8-Man Adult
Flag Football Rules & Policies
CHANGES
JANUARY 2022
Field
Dimensions:
Games will be
held on a full size football field. The width of the field will be
standard football width. End Zones will be 10 yards deep.
Starting the
game and possession after a score:
Teams will
start on the 20 yard line for their 1st down of each half and after
each score.
First down
Markers:
A first down
will be placed 40 yard line and the 20 yard line. This will result in 2
first downs before a team can score. Team will start 1st and
10 on their drive from their own 20 yard line.
Punting:
PATS’s
Rushing the
QB/Kicker on the snap:
Defense can
rush additional defenders, but they must start from 5 yards from the line of
scrimmage at the snap.
You are playing
in a football league without pads, a very competitive football league without
pads, a league with blocking, running, etc. and no pads. By definition you are
playing in a situation that is nearly impossible to referee, nearly impossible
to devise rules for. As a player, you must realize this and work on not being so
nit-picky about the small rules; the one rule we want everyone to be nit-picky
about is the sportsmanship rule. You cannot, as a player, do
something that is unsportsmanlike. This even includes legal activities, for
example, a hard block with 7 seconds to go in a 30 point win to a player who is
caught off guard. Yes, it is completely legal but unsportsmanlike. Any
unsportsmanlike act can be an ejection even if the referees do not catch the
play (director on grounds or videotape).
Suspensions: The league will suspend based on
best information obtained from referees. Player input will be factored in at
about 10% total. Videotape is your only way to appeal. The league will penalize
the instigator typically as hard as or harder than the retaliator. The league
will simply do it's best to make the best judgment and those judgments will not
be perfect. Errors will stand. The only way to guarantee the correct description
gets to the director is with videotape.
You are down
where your body is located (hips above ground) when the flag is pulled, not
where the ball is located (since diving is illegal).
Starting the down without flags will not be a penalty and referees
need not delay the game if the snap is forthcoming. The player is simply down
upon any touch (one hand).
What Rules Are
We Playing Under?
The best
description of our rules is to say that we play basic high school rules with
an AFA emphasis. The following pages are the rules, in order of importance.
RESTATED: The rules that stand out (the ones you need to know about) are on the
first few pages, while rules that are not specific to this league (more general
to any football game) are on the last pages. Also, it is important to note that
in this league, the referees decide which rules they are playing under and how
to enforce those rules. It is the desire of the league that this manual will
result in every referee calling the game under the same rules; until that time,
the referees still have the final say on all rules.
Players may
play on 2 teams:
Players may
play on 2 teams during the season, but no more than 2 teams. With 3 games left
on your schedule, it is too late to add players. For a player to be eligible in
the playoffs, that player must have played at least 3 season games with that
team. To be eligible to play on 2 teams in the playoffs, you must have played at
least 3 season games on both teams.
Players CANNOT play on 2 teams in the playoffs in the
same division. Players who play on 2 teams that end up in the same playoff
division must notify the league which team they are playing on during the
playoffs.
Rainy Weather:
During the
winter season, WE MOVE GAMES under a specific condition. If a combination of a
rainy day with already soggy fields exists, the league will move the grass field
game(s) to a synthetic field if possible or the game(s) would be rescheduled for
a later time. The later time allows for the few players that cannot be reached
to get to the game(s) that have been moved on time. Further, the information
about moved games due to weather will be on a hot line at 503-493-9335 and the
website will be updated every Sunday morning. You can give that number to your
players to call any Sunday morning in question. As of 2009 most games, if not
all, are played on synthetic turf.
Unfair and
Unsportsmanlike Acts:
No player will
commit a personal foul during a period or an intermission. Whenever, in the
judgment of any game Official, the following acts are deliberate or flagrant,
the players involved will be ejected from the game:
Penalty: 15 yards, and if flagrant, the
offender will be ejected
If a team
repeatedly commits fouls, which can be penalized only by halving the distance to
its goal line, the Referee may enforce any penalty he considers equitable. The
Referee may award a touchdown when B tackles A on a breakaway or inside of B's
20-yard line. For refusal to play, or for repeated fouls, the Referee
will, after one warning, forfeit the game to the opponents.
Forfeiture of
Game:
Repeatedly
committing fouls in an attempt to delay the game. Forfeiture of game is not a
penalty, but an edict by the Referee. Any flagrant foul, in addition to the
yardage penalty, results in disqualification. Any fighting will result in
ejection of the combatants and a possible suspension.
Any player who
touches or threatens an official, an employee or staff member is automatically
suspended for a two (2) year period, pending further review; the offender can be
banished for life from all events, not just flag football.
Illegal
Contact:
In an attempt
to remove a flag, both offense (A) and defense (B) are responsible for avoiding
head on collisions. B (defensive player) may contact the body and shoulders of A
with their hands, but B cannot contact A's face or any part of the neck or
head. B may not hold, grasp, push, knock the ball carrier down, or obstruct
forward progress in an attempt to remove the flag. B may not knock the ball
loose after A has possession. B may not push out of bounds.
Penalty: 10 yards.
Offensive
Interference:
We use basic
high school rules regarding offensive pass interference. After the ball is
snapped, and until a receiver has touched it there will be no offensive
interference beyond the five-yard zone while the ball is in flight. The pass
does not have to be catchable (to an extent, referee discretion). Penalty: 15
yards and loss of down
Blocking Fouls:
Teammates of a
runner or passer may run interference for him by using “open hand blocking”,
but will not use interlocked interference by grasping or encircling one
another in any matter. Penalty: 10 yards
The offensive
block will take place with the blocker's arms extended and palms facing the
opponent. The block must be initiated on opponent’s chest or on either side. Any
other block will be illegal. Contact that begins from behind, above the
shoulders, (block in the back), or below the waist, (clipping), is illegal. If
the person being blocked presents their back to the blocker after a legal block
was initiated, no foul shall be called. A blocker may use his hand or arm to
break a fall or to retain his balance. A player must be on his feet before,
during, and after blocking. No two on one blocking, (double-team). Penalty: 10
yards
The offensive
runner and team mates will be prohibited from obstructing an opponent with
extended hand or arm, (stiff arm). This includes the use of a "stiff arm"
extended to ward off an opponent attempting to pull the flags. Stiff arming is
never allowed in Portland Football leagues.
There will be
NO DOUBLE TEAM BLOCKING. On the line of scrimmage players can engage in an
“initial double team block” then one of the players has to DISENGAGE. There is
no double team blocking downfield.
Penalty: 10
yards
Flags:
Each player on
the field must wear a ‘Triple Threat One Piece Belt’ with 3 flags, unaltered in
any way. The flags must be of contrasting color to the pants. To order, contact
the League office and they will sell them at cost, $8 per belt.
Capture of
Flag:
If a flag
inadvertently falls to the ground, a one-handed tag between the armpits and
knees constitutes capture. It is up to the discretion of the officials as to
whether a flag fell off or came off by being pulled, you are reminded to play
until you hear the whistle. A player while in possession of the ball who touches
the ground with any part of his body other than his hands or feet is down at the
spot of such touching. You are down where your body is located (hips
above ground) when the flag is pulled, not where the ball is located (since
diving is illegal).
Points:
The following
methods will be used in scoring a game:
Touchdown 6
points
Field Goal 3
points
Safety 2
points
Forfeited Game 6
points
Successful
Try-For-Point (P.A.T.) 1 points – Try is from the 3 yard line
Running,
passing or kicking from 5 yards 1 point
Running or
passing from 10 yards 2 points
There is no
mercy rule. In the final 2 minutes, if the score is 18 points or more, the
timing rule will be running clock
Try-for-Point:
An opportunity
to score one or two points, if time runs out, will be granted a team
scoring a touchdown if score is a factor. There will be one
scrimmage play unless changed by penalty. A team is given one choice, which
cannot be changed, even if a penalty should occur. Example: If a team declares
they are going for two points, the ball is placed at the 10 yard line, and even
if a penalty should occur, the team will only be able to run or pass, and if
successful, (no matter from what distance), the value of the try is two points.
The point(s) will be awarded if the try results in what would have been a
touchdown or field goal under rules governing play at other times.
If an
offsetting foul occurs during the down,
the down will be replayed. When Team B incurs a distance penalty during a
successful try, Team A will accept the score with enforcement of the penalty
from the 30-yard line. After a successful try for point, the next play
will be from the 30-yard line, unless a penalty on Team A is accepted.
No kickoffs in flag football; play starts at the 35 yard line.
Muffed Snaps:
When the ball
hits the ground during the snap to the QB the ball is blown dead and the down counts.
Exception: the ball may skip on a “field goal
attempt or try via kicking”; however the holder must not take any other action
other than holding for the kicker.
During Kicking
Game:
Punts
Both teams must
have five players on the line of scrimmage during any kicking play. Both
teams must maintain at least five players on the line of scrimmage until
the kick is made. Players on the line of scrimmage must remain motionless until
the ball is kicked.
Players will be
allowed to return punts. Receiving team may block during the kick, but NO
blocking is allowed beyond 10 yards of the line of scrimmage and/or once the
receiving player touches the ball. If a player attempts to catch a punt and
drops it, the ball will be dead where it hits the ground.
A linesman may
not raise his arm to distract the kicker. Blocking is not permitted.
Penalty: 5 yards from previous spot
Kickoffs.
There will be NO kickoffs
in 8-man league. Instead the ball will be placed on the 30-yard line, and it
will be 1st and 10 going out.
The Clock
During 'Running Clock':
The clock will
start when the ball is legally snapped for the first down of the game; each half
consists of 22 minutes running time. In the “first half” the clock will
run continuously for 21 minutes and then the last minute will
be regular High School Football “stop time” rules. For the second
half of the game, the clock will run continuously until the 2-minute mark, (20
minutes running time). At the 2-minute mark, basic high school timing rules
will stop the clock. The only exception to these rules is when the spread on the
score is 16 points or higher. When the spread is 16 points or higher the clock
will run non-stop (except on a called timeout). Note: the clock stops on
a “team time-out or an official’s time-out”.
The Clock:
Unfair Tactics:
The Referee may
order the game clock started or stopped whenever a team is trying to either
conserve or consume playing time by tactics that are obviously unfair. Referees
decision is final.
Penalty: 5
yards for first offense and 15 yards for each
subsequent offense.
Official Time
Out:
The Referee may
declare an Official's time out for any contingency not elsewhere covered by the
rules.
Changes in
Playing Time:
Referees do not
have the discretion to lessen playing time.
A period may be
extended by an un-timed down, only when during the last timed down, one of the
following has occurred:
A touchdown was
scored; the try-for point is attempted as a part of the same half
There was an
inadvertent whistle and the down is to be replayed
The penalty
from a foul by the defense was accepted
There was fair
catch interference and the offended team accepts an awarded fair catch
If there was a
deliberate foul by the kicking team and the penalty is not declined
Jogging Tracks:
Respect other
park users and stay off of jogging tracks. Please do not park on city grounds.
Please respect
the field we are at, as you would your own yard. Please pick up litter after
your games.
Having two
footballs available:
Offensive teams
should have 2 footballs (for when PAT’s go over a fence or down the hill, since
the clock is running)
Scrimmage:
All plays from
scrimmage must be started by a legal snap from a point between the inbound
lines, unless the rules provide for a free kick. An Official will mark the line
of scrimmage. You are allowed to skip the snap on an announced punt.
Entry for
Substitutes:
No substitute
will enter during a down. Between downs any number of eligible substitutes may
replace players. Replaced players must be off the field before the ball is next
snapped. Penalty: 5 yds. Illegal Substitution or 15 yds. Illegal Participation.
The Ball:
The official
ball will be pebble-grained leather or rubber covered and will meet the
recommendations for size and shape for a regulation football. The Referee will
be the sole judge of any ball offered for play and may change the ball during
play at his discretion. During the game each team must use a legal ball of its
choice when it is in possession. Illegal Ball Penalty: 10 yards
Tie Game:
In our league,
because our games are very long we do end with ties. However, in the playoffs we
play college OT rules where teams will start from the opposing 20 yard line.