NFL Flag – House Rules Overview

Our league follows the NFL Flag Rulebook; however, Section 4, Letter F allows “one-way field” leagues like ours to modify rules for improved gameplay and safety. These are our current house rules. Where conflicts arise between the house rules and the NFL Flag rules, the house rules take precedence. 

General Gameplay Rules

Starting Possessions: Always begin at the designated start line—never farther back.

No Safeties.

Ball is placed at the spot of the hips – not where the ball is (this is new, and reflective of revised NFL Flag Rules)

Downs and First Downs:

·        Teams have 3 plays to reach midfield for a first down.

·        After crossing midfield, they have 3 more plays to score.

No Run Zones:

·        Located before midfield and before the end zone.

·        Designed for safety and to prevent power running plays.

Ball Movement:

·        Only forward passes and handoffs are allowed.

·        No laterals anywhere on the field.

Quarterback Rules:

·        The player receiving the snap (QB) cannot run unless rushed.

·        The QB does not have to be the one who throws the pass.

Defensive Alignment:

·        All defenders must start behind the rush line.

·        A designated official marks the rush line—it may sometimes be inside the end zone.

Blitz/Rush Rules by Division

• After a handoff, all defenders may rush.

Field Goals

Teams may declare a field goal at any time.

The ball is placed on the Field Goal Line, but the original spot remains for enforcing penalties.

Defensive penalties accepted by the offense are enforced from the original spot of the ball—not the FG line.

Interceptions

·        Interceptions are dead immediately—no returns.

·        The defense receives 3 points and possession of the ball.

·        Interceptions on extra point attempts (1- or 2-point tries) do not award points.

Timing and Overtime

Game Length: Two 20-minute running clock halves (Division 1 plays 12-minute halves).

Timeouts: Each team has 3 timeouts per game.

Last Minute Clock Stoppage:

In all divisions except Division 1, the clock stops in the last 1 minute of the game if the score is within 8 points.

Clock stops for:

·        Incomplete passes

·        Player running out of bounds

·        Penalties

·        Scoring plays

Example:
If a team is ahead by 12 with under a minute left, the clock runs. If the trailing team scores and brings the difference to 6, the clock-stop rule activates again.

Timeouts During Field Goal Attempts (Important Rule)

This situation can be confusing—here’s how it works:

If a team calls a timeout and then declares a field goal attempt, the clock does not restart until the ball is snapped.

The opposing team can also call a timeout to ensure they get possession and a chance to run a play afterward.

This can result in alternating field goal attempts if both teams use timeouts strategically.

Why is it like this?
It’s designed for fairness. Since a team declaring a field goal is allowed to move the ball forward (without running a play), the defense is given the right to call a timeout to ensure they also get a possession. This prevents a trailing team from gaining an unfair advantage by simply walking the ball forward for a free attempt.

Final Notes

We are always working to improve the league experience for players. We listen to feedback from coaches, parents, and especially the kids. If a rule isn’t working, we evaluate it and make changes when needed. Every second matters to our players, and we want the game to be fun, competitive, and safe.