Battlegrounds Adult Flag Football Tournament

Rules

THE FIELD

  • Field size: 60x30 yards.

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RULE 1: GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

REQUIRED PERSONAL CONDUCT

Article 1. Players, coaches and spectators must keep their comments profanity free. Disrespectful language, racist, sexist, homophobic remarks, obscene gestures/behavior, and bullying are prohibited.

Article 2. Foul play will not be tolerated. Any staff member that hears or sees anything that leads them to believe an infraction of the required personal conduct outline has been committed the person responsible may dismissed for the rest of the tournament.

Article 3. Fighting will lead to an immediate ejection for the remainder of the tournament, possible suspension or even a lifetime exclusion.

Article 4. Alcohol, other intoxicants, weapons, drones and pets are prohibited on our permitted fields.

REQUIRED TEAM CONDUCT

Article 1. For the safety of our officials and their ability to administer the game all team personnel must remain at least two yards off the sidelines.

Article 2. Coaches may signal or call-in plays during the play clock but must be out-of-bounds before the snap. Coaches on the field-of-play during game play will be assessed a timeout.

Article 3. Based on Referee discretion after touchdowns and successful PAT attempts, the ball carrier may be asked report to an official who will ensure the flag was not tampered with by pulling the flag from the ball carrier.

RULE 2: UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT

SAFETY

Article 1. Players may not wear hard, unyielding, or stiff material items that in the view of the officiating crew may present a hazard to other players.

Article 2. It is mandatory that all players wear a protective mouthpiece while on the field-of-play.

Article 3. Players must wear pants or shorts that do not have pockets, belt loops, zippers, or exposed draw strings. Pants or shorts with pockets that have been professionally sewn-shut are allowed at the game official’s discretion. Pants or shorts cannot be tapped or turned inside out unless the shorts are double lined.

FLAG BELTS

Article 1. Flags will be provided at the field, if you so choose to wear your own they must have 3 flags with the entire belt releasing as it is pulled “triple threat flags’ and be approved by head official. Each field will have a bag of 24 flags at the start of the game return all flags to the head official at end of games.

MISCELLANEOUS UNIFORM AND GEAR ISSUES

Article 1. Teams must bring a light (white) or dark (black) shirt to wear. Referee will determine which team wears which color. Players whose shirts are deemed outside of color will be ineligible to play (please just bring a white and black shirt). Teams are allowed to bring matching jerseys, but if both teams have the same color, then the official may require a team to wear a “light” or “dark” jersey (again, bring an extra shirt just in case).

Article 2. Players must ensure their jerseys/shirts are long enough to remain tucked in during the entire.

Article 3. Players must wear close-toed shoes. Cleats with exposed metal are never allowed.

RULE 3: CLOCK MECHANICS

GENERAL TIMING PROCEDURES

Article 1. Game time is forfeit time. To avoid a forfeit, teams may use team timeouts to ‘buy’ time.

Article 2. Time outs are 30-seconds (2 per game).

Article 3. The offense has a 25-second play clock to snap the ball before a delay of game penalty is assessed.

Article 4. Length of games will be 2, 20-minute halves, if time permits halves will be 25 minutes long, but will be determined by officials prior to beginning of each half.

Article 5. At the one-minute warning of the second half, if the score difference is 17 points or more, a pro clock will not be initiated and will continue with a running clock. Same applies if a team scores during the 1 minute to create a 17 or more-point lead. If a team scores to create a one possession game within 1 minutes of the second half, a pro clock will then be initiated.

RULE 4: COIN TOSS

Article 1. Team captains are required to bring their game ball(s) to the coin toss for inspection.

Article 2. Game officials will confirm with team captains during the coin toss that the teams are in correct and legal uniforms.

Article 3. First possession is decided using a coin toss. The head official will ask the ‘calling captain’ their choice of “heads” or “tails.” The captain winning the toss shall choose one of the following options:

  • Begin on offense
  • Begin on defense
  • Designate which goal their team will defend

Article 4. The loser of the coin toss shall make a choice of the remaining option. Teams will swap in second half (Team who started on offense will start on defense the second half, direction will also change.

RULE 5: OFFENSE

GENERAL OFFENSE

Article 1. Offensive players must come to a complete stop for one second before the ball is snapped unless they are the only player in motion.

Article 2. No offensive player may begin a play closer than five yards from a sideline unless they were momentarily at least 9-yards from a sideline (this is sometimes referred to as “inside the numbers” or “checking in”). 3) All players must substitute from their sideline only. This allows the defense to be aware of their presence and avoids deceptive plays by the offense.

Article 3. The ball must be snapped between the center’s legs.

Article 4. It is a false start if any player on offense enters the neutral zone before the snap.

Article 5. The offense may not act or move in a manner that, in the judgement of the covering official, is clearly intended to cause the defense to encroach. Verbalizing play-calls or snap counts alone are not acts or moves that should be considered unless they are in conjunction with other acts or moves.

Article 6. Direct snaps are legal to any player not on the line-of-scrimmage. Individual who received direct snap is considered Quarterback.

Article 7. The ball will be declared dead if any portion of the ball carrier’s body other than their hands and feet (knee, elbow, buttocks, ball-in-hand, etc.) touches the ground.

Article 8. The offense is responsible for retrieving the ball and returning it an official or to the line of scrimmage at the end of each play.

SCREEN BLOCKING

Article 1. Only screen blocking is permitted. Screen Blocking shall be defined as obstructing the rusher’s path to the quarterback or ball carrier, as long as it is done behind the L.O.S., with any part of the body except head, hips, and legs. There can be no independent movement of the elbows.

Article 2. The main responsibility of avoiding contact lies with the rusher, however the screener may not step into the rusher or initiate contact in any way.

FUMBLES AND MUFFS

Article 1. Unintentional fumbles and intentional laterals end the play when they hit the ground or go out of bounds and remain with the team that initiated the act. If a lateral, muffed or fumbled ball is intercepted before hitting the ground or going out of bounds it remains live.

Article 2. Forward fumbles that hit the ground will be marked where the ball carrier’s feet were when he/she lost control and not the spot where the ball hit the ground.

Article 3. Muffed snaps are live and can be picked up by an offensive player to play. If a defender recovers a fumbled snap, it is considered down (basically it is treated like you just sacked the quarterback). No change of possession.

Article 4. Fumbles and laterals that hit the ground do not stop the clock. 

RUNNING / JUMPING / DIVING

Article 1. The quarterback may not run or cross the line of scrimmage at any point (unless ball has been handed off). All plays must include a handoff, or a forward pass that advances the ball. Any player who received the snap from the center is considered the quarterback. (Basically the ball has to be handed off for a run).

Article 2. Ball carriers are allowed to leave their feet, jump, and spin as evasive maneuvers in order to advance the ball as long as they do not put another player’s safety at risk. Not every insignificant jump or small hop constitutes a safety issue and player safety risk is at the discretion of each official. Jump cuts or leaping between two defenders is allowed if they do not initiate noteworthy contact with the defender or put another player’s safety at risk.

Article 3. Ball carriers may not hurdle over another player. Ball carriers may not dive, lunge, or fall forward in a perceived intentional manner in order to advance the ball or achieve a line-to-gain. This is a judgment call by the game officials.

Article 4. Ball carriers may extend the ball out in front of them to gain additional yardage.

Article 5. Running plays are not permitted 5 yards from goaline (Official will declare if pass only).

FLAG GUARDING INCLUDING STIFF-ARMING

Article 1. The ball carrier’s flags must be accessible to the defense throughout the play. Flags may not be tucked in pants, tucked under jerseys, worn improperly, looped around the waist belt, or knotted.

Article 2. Flag guarding is the act of a ball carrier denying a defender the opportunity to capture their flag in any physical way. The ball carrier shall not flag guard by flailing of arms, using their hands, arms, elbows or extremely dipped shoulders to deny the opportunity of an opponent to remove a flag.

Article 3. The ball carrier may not swat a defender’s hands away nor pin the flag against their body using the ball or hands. An official may call flag guarding if they feel that a ball carrier’s natural running motion gave the ball carrier a decisive advantage over the defender and the running motion caused part of the ball carrier’s body to block a de-flagging attempt.

Article 4. What constitutes flag guarding is up to the official’s judgment. We recommend you carry the ball with your hands held high on the body to avoid flag guarding. This is one of the most difficult transitions for traditional football players. Flag guarding shall not be called if there is no defensive player within reasonable distance to capture the flag.

PASS PLAYS

Article 1. Only one forward pass per play. Once the ball has passed the line-of-scrimmage it cannot be returned to behind the line-of-scrimmage and thrown forward legally.

Article 2. If any portion of the passer’s body is behind the line-of-scrimmage it is a legal pass.

Article 3. All players are eligible to receive a pass unless they have stepped out-of-bounds of their own accord. Players may re-establish themselves in the field of play and catch the ball if another player has touched the ball first.

Article 4. Any offensive player who receives either a forward or backward handoff behind scrimmage can pass the ball from behind the line-of-scrimmage.

Article 5. Backward passes are allowed.

Article 6. If the passer’s flag has been pulled while the passer still has the ball in their hand, it is a sack. There is no allowance given for the passer’s arm being in motion at the time of the sack. Ball in hand at all equals a sack.

INTENTIONAL GROUNDING

Article 1. A passer may not throw the ball into the ground to avoid a loss of yardage or conserve time.

Article 2. An exception to this rule is it is legal to conserve time by intentionally throwing the ball to the ground immediately (spiking) after receiving either a direct hand-to-hand snap or from the “shot-gun” formation for styles that do not allow hand-to-hand snaps. The spike must be fluid and immediate after the snap or it is intentional grounding.

Article 3. A pass may not be intentionally thrown into an area not occupied by an offensive receiver.

Article 4. Passers may not throw the ball out-of-bounds to stop the clock as in NFL or NCAA games.

Article 5. Intentional grounding can occur anywhere behind the line of scrimmage.

CATCHES

Article 1. A pass is completed when an offensive player simultaneously places at least one foot inbounds and momentarily maintains possession of the ball.

Article 2. Simultaneous catches between a defensive and offensive player go to the offense.

ONSIDE KICK

Article 1. Onside kicks may be attempted if the following criteria have been met:

  • It is the second half of the game
  • Scoring team has directly completed PAT attempt
  • Scoring team is within 2 scores (16 points)

Article 2. Declaring team gets the ball at midfield for 1 play to score.

Article 3. Game play follows PAT rules regarding penalty assessment. Successful attempt results in touchdown. Unsuccessful attempts result in defensive team getting the ball on the opponent’s 1st down line (20 yard line).

Example: Offense team completed their PAT attempt and they are losing by 14 points in the second half. They may immediately declare to the official they are attempting an onside kick. They get the ball on midfield and have one play to score a touchdown. If they are successful then they get the score and attempt a PAT. If they are unsuccessful then the defending team starts with the ball at the opponent first down (20 yard line).

RULE 6: DEFENSE

GENERAL DEFENSE

Article 1. Stripping or attempting to strip the ball from a player’s hand, including the quarterback, is illegal.

Article 2. Defensive teams may not simulate the offensive team’s signals or cadence. (Unsportsmanlike)

Article 3. There are no “free plays” for the offense. After the head official blows the ready-for-play whistle and the snapper puts their hand(s) on the ball, no player may enter the neutral zone until the ball is moved to start the snap. Entering the neutral zone before the snap is known as “offside” or encroachment which causes the play to be immediately blown dead and the offending team is penalized five yards.

Article 4. If a defensive team intentionally commits a penalty in order to achieve a specific goal and the penalty is declined, any subsequent attempts to continue committing the penalty will result in a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty and automatic first down for the offense.

Example: Offense has the ball 2nd down and 3 yards to gain prior to a first down. Defense intentionally jumps offsides to try and get offense to accept a first down and long line to gain. If offense declines, and defense immediately attempts same penalty again, an additional unsportsmanlike penalty will be enforced.

ROUGHING

Article 1. Defensive players must make a concerted effort to avoid charging into the quarterback.

Article 2. In general, defensive players may not “crash” the quarterback’s throwing arm, shoulder or body even if the ball is touched first.

Article 3. It is a quarterbacks right to step into a throw, and the rushers duty to avoid contact. If contact is significant and forceful at the discretion of the officials, whether attempting to go for the flag or not, it may be deemed roughing the passer.

Article 4. An insignificant “brush-by” may be allowed by the referee but is not guaranteed.

Article 5. Making contact with the quarterback while blocking a pass or attempting to block a pass may result in a roughing the passer penalty.

Article 6. Whether or not a ball is tipped in the air has no bearing on the play as it applies to fouls (roughing, personal fouls, etc.).

Article 7. A roughing penalty will not be enforced if a quarterback initiates contact with a defensive player while in the throwing motion; for example, during the passer’s follow through the player’s arm makes contact with an opponent’s hand, arm, or shoulder. In this instance the impetus of the contact is the action of the quarterback and not the defender. This is a judgment call.

FLAG PULLING MECHANICS

Article 1. Flag football is a finesse game versus the brute strength game of traditional tackle football.

Article 2. Flag pulling is the legal removal of a flag from an opponent in possession of the ball. Legal flag pulls must begin with the hands leading toward the opponent’s hips and flags.

Article 3. No player shall make any contact with an opponent which is deemed unnecessary or excessive and which incites roughness.

Article 4. No player has the right to over-aggressively ‘body up’, ‘wrap up’, ‘play through’, ‘bull rush’, charge, spear or lead with a shoulder against an opponent even to capture a flag. Players must play to capture the flag, not to commit Illegal Personal Contact.

Article 5. Pushing out on the sidelines is not permitted unless the defense was making a fair, legal, and reasonable attempt to pull the ball carrier’s flags, i.e. the defender’s hands were aimed low at the ball carrier’s hips and flags and not high up on the body.

Article 6. Pushing, striking, holding, slapping or tripping while attempting to pull a flag is not permitted.

Article 7. A defensive player may not pull the flag of a player who is not in possession of the ball.

Article 8. Any defensive player who removes the flag from an offensive ball carrier is encouraged to show good sportsmanship and hold the flag above their head to assist the officials in locating the spot where the capture occurred.

Article 9. Players may be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for throwing, spiking, obscuring, or delaying the ball carrier in recovering their pulled flag.

Article 10. If a player’s flag inadvertently falls off during the play the de-flagging reverts to a one-hand touch of the runner between the shoulder and the knees.

PASS COVERAGE

Article 1. Pass interference normally occurs above the waist; entangled feet are not considered pass interference. Incidental contact is not considered pass interference.

Article 2. A player may “find” their opponent by reaching out and placing a hand on him/her as long as touching does not delay or impede him/her. This is not considered pass interference.

Article 3. Contact away from the direction of the pass is not considered pass interference. Examples of pass interference include:

  • Shoving or pushing off to create separation.
  • Playing through the back.
  • Hook and turn: grabbing the torso and turning an opponent before the pass arrives.
  • Not playing the ball: the defender is looking at the receiver and contact materially impedes the receiver.
  • Arm bars, hooking, restricting, grabbing wrists, or turning a receiver.
  • Blocking downfield before the ball has been touched, commonly seen through “pick plays”.
  • Cutting off the path of a receiver by being in front of them and slowing down or being beside them and “riding” them off their path to the ball.

Article 4. Whether a pass is catchable or uncatchable has no bearing on pass interference.

Article 5. A player may use their arms or hands to intentionally obstruct the receiver’s view (face guarding) of the ball without turning their own head to play the ball as long as contact is not made with the receiver.

INTERCEPTIONS

Article 1. Interceptions may be returned. In the event of an interception, the intercepting team must secure the ball with “clean hands,” i.e., they must not have committed a foul before or simultaneous to the interception.

Article 2. If the intercepting team gained the interception with “clean hands” they will be awarded a first down where the ball becomes dead (flag pull, stepping out-of-bounds, fumbled, etc.)

Article 3. The ball will be spotted wherever the ball was at the time of the flag pull or the ball carrier left the field-of-play.

Article 4. Fouls by the intercepting team after an interception will be assessed from the spot of the foul. Fouls by the intercepted team after the interception will be assessed at the end of the run.

RULE 7: SCORING

POINT AFTER TOUCHDOWN (PAT)

Article 1. Following a touchdown, once the scoring team has informed an official of which point conversion choice they want to attempt the decision cannot be changed unless the scoring team uses a team timeout.

Article 2. If a penalty occurs during an extra point attempt, the penalty will be assessed but the extra point value remains the same.

Article 3. Decisions cannot be changed after a penalty. For example, if the offense attempts a 1-point PAT and is penalized five yards for a false start, they cannot change their mind and go for a 2-point PAT.

Article 4. Unsportsmanlike conduct and personal fouls during successful touchdown attempts will be assessed at half the distance to the goal during the PAT attempt (e.g., 2-point PAT attempts will be spotted at the 5-yard line and 1-point attempts at the 2 ½-yard line) or on the kickoff. All other defensive penalties may be declined by the offense and the score will stand.

Article 5. Dead ball fouls committed by the offense that do not carry a loss-of-down penalty (false start, offside, etc.) will result in penalty yardage assessed and the down replayed.

Article 6. Fouls by the offense during a PAT attempt that carry a loss-of-down penalty (flag guarding, illegal advancement, illegal forward pass, etc.) will result in the PAT being “no good” and the attempt will not be repeated.

Article 7. Fouls committed by the offense in unsuccessful PAT attempts will be declined by the defense and the PAT will be “no good” and will not be replayed.

Article 8. Fouls simultaneous to the snap (illegal shift, illegal motion, illegal formation, etc.), if accepted, will result in penalty yardage assessed and the down replayed.

Article 9. Fouls by the defense during an unsuccessful PAT attempt will result in a retry after the options are administered. The offense may opt to accept or decline penalty yardage before the retry.

Article 10. Interceptions on any PAT can be returned by the defense for two points regardless of PAT point attempted.

Article 11. If multiple changes of possession occur on a PAT, resulting in the original offensive team scoring, they will be awarded points based on the original attempt. i.e. 1 point if they were originally going for 1, or 2 if they were going for 2, etc.

SAFETIES

Article 1. Terminologies and Designations – Team A is the team that initiates the snap. Team B is the opponent that began the play on defense. Safeties occur when the ball becomes dead in the offense’s (Team A’s) end zone or Team A commits a foul in their end zone. The team’s End Zone is the one it is defending. The goal line is IN the End Zone. Examples include:

  • Grounded fumbles in or out of Team A’s end zone (sidelines and end line).
  • A player in possession of the ball has their flag pulled in the end zone (except after a change-of-possession).
  • The ball carrier going out-of-bounds behind the goal line (except after a change-of-possession).
  • The ball is snapped out of the end zone.

Article 2. Team B Exceptions:

  • A flag pull immediately after an interception by Team B in the end zone is a touchback, not a safety. A Team B player going out-of-bounds behind the goal line immediately after an interception in the end zone is a touchback, not a Safety.
  • If the ball is intercepted by Team B in the end zone and Team B fouls in the end zone prior to the ball being brought back into the field-of-play (example: flag guarding) the result of the play is a touchback and the foul will be administered from the touchback spot. This will not a safety.
  • If the ball is intercepted Team B between the 5-yard line and the goal line and the player’s momentum takes them into the end zone where the ball becomes dead in Team B’s possession or Team B fouls in the end zone (example: flag guarding) the ball belongs to Team B and the penalty will be assessed from the spot where it was intercepted. It is a touchback. It is not a safety.

RULE 8: OVERTIME

GENERAL PROCEDURES

Article 1. Only one coin toss is allowed during overtime regardless of the number of overtime periods played.

Article 2. If additional overtimes are played, the captains will alternate choices (for example: the winner of the overtime coin toss chooses defense. If there is another overtime period the loser of the overtime coin toss now gets to choose).

Article 3. For winning the coin toss, a team may choose offense, defense.

Article 4. Overtime consists of PAT attempts. Team on offense will choose if they will attempt 1 or 2 point conversion. Successful attempts will be awarded points.

Article 5. After Team A completes their attempt, Team B will determine if they will attempt 1 or 2 point conversion. Following each teams completed attempt winner will be awarded. If teams are tied following attempt, overtime will continue with team who lost the coin toss choosing if they want to start on offense or defense. Play will continue in this manner until a winner is determined.