Flag Football Rules with YMCA Addendum Rules
Flag Football Rules
1. A coin toss determines first possession
2. The offensive team takes possession of the ball at its 5-yard line and has 3 plays to cross midfield. Once a team crosses midfield, it has 3 plays to score a touchdown. If the offense fails to score, the ball changes possession and the new offensive team takes over on its 5-yard line.
3. If the offensive team fails to cross midfield, possession of the ball changes and the opposition starts its drive from its 5-yard line.
4. All possession changes, except interceptions, start on the offense's 5-yard line.
5. Teams change sides after the first 20 minutes, but possession does not change and the clock does not stop.
Players/Game Schedules
1. Teams must field a minimum of 5 players at all times.
2. Teams consist of 10 players (5 on the field with 5 substitutions).
Timing/Overtime
1. Games are played to 40 minutes running time.
2. If the score is tied at the end of 40 minutes, teams move directly into overtime. The first team to score wins.
3. Each time the ball is spotted, a team has 30 seconds to snap the ball. Teams will receive one warning before a delay-of-game penalty is enforced.
4. Each team has one 60-second and one 30-second timeout per half.
5. Officials can stop the clock at their discretion.
Scoring
Touchdown: 6 points
Extra Points: 1 point (played from 5-yard line) or 2 points (played from 12-yeard line)
Safety: 2 points
Running:
1. The quarterback cannot run with the ball
2. Only direct handoffs behind the line of scrimmage are permitted. Offense may use multiple handoffs.
3. Absolutely no laterals or pitches of any kind!
4. "No running zones," located 5 yards from each end zone and 5 yards on either side of midfield, are designed to avoid short yardage, power-running situations.
5. The player who takes the handoff can throw the ball from behind the line of scrimmage.
6. Once the ball has been handed off, all defensive players are eligible to rush.
7. Spinning is allowed, but players cannot leave their feet to avoid a defensive player (no diving).
8. The ball is spotted where the ball carrier's feet are when the flag is pulled, not where the ball is.
Receiving
1. All players are eligible to receive passes (including the quarterback if the ball has been handed off behind the line of scrimmage.)
2. As in the NFL, only one player is allowed in motion at a time.
3. A player must have at least one foot inbounds when making a reception.
Passing
1. All passes must be forward and received beyond the line of scrimmage.
2. Shovel passes are allowed but must be received beyond the line of scrimmage.
3. The quarterback has a seven-second "pass clock." If a pass is not thrown within the seven seconds, play is dead, loss of down. Once the ball is handed off, the seven-second rule no longer is in effect.
4. Interceptions change the possession of the ball at the point of interception. Interceptions are the only changes of possession that do not start on the 5-yard line.
YMCA NFL Flag Football Rules Addendum (9-6-05)
1. The game will consist of 2 twenty-minute halves. Half time will be no longer than 10 minutes. The team that starts the first half on defense will start the second half with possession of the ball.
2. A the referees discretion, if one team has only 4 players and the opposing team has no more than 8 players, the game may be allowed to proceed with each team fielding 4 players at a time.
3. Overtime shall consist of one possession by each team. The overtime possession shall start at mid-field. Each team will have three downs in which to score. Extra point rules shall apply as in a regulation game. If neither team scores during the overtime possession, then the team advancing the ball the greatest number of yards during the overtime possession shall be declared the winner. If both teams score the same number of points during the overtime possession, the team requiring the fewest downs to score shall be declared the winner.
4. In the event a play is blown dead because of the seven-second rule, the ball shall be placed at the previous line of scrimmage for the next down unless there is a change of possession.
5. The "fumble-rooskie" is not a legal play.
6. Any defensive player who lines up behind the 7-yard rush line shall be deemed off sides if once set, he/she crosses the 7-yard rush line prior to the snap.
7. No blocking shall be allowed, however players may screen and move down field with a runner. Any significant contact between an offensive and defensive player during the course of a play shall be deemed an illegal block unless the defensive player has established a stationary position at least 3 ft.prior to the point of contact. If the offensive player has established position, the contact may be ruled a "defensive illegal contact."
8. Some contact is inevitable. If a defensive player establishes position in front of a runner, it is the responsibility of the runner to go around the defensive player. Contact which occurs as a result of a defensive player with established position who is going for the flags may not be ruled to be an illegal tackle. Contact which occurs as a result of a runner's blatant attempt to run over or through a defender may be ruled "offensive illegal contact" with a 10-yard penalty and loss of down. Contact which occurs as a result of a defensive player's attempt to stop a runner without established position or with no attempt to pull a flag may be ruled "defensive illegal contact" with a 10-yard penalty and a first down.
9. If any coach, team parent, or team member distracts of demands the attention of a referee in such a manner so as to require a stoppage of the clock, that team shall be charged with a timeout. If the team has no remaining timeouts, the team shall be charged with "delay of game" (10 yards and first down or 10 yards and loss of down).
10. No defensive penalty shall have the resulting effect of penalizing the offensive team. When a defensive penalty occurs, whenever practical and appropriate, the offensive play shall be allowed to continue. The offensive team will have the option of accepting or declining the appropriate penalty.
11. Both types of extra point attempts, 1 point from the 5-yard and 2 points from the 12-yard line, shall be open to play. No run zooms affect only plays where the ball has been spotted within the no run zone.
