Flag Football Rules

New Rules

1. Sideline Boundary Rule
Players on the sidelines must remain behind the 3-yard line marker unless they are actively entering or exiting the field of play.

Penalty (Offense): Loss of down
Penalty (Defense): Repeat of down for the offensive team

2. No Pitch-Back Rule
QB pitch-backs are no longer permitted. The player who takes the ball off the tee to start the play is the only player allowed to execute a forward pass.

Penalty: Loss of down and a 5-yard penalty

Basic Structure

Team Size:
- 7v7: Maximum 16 players, minimum 6 to play.
- 5v5: Maximum 10 players, minimum 4 to play.
Tournament Formats:
- Classic Tournament: Double elimination; games continue consecutively until a champion is decided.
- Pool Play Tournament: Pool play to decide bracket placement, followed by a single elimination tournament.
- Round Robin: Teams will play a defined number of games against other teams without regard to rank or pools.
Player Eligibility: Must be 16 years old and cannot be part of another roster.
Equipment: Teams provide a regulation size game ball and matching jerseys/shirts.
Gameplay: Passing league only; no hand-offs, kickoffs, or punts.
Blitzing: Strictly prohibited.
Timers:
- 7v7: 4.5-second timer on QB Tee.
- 5v5: 4.0-second timer on QB Tee.
Downs:
- Offense has 4 downs to reach the first down (mid-line).
- If the offense fails to advance on their own side of the field, the defense takes over at the midline with 4 downs to score.
- If the offense advances beyond the first down line and then fails to score, the defense takes over at the current line of scrimmage.
Championship Game (Tournament Play Only): Winner of the winners’ bracket will automatically select to take the ball or defer to start the championship game instead of using rock-paper-scissors to decide possessions.
Uniforms: If two teams have the same color, one team must change uniforms or wear a penny. This applies to individual players as well.
Dispute Resolution:
- Head Referee: Makes the final decision on penalties.
- Escalation: If needed, the Tournament Director will have the final say. Escalation is not permitted for players and will happen at the discretion of the field head referee.

QB Tee & Offense

QB is not allowed to run beyond the line of scrimmage - passing only.
QB arm must be in forward motion when the timer sounds, or the play is considered dead.
QB must keep at least one foot behind the front pylon of the QB tee, or it will be considered a running attempt and result in a dead play.
Timer for 7v7 is 4.5 seconds and 4.0 for 5v5.
All passes must be at or beyond the line of scrimmage.
QB must also wear a flag belt with two flags at all times.
QB pitch-backs are no longer permitted. The player who takes the ball off the tee to start the play is the only player allowed to execute a forward pass. Penalty: Loss of down and a 5-yard penalty

Personal Conduct Policies

Fighting: Results in ejection from the tournament; lifetime ban possible.
Contact Responsibility: Players must avoid purposeful contact; three-strike rule for excessive contact. A 10-yard penalty can be assessed for each instance.
Substance Policy: Alcohol and drugs are prohibited; ejection without refund.
QB Tee Contact: Purposeful contact by a defensive player will result in ejection from the game.

Game Clock Structure & Opening Possessions

Tournament Play: Two 15-minute halves with a continuous clock.
League Play: Two 20-minute halves with a continuous clock.
Opening Possession:
- The game begins with a "Rock, Paper, Scissors" throw between a representative from each team.
- The winner of the "Rock, Paper, Scissors" has the option to:
  - Take the ball first (offense to start the game).
  - Defer to the second half (meaning the opposing team will start with the ball, and the deferring team will receive the ball to start the second half).
  - If a team representative states "defense," this will be treated as the same as stating "defer to the second half."
Timeouts: 2 one-minute timeouts per half; 5-minute halftime; 25-second play clock.
Clock Stoppage: Inside the last minute of the second half for close games (within 8 points at the 1-minute mark) with stoppages for scores, out of bounds, incompletions, first downs, change of possession, and sacks.
Clock Stoppage (continued): Clock will be stopped by the referee for a 1-minute warning for games within 8 points. 2-point conversions are untimed. Teams are still allowed to use timeouts.

Scoring & First Downs

First Down: Achieved by crossing the mid-field line.
Change of Possession: Referees pause play for 5 seconds before the offense is allowed to proceed.
Touchdown: Worth 6 points; point after attempt is worth 2 points.
Two-Point Conversion: Defense can score 2 points on an interception return during the conversion try.
Two-Point Conversion Infraction: If an interception occurs during a 2-point attempt, the offense is not allowed to hold or impede the progress of the returning player beyond what is considered normal play. Doing so results in an automatic 2 points being awarded to the returning team.

Flag Rules

Flag Wear: Each player must wear a flag belt with 2 flags.
Penalty: 10-yard penalty and loss of down for the offending team if not wearing flags.
Flag Colors: Flags worn by each team can be different.
Down Definition: A player is down when one knee, elbow, or wrist touches the ground.
Flag Removal: The ball carrier is down when their flag is cleanly removed.
Catch Without Flags: A catch made with less than 2 flags results in the player being declared down at the spot of the catch. A 10-yard penalty is assessed if a defender pulls the flag before the catch.
Towel as Additional Flag: If a player chooses to wear a towel, the towel will count as an additional flag.
- The removal or detachment of this towel by a defensive player will be counted as a flag being removed, similar to the standard flag belt.
Pushing:
- Intentionally pushing a ball carrier out of bounds or during gameplay, with no attempt to pull the flag, will result in a penalty.
- 10 yards will be added to the end of the run.
- This will also be a warning for the player with a repeat offense resulting in ejection from the game.

Use of hands, Defensive Holding / Illegal Contact, Pass Interference, and Blocking

Ball Carriers: No protection by stiff-arm, slapping, or lowering the shoulder outside of the natural running motion.
Flag Guarding: Immediate stoppage and a 5-yard penalty against the offensive team from the spot of the infraction.
Blocking: No extension of arms or legs beyond the body frame; movement is permitted.
Pass Interference:
- Defensive: 10-yard penalty and repeat of down (no automatic first down).
- Offensive: 10-yard penalty and loss of down.
Defensive Holding / Illegal Contact:
- No Advance: 5-yard penalty and repeat of down.
- With Advance: Adds 5 yards to the end of the play.
  - If either of these occur on a 4th down in an attempt to stop runner / receiver from advancing then a 5 yard penalty will be assessed and a repeat of down from the new spot will be granted to the offensive team.

Overtime

College Overtime Rules: Teams are guaranteed 1 possession each.
Rock-Paper-Scissors: Determines possession; the ball is placed at mid-field with no first downs (4 plays to score).
Possession Order: Teams reverse possession until one fails to match the opponent’s score.
Pool Play Championship Games: Applies if the tournament format includes Pool Play Championship.

Players on the sidelines must remain behind the 3-yard line marker unless they are actively entering or exiting the field of play.

Penalty (Offense): Loss of down
Penalty (Defense): Repeat of down for the offensive team

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