Hartford Flag Football Rules
Equipment
-
All players must
wear a protective mouthguard; there are no exceptions. If referee
notices player without a mouthguard, player is to be substituted out until they have one.
-
Jerseys must be tucked in to shorts/pants at all times so
as to not cover the flags. One team warning will be given and then the
penalty is loss of down and ball back at original line of scrimmage for each
additional offense.
-
All players on
the field must wear a set of flags provided by the league.
-
Tennis shoes or
rubber cleats are allowed. No metal cleats of any kind.
-
No necklaces or
jewelry can be worn by players on the field for safety purposes.
-
Players must wear
the uniform/jersey provided by the league.
-
Players can wear
gloves, stocking caps, as desired per weather conditions. If wearing a hoodie,
the hood must be tucked inside the jersey so it cannot be pulled from behind
(to avoid inadvertent horse-collar tackles).
Gameplay
Team Possessions
-
A coin toss
determines first possession. Visiting team (white jerseys) on the schedule
calls the toss.
-
Teams are played 5 vs 5.
-
At the beginning of each play, the ball must be snapped
from the center to the quarterback. This can either be through the legs or
around the side of the snapper.
-
If a normal snap is briefly dropped and it does not affect
the play, play on! This is not considered a fumble unless it is muffed several
feet away from the snapper in which case the play is
then dead. Would rather kids keep plays moving than be concerned about a
briefly dropped snap, especially at the youngest grade levels. However, if a SHOTGUN snap is
dropped, the play is dead and next down starts at previous line of scrimmage.
-
The offensive
team starts a possession of the ball at its 5-yard
line and has four (4) plays to cross midfield. If the offensive team fails to
cross midfield, possession of the ball changes and the opposition starts its
drive from midfield (i.e. defense is rewarded with a “short field”
after a stop).
-
The offensive
team has the option to “punt” to the defense’s 5yd line on 4th
down prior to reaching midfield if desired. Ball is not actually kicked - defense just starts a new
possession on the opposite end of the field at their own 5yd line. This is
intended to be used for strategy in a close game!
-
Once a team
crosses midfield, it has four (4) more plays to score a touchdown. If the
offense fails to score, the ball changes possession and the new offensive team
takes over at its own 5yd line.
-
Interceptions are
allowed to be fully returned for touchdowns in 2-3 & 4-5-6 Divisions only (see
scoring section for interception rules during standard time and overtime). For
all other interceptions not fully returned for a score, defense will take
possession either at their 5yd line (if intercepted prior to midfield) or at
midfield if intercepted past it. Extra points cannot be intercepted/returned
for a score unless game is in overtime.
-
If the defensive
team gets a safety, the offense will keep the ball on the 1
yard line after the loss of down. No points are awarded for safeties in any division.
-
Teams in K-1 will
be allowed to have a MAX of 2 coaches on the field during game play to help
with defensive player alignment and giving offensive play instruction. In 2-3
& 4-5-6 Divisions, teams will be allowed to have a MAX of 1 coach on the
field during game play several yards behind the line of scrimmage. In the older
divisions, coaches are to try and limit their assistance to the players during gameplay
i.e. no reading of defenses or offenses for their team.
-
THREE TOUCH RULE: NO PLAYER is allowed to rush the
ball more than 3 times on a single 8 play drive. Playing quarterback and
throwing to other players does not count as a "touch". Coaches are
encouraged to spread the ball around to all players and have them play all
positions!
-
Coaches are to also rotate players to provide equal
playing time for all. Each player should be sitting out one series per half at
a minimum!
-
Scores and standings will be kept/published for all
divisions. Playoffs will be played to determine division/league winners at end of the season. Seeding will be based on Overall Record.
Points Allowed will be 1st tiebreaker. Point
Differential will be 2nd. Head-to-head is 3rd tiebreaker.
Coin flip will be 4th.
Timing
-
Games are played
on a continuous clock with two 25-minute halves
-
Halftime is 2
minutes.
-
Each time the
ball is spotted by the referee, a team has 45 seconds to snap the ball. As the season
progresses, first violation will result in a
warning, second violation will be dead ball and loss of down.
-
Under 1 minute left per half: the clock stops after a
score or change of possession. Extra point attempts are never timed. Clock
starts again after change of possession once other team snaps the ball.
-
Teams must be allowed to substitute after a score or
change of possession before ball can be snapped
– i.e. no quick snapping to catch the opponent short-handed.
-
Each team has one 60-second timeout in first
half & two timeouts in second half. Timeout does
not carry over between halves.
-
Overtime format,
when applicable, is as follows: Home team calls the toss to determine the team
that chooses to be on offense or defense first. Each team will take turns
getting one (1) play from the defense’s 5-yard line for one point or the
defense’s 10-yard line for two points. Whether to go for one or two
points is up to the offensive team. If the second team on offense in an
overtime round fails to beat or match the team that went first, the team that
went first wins (NFL style). If the 2nd team ties the 1st,
an additional overtime possession can take place. Any required extra overtimes
alternate which team has first possession. There are no timeouts during
overtime.
Rushing
-
The quarterback cannot run forward past the line of
scrimmage with the ball unless they hand the ball off and then are the
recipient of an additional/2nd handoff or pass prior to crossing the line of
scrimmage.
-
EXCEPTION: Quarterback in the 4-5-6 division can scramble
after the designated rusher crosses the line of scrimmage.
-
The center/snapper cannot accept a handoff (but can still
catch passes!).
-
Only direct hand-offs and pitches/backwards passes are
permitted behind the line of scrimmage.
-
There is no limit on the number of handoffs that can
occur.
-
There are no handoffs permitted downfield past the line of
scrimmage. However, Laterals downfield ARE allowed i.e. hook and ladder plays
in the interest of allowing some basic “trick” plays to occur.
Football is supposed to be fun!
-
“No-rushing zones/boxes” are located 5 yards
from each end zone and 5 yards before midfield, i.e. no “short-yardage,
straight ahead power-running” plays are allowed.
-
NEW FOR 2025: ALL Divisions may rush the ball when the
line of scrimmage is within the 5 yard box, but it
cannot be a straight ahead handoff. Must be a toss or
sweep/handoff headed outside of the “no-rushing box”.
Receiving
-
All players are
eligible (and encouraged!) to receive passes (including the quarterback if the
ball has previously been handed off behind the line of scrimmage).
-
As in the NFL,
only one player is allowed in motion at the time of the snap.
-
A player must
have at least one foot inbounds when making a
reception.
Passing
-
The quarterback
has a 7-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.
-
If the ball is
not thrown by the 7-second time, the play is dead at the previous line of
scrimmage. Loss of down.
-
Quarterbacks can
scramble behind the line of scrimmage as needed up to the 7-second limit.
-
Quarterback can
throw the ball away to avoid the time clock or a sack/rusher. No intentional
grounding is called.
Dead Ball
-
Play is ruled
“dead” when:
o
Ball
carrier’s flag is pulled.
o
Ball carrier
steps out of bounds
o
Touchdown or
safety is occurs.
o
Ball
carrier’s knee hits the ground.
o
Ball
carrier’s flags fall off. If reception/interception is made by player not
wearing flags, catch counts but play is dead at the spot of the catch.
o
Ball hits the
ground/is fumbled - there are no fumble recoveries. The ball is spotted where
the ball hits the ground and the offense retains
possession unless it was 4th down.
Scoring
-
Touchdown: 6
points
-
Extra point: 1
point (played from 5-yard line) or 2 points (played from 10-yard line). Note:
on 1 point PAT attempt, if rushing the ball, the rush MUST go outside the hash
marks (i.e. a sweep); 2 point PAT can be a pass or a
rush of any style.
-
Interception return for TD: 6
points in 2-3 & 4-5-6 Division only. Interceptions are returnable in OT
& worth 2 points. No returns on standard extra point attempts in regulation
time. No INT returns in K-1 Division!
-
Safety: 0 points
– ball spotted at the 1yd line and offense retains ball after loss of
down.
Defense
-
The play is dead
when a defender pulls the flags from the ballcarrier,
the flags fall off, or the ball hits the ground.
-
Tackling is
obviously not allowed.
-
Purposeful
stripping of the football from a ballcarrier is not
allowed.
-
Interceptions are
allowed to be returned for touchdowns on standard plays in regulation time in
2-3 & 4-5-6 Divisions only (no returns on extra point attempts). For all
other non-PAT interceptions not returned for touchdowns, defense will take
possession either at their 5yd line (if intercepted prior to midfield) or at
midfield if intercepted past it. Interceptions in overtime are returnable &
worth 2 points in 2-3-4 Division only. No INT returns in K-1 Division!
-
4-5-6 Division only: Rushing the quarterback IS allowed. Officials will place a cone 10yds
downfield from the line of scrimmage. Rushing can start once the ball is
snapped. The designated rusher can come from anywhere behind that 10 yard line though the rusher must start from a kneeling
position. The designated rusher can choose to not rush past the line of
scrimmage after the play starts however. Other
defensive players are not allowed to “fake blitz”. After the
defensive rusher crosses the line of scrimmage, the quarterback IS allowed to
run to advance the ball forward. If blitzer does not cross the line of
scrimmage, quarterback cannot run the ball and must
throw the ball or hand it off.
Penalties
NOTE:
Under two minutes in each half, a penalty assessed on the team in the lead
stops the clock until the next play is snapped. I.e. teams with a lead late in
the game cannot keep committing penalties to run the clock out!
Offensive:
-
Blocking is
illegal. First instance is a warning. Thereafter is a
dead ball, loss of down & 5yd penalty from previous line of scrimmage.
-
No flag guarding
or stiff-arming. Penalty is 5yds from spot of the foul and loss of down.
-
Offensive pass
interference – Penalty is 10yds from previous line of scrimmage and
repeat the down.
-
Illegal forward
pass – Dead ball at spot of the throw.
-
Illegal motion
(multiple players in motion at once) – Loss of down at previous line of
scrimmage
-
Delay of game
– Loss of down
-
Three Touch Rule
(see Gameplay section) – Loss of down at previous line of scrimmage.
Defensive:
-
Offsides/early
rush – 5yd penalty and replay the down OR offense has the option to
accept the result of the play in the case of a long, completed pass or long
run.
-
Pass interference
– 10yd penalty from previous line of scrimmage and repeat the down
-
Illegal flag pull
(pulled flag before receiver had the ball) – 5yds added after the spot of
the catch.
-
Penalties in end
zone – offense to replay the down from the 1yd line or accept result of
previous play
-
Tackling – First time is a warning. Repeat/obvious
additional 2nd tackle = defender sits out rest of the drive. 3rd tackle by same
defender is automatic 1st down at spot of tackle & defender removed from
play for remainder of the half to be reviewed by league for possible 1 game
suspension.
Sportsmanship – All participants
The goal
of any youth sport is to teach kids how to properly play the game and have fun!
As a result, unsportsmanlike conduct or offensive language is not tolerated by
players, coaches OR fans. Referees have discretion to
remove coaches or fans from the field area for poor behavior!
Unsportsmanlike
conduct penalties: Defense +10 yards from line of scrimmage and automatic first
down. Offense -10 yards from line of scrimmage and loss of down.
2nd
Unsportsmanlike conduct penalty per player OR coach in a game = removal from
remainder of the game.