a. An Approved Ruling (A.R.) is an official decision on a given statement of facts. It serves to illustrate the spirit and application of the rules.
b. An official's signal [S] refers to the Official Football Signals 1 through 47.
ARTICLE 1. A live ball is a ball in play. A pass, kick or fumble that has not yet touched the ground is a live ball in flight.
ARTICLE 2. A dead ball is a ball not in play.
ARTICLE 3. a. A loose ball is a live ball not in player possession during:
2. A scrimmage or free kick before possession is gained, regained or the ball is dead by rule.
3. The interval after a legal forward pass is touched and before it becomes complete, incomplete or intercepted. This interval is during a forward pass play and any player eligible to touch the ball may bat it in any direction.
b. All players are eligible to touch, catch, or recover a ball that is loose from a fumble (Exceptions: Rules 7-2-2-a-2 and 8-3-2-d-5) or a backward pass, but eligibility to touch a ball loose from a kick is governed by kick rules (Rule 6) and eligibility to touch a forward pass is governed by pass rules (Rule 7).
ARTICLE 4. A dead ball is ready for play when:
a. With the 40-second play clock running, an official places the ball at a hash mark or between the inbounds marks and steps away to his position.
b. With the play clock set at 25 seconds, or at 40 seconds following an injury to a defensive team player, the referee sounds his whistle and either signals to start the game clock [S2] or signals that the ball is ready for play [S1] (A.R. 4-1-4:I and II)
ARTICLE 1. a. Blocking is obstructing an opponent by contacting him with any part of the blocker's body.
b. Pushing is blocking an opponent with open hands.
a. A block below the waist is a block in which the force of the initial contact is below the waist of an opponent who has one or both feet on the ground. When in question, the contact is below the waist (Rule 9-1-6).
b. A blocker who makes contact above the waist and then slides below the waist has not blocked below the waist. If the blocker first contacts the opposing player's hands at the waist or above, it is a legal "above the waist" block (Rule 9-1-6).
ARTICLE 3. A chop block is a high-low or low-high combination block by any two players against an opponent (not the ball carrier) anywhere on the field, with or without a delay between blocks; the "low" component is at the opponent's thigh or below (A.R. 9-1-10:I-V)
a. A block in the back is contact against an opponent occurring when the force of the initial contact is from behind and above the waist. When in question, the contact is below the waist (Rule 9-3-3-c) (A.R. 9-3-3:VII) (A.R. 10-2-2:XII)
b. The position of the blocker's head or feet does not necessarily indicate the point of initial contact.
ARTICLE 5. The frame of a player's body is at the shoulders or below other than the back (Rule 9-3-3-a-1-c Exception).
a. The blocking zone is a rectangle centred on the middle lineman of the offensive formation and extending five yards laterally and three yards longitudinally in each direction. (See Appendix D.)
b. The blocking zone disintegrates when the ball leaves the zone.
ARTICLE 1. "In possession" is an abbreviation meaning the holding or controlling of a live ball or a ball to be free-kicked. It may refer either to player possession or team possession.
a. A player "gains possession" when he secures the ball firmly by holding or controlling it while contacting the ground inbounds. The ball is then in player possession.
b. A team has team possession:
1. When one of its players is in possession, including when he is attempting a punt, drop kick or place kick;
2. While a forward pass thrown by one of its players is in flight; or
3. During a loose ball if one of its players was last in possession.
c. A team is in legal possession if it has team possession when its players are eligible to catch or recover the ball.
ARTICLE 2. "Belongs to," as contrasted with "in possession" denotes custody of a dead ball. Such custody may be temporary, because the ball must next be put in play in accordance with rules governing the existing situation.
a. To catch a ball means that a player:
1. Gains possession (Rule 2-4-1) of a live ball in flight; or
2. Leaves his feet and firmly grasps a live ball in flight, the ball first touching the ground inbounds while still in his firm grasp; or
3. Leaves his feet, firmly grasps a live ball in flight and either first returns to the ground inbounds with any part of his body or is so held that the dead-ball provisions of Rule 4-1-3-p apply (A.R. 2-4-3:I-IV) (A.R. 7-3-6:III)
If one foot first lands inbounds and the receiver has possession and firm control of the ball, it is a catch or interception even though a subsequent step or fall takes the receiver out of bounds (A.R. 7-3-6:XV)
A player who satisfies any of these three conditions is said to have completed a catch.
b. An interception is a catch of an opponent's pass or fumble.
c. A catch by any kneeling or prone inbounds player is a completion or interception (Rules 7-3-6 and 7-3-7).
d. A player recovers a ball if he fulfils any of the three criteria for catching a ball that is still alive after hitting the ground.
e. Loss of ball simultaneous with returning to the ground is not a catch, interception or recovery.
f. When in question, the catch, recovery or interception is not completed.
ARTICLE 4. A simultaneous catch or recovery is a catch or recovery in which there is joint possession of a live ball by opposing players inbounds (A.R. 7-3-6:I-II)
ARTICLE 1. a. Clipping is a block against an opponent occurring when the force of the initial contact is from behind and at or below the waist (Rule 9-1-5).
b. The position of the blocker's head or feet does not necessarily indicate the point of initial contact.
Deliberately advancing a dead ball is an attempt by a player to advance the ball after any part of his person, other than a hand or foot, has touched the ground or after the ball has been declared dead by rule (Exception: (Rule 4-1-3-b Exception).
ARTICLE 1. A down is a unit of the game that starts after the ball is ready for play with a legal snap (scrimmage down) or legal free kick (free kick down) and ends when the ball becomes dead [Exception: The try is a scrimmage down that begins when the referee declares the ball ready for play (Rule 8-3-2-b).]
ARTICLE 2. Between downs is the interval during which the ball is dead.
ARTICLE 3. "Loss of a down" is an abbreviation meaning "loss of the right to repeat a down".
a. A fair catch of a scrimmage kick is a catch beyond the neutral zone by a Team B player who has made a valid signal during a scrimmage kick that is untouched beyond the neutral zone.
b. A fair catch of a free kick is a catch by a player of Team B who has made a valid signal during an untouched free kick.
c. A valid or invalid fair catch signal deprives the receiving team of the opportunity to advance the ball. The ball is declared dead at the spot of the catch or recovery or at the spot of the signal if the catch precedes the signal.
d. If the receiver shades his eyes from the sun without waving his hand(s), the ball is live and may be advanced.
ARTICLE 2. A valid signal is a signal given by a player of Team B who has obviously signalled his intention by extending one hand only clearly above his head and waving the hand from side to side of the body more than once.
ARTICLE 3. An invalid signal is any waving signal by a player of Team B:
a. That does not meet the requirements of Rule 2-8-2 above; or
b. That is given after a scrimmage kick is caught beyond the neutral zone, strikes the ground or touches another player beyond the neutral zone (A.R. 6-5-3:III-V) or
c. That is given after a free kick is caught, strikes the ground or touches another player.
ARTICLE 1. Forward, beyond or in advance of, as related to either team, denotes direction towards the opponent's end line. Converse terms are backward or behind.
ARTICLE 2. Forward progress is a term indicating the end of advancement by the ball carrier or airborne pass receiver of either team and applies to the position of the ball when it became dead by rule (Rules 4-1-3-a, 4-1-3-b and 4-1-3-p; Rules 4-2-1 and 4-2-4; and Rule 5-1-3-a Exception) (A.R. 5-1-3:I-VI) (A.R. 8-2-1:I-IX) (Exception: Rule 8-5-1-a, (A.R. 8-5-1:I)
ARTICLE 1. A foul is a rule infraction for which a penalty is prescribed. A flagrant personal foul is a rule infraction so extreme or deliberate that it places an opponent in danger of catastrophic injury.
ARTICLE 2. A violation is a rule infraction for which no penalty is prescribed. Since it is not a foul, it does not offset a foul.
ARTICLE 1. To fumble the ball is to lose player possession by any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing. The status of the ball is a fumble (A.R. 2-19-2:I) (A.R. 4-1-3:I)
ARTICLE 2. To muff the ball is to make an unsuccessful attempt to catch or recover a ball that is touched in the attempt. Muffing the ball does not change its status.
ARTICLE 3. Batting the ball is intentionally striking it or intentionally changing its direction with the hand(s) or arm(s). When in question, the ball is accidentally touched rather than batted. Batting the ball does not change its status.
ARTICLE 4. Touching of a ball not in player possession denotes any contact with the ball (Exceptions: Rules 6-1-4-a, 6-1-4-b, 6-3-4-a and 6-3-4-b). It may be intentional or unintentional, and it always precedes possession and control. Intentional touching is deliberate or intended touching. When in question, a ball has not been touched on a kick or forward pass
ARTICLE 5. Blocking a scrimmage kick is touching the ball by an opponent of the kicking team in an attempt to prevent the ball from advancing beyond the neutral zone (Rule 6-3-1-b).
ARTICLE 1. A sideline runs from end line to end line on each side of the field and separates the field of play from the area that is out of bounds. The entire sideline is out of bounds.
ARTICLE 2. The goal line at each end of the field of play runs between the sidelines and is part of the vertical plane that separates the end zone from the field of play. This plane extends between and includes the pylons. The two goal lines are 100 yards apart (except when the field is shortened according to Rule 1-2-1-a-2). The entire goal line is in the end zone. A team's goal line is that which it is defending.
ARTICLE 3. An end line runs between the sidelines normally 10 (but can be 7-13) yards behind each goal line and separates the end zone from the area that is out of bounds. The entire end line is out of bounds.
ARTICLE 4. The boundary lines are the sidelines and the end lines. The area enclosed by the boundary lines is "in bounds", and the area surrounding and including the boundary lines is "out of bounds".
ARTICLE 5. A restraining line is part of a vertical plane that limits a team's alignment for free kicks. The plane extends beyond the sidelines (A.R. 2-12-5:I)
ARTICLE 6. A yard line is any line in the field of play parallel to the end lines. A team's own yard lines, marked or unmarked, are numbered consecutively from its own goal line to the half-way line.
ARTICLE 7. The two hash marks are 60 feet from the sidelines. Hash marks and short yard-line extensions should measure 24 inches in length.
ARTICLE 8. Nine-yard marks 12 inches in length, every 10 yards, shall be located nine yards from the sidelines. They are not required if the field is numbered according to Rule 1-2-1-j.
ARTICLE 9. A north-south line is any imaginary line that is parallel to the sidelines and extends from end line to end line.
ARTICLE 1. a. Handing the ball is transferring player possession from one teammate to another without throwing, fumbling or kicking it.
b. Except when permitted by rule, handing the ball forward to a teammate is illegal.
c. Loss of player possession by unsuccessful execution of attempted handing is a fumble by the last player in possession (Exception: The snap (Rule 2-23-1-c)).
d. A backward handoff occurs when the ball carrier releases the ball before it is beyond the yard line where the ball carrier is positioned.
A huddle is two or more players grouped together after the ball is ready for play and before a snap or a free kick.
ARTICLE 1. a. Hurdling is an attempt by a player to jump with one or both feet or knees foremost over an opponent who is still on his feet (Rule 9-1-13).
b. "On his feet" means that no part of the opponent's body other than one or both feet is in contact with the ground.
ARTICLE 1. a. Kicking the ball is intentionally striking the ball with the knee, lower leg or foot.
b. A legal kick is a punt, drop kick or place kick made according to the rules by a player of Team A before a change of team possession. Kicking the ball in any other manner is illegal (A.R. 6-1-2:I)
c. Any free kick or scrimmage kick continues to be a kick until it is caught or recovered by a player or becomes dead.
d. When in question, a ball is accidentally touched rather than kicked.
ARTICLE 2. A punt is a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it before it strikes the ground.
ARTICLE 3. A drop kick is a kick by a player who drops the ball and kicks it as it touches the ground.
ARTICLE 4. a. A field goal place kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession while the ball is controlled on the ground by a teammate.
b. A free kick place kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession while the ball is positioned on a tee or the ground. It may be controlled by a teammate. The ball may be positioned on the ground and contacting the tee.
c. A tee is a device that elevates the ball for kicking purposes. It may not elevate the ball's lowest point more than one inch above the ground (A.R. 2-16-4:I)
ARTICLE 5. a. A free kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession made under restrictions specified in Rules 4-1-4, 6-1-1 and 6-1-2.
b. A free kick after a safety may be a punt, drop kick or place kick.
ARTICLE 6. A kickoff is a free kick that starts each half and follows each try or field goal (Exception: Extra periods). It must be a place kick or a drop kick.
a. A scrimmage kick is a punt, drop kick or field goal place kick. It is a legal kick if it is made by Team A in or behind the neutral zone during a scrimmage down before team possession changes.
b. A scrimmage kick has crossed the neutral zone when it touches the ground, a player, an official or anything beyond the neutral zone (Exception: Rule 6-3-1-b) (A.R. 6-3-1:I-IV)
c. A scrimmage kick made when the kicker's entire body is beyond the neutral zone is an illegal kick and a live-ball foul that causes the ball to become dead (Rule 6-3-10-c).
ARTICLE 8. A return kick is a kick by a player of the team in possession after change of team possession during a down. It is an illegal kick and a live-ball foul that causes the ball to become dead (Rule 6-3-10-b).
ARTICLE 9. A field goal attempt is a scrimmage kick. It may be a place kick or a drop kick.
ARTICLE 10. a. A scrimmage kick formation is a formation with at least one player seven yards or more behind the neutral zone, no player in position to receive a hand-to-hand snap from between the snapper's legs, and it is obvious that a kick may be attempted (A.R. 7-1-3:VII) (A.R. 9-1-14:I-III)
b. If Team A is in a scrimmage kick formation at the snap, any action by Team A during the down is deemed to be from a scrimmage kick formation.
ARTICLE 1. a. The neutral zone is the space between the two lines of scrimmage extended to the sidelines and is the length of the ball.
b. The neutral zone is established when the ball is ready for play and is resting on the ground with its long axis at right angles to the scrimmage line and parallel to the sidelines.
c. The neutral zone exists until there is a change of team possession, until a scrimmage kick crosses the neutral zone, or until the ball is declared dead.
ARTICLE 1. After the ball is ready for play, encroachment occurs when an offensive player is in or beyond the neutral zone after the snapper touches or simulates (hand(s) at or below his knees) touching the ball before the snap (Exception: When the ball is put in play, the snapper is not encroaching when he is in the neutral zone).
ARTICLE 2. After the ball is ready for play, offside occurs (Rule 7-1-5) when a defensive player:
a. Is in or beyond the neutral zone when the ball is legally snapped;
b. Contacts an opponent beyond the neutral zone before the ball is snapped;
c. Contacts the ball before it is snapped;
d. Threatens an offensive lineman, causing an immediate reaction, before the ball is snapped (A.R. 7-1-3:V Note)
e. Crosses the neutral zone and charges towards a Team A back (A.R. 7-1-5:III) or
f. Is not behind his restraining line when the ball is legally free-kicked.
Offside occurs when one or more players of the kicking team are not behind their restraining line when the ball is legally free-kicked (Exception: The kicker and holder are not offside when they are beyond their restraining line) (Rule 6-1-2).
ARTICLE 1. Passing the ball is throwing it. A pass continues to be a pass until it is caught or intercepted by a player or the ball becomes dead.
a. A pass is forward if the ball first strikes the ground, a player, an official or anything else beyond the spot where the ball is released. All other passes are backward passes. When in question, a pass thrown in or behind the neutral zone is forward rather than backward.
b. When a Team A player is holding the ball to pass it forward toward the neutral zone, any intentional forward movement of his hand or arm starts the forward pass. If a Team B player contacts the passer or ball after forward movement begins and the ball leaves the passer's hand, a forward pass is ruled regardless of where the ball strikes the ground or a player (A.R. 2-19-2:I)
c. When in question, the ball is passed and not fumbled during an attempted forward pass.
d. A snap becomes a backward pass when the snapper releases the ball (A.R. 2-23-1:I)
ARTICLE 3. a. A legal forward pass has crossed the neutral zone when it first strikes the ground, a player, an official or anything beyond the neutral zone inbounds. It has not crossed the neutral zone when it first strikes the ground, a player, an official or anything in or behind the neutral zone inbounds.
b. A player has crossed the neutral zone if his entire body has been beyond the neutral zone.
c. A legal forward pass is beyond or behind the neutral zone where it crosses the sideline.
ARTICLE 4. A catchable forward pass is an untouched legal forward pass beyond the neutral zone to an eligible player who has a reasonable opportunity to catch the ball. When in question, a legal forward pass is catchable
A penalty is a result imposed by rule against a team that has committed a foul and may include one or more of the following: loss of yardage, loss of down, automatic first down or disqualification (Rule 10-1-1-b).
ARTICLE 1. A scrimmage down is the action between the two teams during a down that begins with a legal snap.
ARTICLE 2. The scrimmage line for each team is established when the ball is ready for play. It is the yard line that defines the vertical plane passing through the point of the ball nearest a team's own goal line.
ARTICLE 1. a. A shift is a simultaneous change of position or stance by two or more offensive players after the ball is ready for play before the snap for a scrimmage down (A.R. 7-1-3:I and II) (A.R. 7-1-2:I-IV)
b. The shift ends when all players have been motionless for one full second.
c. The shift continues if one or more players are in motion before the end of the one second interval.
ARTICLE 1. a. Legally snapping the ball (a snap) is handing or passing it backward from its position on the ground with a quick and continuous motion of the hand or hands, the ball actually leaving the hand or hands in this motion (Rule 4-1-4).
b. The snap starts when the ball is moved legally and ends when the ball leaves the snapper's hands (A.R. 7-1-5:I-II)
c. If, during any backward motion of a legal snap, the ball slips from the snapper's hand, it becomes a backward pass and is in play (Rule 4-1-1).
d. While resting on the ground and before the snap, the long axis of the ball must be at right angles to the scrimmage line (Rule 7-1-3).
e. Unless moved in a backward direction, the movement of the ball does not start a legal snap. It is not a legal snap if the ball is first moved forward or lifted.
f. If the ball is touched by Team B during a legal snap, the ball remains dead and Team B is penalised. If the ball is touched by Team B during an illegal snap, the ball remains dead and Team A is penalised (A.R. 7-1-5:I-II)
g. The snap need not be between the snapper's legs; but to be legal, it must be a quick and continuous backward motion.
h. The ball must be snapped on or between the hash marks.
ARTICLE 1. A series comprises up to four consecutive downs that each begins with a snap (Rule 5-1-1).
ARTICLE 2. A possession series is a team's continuous possession of the ball in an extra period (Rule 3-1-3). It may consist of one or more series.
ARTICLE 1. An enforcement spot is the point from which the penalty for a foul or violation is enforced.
ARTICLE 2. The previous spot is the point from which the ball was last put in play.
ARTICLE 3. The succeeding spot is the point at which the ball is next to be put in play
ARTICLE 4. The dead-ball spot is the point at which the ball became dead.
ARTICLE 5. The spot of the foul is the point at which that foul occurs. If out of bounds between the goal lines, it shall be the intersection of the nearer hash mark and the yard line extended through the spot of the foul. If out of bounds between the goal line and the end line or behind the end line, the foul is in the end zone.
ARTICLE 6. The out-of-bounds spot is the point at which, according to the rule, the ball becomes dead because of going or being declared out of bounds.
ARTICLE 7. The inbounds spot is the intersection of the nearer hash mark line and the yard line passing through either the dead-ball spot, or the spot where a penalty leaves the ball in a side zone.
ARTICLE 8. The spot where the run ends is at that point:
a. Where the ball is declared dead in player possession.
b. Where player possession is lost on a fumble.
c. Where handing of the ball occurs.
d. Where an illegal forward pass is thrown.
e. Where a backward pass is thrown.
f. Where an illegal scrimmage kick is made beyond the line of scrimmage.
g. Where a return kick occurs.
h. Where player possession is gained under provisions of the "momentum rule" (Rule 8-5-1-a Exceptions).
ARTICLE 9. A scrimmage kick that crosses the neutral zone ends at the spot where it is caught or recovered or where the ball is declared dead by rule (Rule 2-16-1-c).
ARTICLE 10. The basic spot is a benchmark for locating the enforcement spot for penalties governed by the Three-and-One Principle (Rule 2-33). Basic spots for the various categories of plays are stated in Rule 10-2-2-d.
ARTICLE 11. The postscrimmage kick spot serves as the basic spot when postscrimmage kick enforcement applies (Rule 10-2-3).
a. When the kick ends in the field of play, other than in the special cases given below, the postscrimmage kick spot is the spot where the kick ends.
b. When the kick ends in Team B's end zone, the postscrimmage kick spot is Team B's 20-yard line.
Special cases
1. On an unsuccessful field goal attempt, if the ball is untouched by Team B after crossing the neutral zone and is declared dead beyond the neutral zone, the postscrimmage kick spot is:
(a) The previous spot, if the previous spot is on or outside Team B's 20-yard line; or
(b) Team B's 20-yard line, if the previous spot is between Team B's 20-yard line and its goal line. (A.R. 10-2-3:V)
2. When Rule 6-3-11 is in effect, the postscrimmage kick spot is Team B's 20-yard line.
3. When Rule 6-5-1-b is in effect, the postscrimmage kick spot is the spot where the receiver first touched the kick.
Tackling is grasping or encircling an opponent with a hand(s) or arm(s).
ARTICLE 1. Team A is the team that is designated to put the ball in play, and Team B is the opponent. The teams retain these designations until the ball is next ready for play.
ARTICLE 2. The offensive team is the team in possession, or the team to which the ball belongs; the defensive team in the opposing team.
ARTICLE 3. a. The kicker is any player who punts, drop kicks or place kicks according to rule. He remains the kicker until he has had a reasonable time to regain his balance.
b. A holder is a player who controls the ball on the ground or on a kicking tee. During a scrimmage-kick play, he remains the holder until no player is in position to make the kick or, if the ball is kicked, until the kicker has had a reasonable time to regain his balance.
1. A lineman is any Team A player legally on his scrimmage line (Rule 2-21-2).
2. A Team A player is on his scrimmage line when he faces his opponent's goal line with the line of his shoulders approximately parallel thereto and either (a) he is the snapper (Rule 2-27-8) or (b) his head breaks the plane of the line drawn through the waistline of the snapper.
b. Interior lineman. An interior lineman is a lineman who is not on the end of his scrimmage line.
c. Restricted lineman. A restricted lineman is any interior lineman, or any lineman wearing a number 50-79, whose hand(s) are below the knees.
d. Back.
1. A back is any Team A player who is not a lineman and whose head or body does not break the plane of the line drawn through the waistline of the nearest Team A lineman.
2. A back is also the player, other than a lineman, in position to receive a hand-to-hand snap.
3. A lineman becomes a back before the snap when he moves to a position as a back and stops.
ARTICLE 5. The passer is the player who throws a forward pass. He is a passer from the time he releases the ball until it is complete, incomplete, intercepted or he moves to participate in the play.
ARTICLE 6. a. A player is any one of the participants in the game who is not a substitute or a replaced player and is subject to the rules when inbounds or out of bounds.
b. An airborne player is a player not in contact with the ground.
c. A departing player is a player leaving the field, having been replaced by a substitute.
ARTICLE 7. a. The runner is a player in possession of a live ball or simulating possession of a live ball.
b. A ball carrier is a runner in possession of a live ball.
ARTICLE 8. The snapper is the player who snaps the ball. He is established as the snapper when he takes a position behind the ball and touches or simulates (hand(s) at or below his knees) touching the ball (Rule 7-1-3).
ARTICLE 9. a. A legal substitute is a replacement for a player or a player vacancy during the interval between downs.
b. A legal incoming substitute becomes a player when he enters the field of play or end zones and communicates with a teammate or an official, enters the huddle, is positioned in an offensive or defensive formation, or participates in a play.
ARTICLE 10. A replaced player is one who participated during the previous down, has been replaced by a substitute and has left the field of play, and the end zones.
ARTICLE 11. A player vacancy occurs when a team has fewer than 11 players in the game.
ARTICLE 12. a. A disqualified player is one who is declared ineligible for further participation in the game.
b. A disqualified player must leave the playing enclosure within a reasonable amount of time after his disqualification. He must remain out of view of the field of play under team supervision for the duration of the game.
ARTICLE 13. A squad member is part of a group of potential players, in uniform, organised for participation in the ensuing football game or football plays.
ARTICLE 14. A defenseless player is one who because his physical position and focus of concentration is especially vulnerable to injury. Examples of defenseless players are:
a. A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass.
b. A receiver whose focus is on catching a pass.
c. A kicker in the act of or just after kicking a ball.
d. A kick returner whose focus in on catching or recovering a kick in the air.
e. A player on the ground at the end of a play.
f. A player obviously out of the play.
Tripping is intentionally using the lower leg or foot to obstruct an opponent below the knees (Rule 9-1-2-c).
ARTICLE 1. The game clock is any device under the direction of the appropriate official used to time the 60 minutes of the game.
a. Each stadium should have a visual play clock at each end of the playing enclosure. The play clock (if provided) must be capable of counting down from both 40 seconds and 25 seconds. It should automatically default to 40 seconds and start immediately upon being re-set by the play-clock operator when any official signals that the ball is dead after a play. (Rule 13-2-2)
b. Otherwise, the 25-second clock is any device under the direction of the appropriate official used to time the 25 seconds between the ready for play signal and the ball being put in play.
ARTICLE 1. A legal forward pass play is the interval between the snap and when a legal forward pass is complete, incomplete or intercepted.
ARTICLE 2. A free kick play is the interval from the time the ball is legally kicked until it comes into player possession or the ball is declared dead by rule.
ARTICLE 3. A scrimmage kick play is the interval between the snap and when a scrimmage kick comes into player possession or the ball is declared dead by rule.
ARTICLE 4. a. A running play is any live-ball action other than that during a free kick play, a scrimmage kick play, or a legal forward pass play.
b. A run is that segment of a running play during which a ball carrier has possession.
c. If a ball carrier loses possession by a fumble, backward pass, or illegal forward pass, the spot where the run ends (Rule 2-25-8) is the yard line where the ball carrier loses possession. The running play includes the run and the loose-ball action before a player gains or regains possession or the ball is declared dead (A.R. 2-30-4:I and II)
d. A new running play begins when a player gains or regains possession.
ARTICLE 1. The field is the area within the limit lines and includes the limit lines and team areas and the space above it (Exception: Enclosures over the field).
ARTICLE 2. The field of play is the area enclosed by the sidelines and the goal lines.
ARTICLE 3. a. The end zone at each end of the field is the rectangle defined by the goal line, sidelines and end line.
b. The goal line and goal line pylons are in the end zone.
c. A team's end zone is the one it is defending (A.R. 8-5-1:VII) (A.R. 8-6-1:I)
ARTICLE 4. The playing surface is the material or substance within the field of play, including the end zones.
ARTICLE 5. The playing enclosure is that area bounded by the stadium, dome, stands, fences or other structures (Exception: Scoreboards are not considered within the playing enclosure).
ARTICLE 6. The side zone is the area between the hash marks and the near sideline.
ARTICLE 1. Fighting is any attempt by a player, coach or squad member in uniform to strike an opponent in a combative manner unrelated to football. Such acts include, but are not limited to:
a. An attempt to strike an opponent with the head, arm(s), hand(s), leg(s) or foot (feet), whether or not there is contact.
b. An unsportsmanlike act toward an opponent that causes any opponent to retaliate by fighting (Rules 9-2-1 and 9-5-1).
The Three-and-One Principle of penalty enforcement applies when the penalty statement for a foul does not specify the enforcement spot. Application of this principle is described in Rule 10-2-2-c.
ARTICLE 1. a. The tackle box is the rectangular area enclosed by the neutral zone, the two lines parallel to the sideline five yards from the snapper, and Team A's end line. (See Appendix D.)
b. The tackle box disintegrates when the ball leaves it.
Editor: Jim Briggs, BAFA/BAFRA Rules Committee
rules@britishamericanfootball.org