking, Running, and Flag Belt Removal (Screen vs. Contact Rules)

Offensive vs. Defensive Line

The offensive block shall take place without contact. The screen blocker shall have their hands and arms at their side or behind their back. Any use of the arms, elbows, or legs to initiate contact during an offensive player’s screen block is illegal. A player must be on their feet before, during, and after screen blocking.  You may not hold the opponents shirts. Defensive players need to make a definitive effort to go around the offensive line and avoid contact. When contact between two linemen occurs the penalty will go against the defensive side, unless it is clear the offense initiated the contact.

Penalty:  Holding/Illegal Contact, 5 yards.

A player shall not:

  • Take a position so close to a moving opponent that the opponent cannot avoid contact by stopping or changing direction. The speed of the player to be screened will determine where the screener may take their stationary position.  This position will vary and may be 1 to 2 steps or strides from the opponent.
  • After assuming a legal screening position, you may move to maintain it, unless moving in the same direction and path of your opponent. Moving off a maintained line into the path of the defender is illegal contact. Penalty: Illegal Contact, 5 yards.
  • Defensive players must go around the offensive player’s screen block.  The arms and hands may not be used to forcibly contact the opponent. The application of this rule depends entirely on the judgment of the official.  A blocker may use their  arms or hands to break a fall or retain their balance. Extended arms or lowering shoulders into the offense will result in a penalty. Penalty: Illegal Contact, 5 yards.
  • A defensive player may dive to pull a flag. An offensive player may not dive to advance the ball or leave their feet in an effort to advance the spot or score. A player may not dive to block. Penalty: Diving, 5 yards from the spot of the foul.

Running/Receivers

Runners shall not flag guard by using their hands, arms or the ball to deny the opportunity for an opponent to pull or remove the flag belt.  Flag guarding includes:

  • Swinging the hand or arm over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from de-flagging.
  • Placing the ball in player possession over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from de-flagging.
  • Lowering the shoulders in such a manner that places the arm over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from de-flagging.
  • Stiff arms are not allowed as they are similar to lowering your shoulder to create enough space to make flag removal difficult.

Penalty:  Flag Guarding, 5 yards from the spot of the foul. Flag guarding penalties are blown dead at the time of the infraction. 

Special Note: If your arm is in fluid motion and happens to be in the way of a defensive player’s attempt to grab the flag, this is typically not flag guarding, but will be at the ref’s discretion.  

  • You may not set a pick downfield in an attempt to get another receiver open, or for any other reason. Penalty: Illegal Contact, 5 yards.
  • No contact may be made at the line of scrimmage between the cornerback and the receiver. Penalty: Illegal Contact, 5 yards

Conduct and Penalties

  1. No player shall commit any acts of unfair play during a period or intermission, examples:
  • Abusive or insulting language.
  • Any acts of unfair play.
  • Using disconcerting acts or words prior to the snap in an attempt to interfere with the offensive signals or movements.
  • Intentionally kicking at any opposing player.
  • Intentionally kicking at the ball, other than during a legal kick.
  • Intentionally swinging an arm, hand or fist at any opposing player.

Penalty: Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 10 yards, and if flagrant, the offender shall be disqualified.

MISCONDUCT EJECTION

Players ejected from a game due to unsporting conduct must immediately leave the field. Failure to leave in a timely manner will result in the team forfeiting the game. 

  1. When the ball becomes dead in possession of a player, they shall not:
  • Intentionally kick the ball.
  • Spike the ball into the ground.
  • Throw the ball high into the air.

Penalty: Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 10 yards, and if flagrant, the offender shall be ejected.

  1. There shall be no unsportsmanlike conduct by substitutes, coaches, or others subject to the Rules.  This can include:
  • Interfering with officials. 
  • Disrespectfully addressing an official.
  • Indicating objections to an official’s decision in an abusive manner..
  • Holding an unauthorized conference, or being on the field illegally.
  • Using excessive profanity, insulting or vulgar language or gestures.
  • Intentionally contacting a game official physically..

Penalty:  Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 10 yards, and if flagrant, the offender shall be ejected.

  1. No player shall commit a personal foul during a period or an intermission.  Any act prohibited hereunder or any other act of unnecessary roughness is a personal foul.  No player shall:
  • Steal, attempt to steal or bat the ball from a player in possession.
  • Trip an opponent.
  • Contact an opponent on the ground.
  • Throw the runner to the ground.
  • Hurdle any other player.
  • Make any contact with an opponent, which is deemed unnecessary of any nature including using fists, locked hands, elbows or any part of the forearm or hand.
  • Deliberately drive or run into a defensive player.  NOTE: The responsibility for contact with a spinning ball carrier belongs to the out of control player which may be the ball carrier.
  • Clip an opponent.

Penalty:  10 yards – flagrant offenders will be ejected.