Rule Book

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Common penalties, scoring, overtime, and replay. Reviewed against the NFL Operations rule book. Last reviewed: April 25, 2026.

Replay & Challenges

Coach's Challenges: Each head coach gets 2 challenges per game (3rd if both prior challenges succeed). Throwing the red flag stops play and triggers an instant-replay review.
Automatic Reviews: All scoring plays, all turnovers, and any play inside the final 2 minutes of either half are auto-reviewed by the booth — no challenge flag required.
Replay Assist (2025 expansion): The replay official may now correct certain on-field penalty calls (face mask, horse-collar, others) without requiring a challenge — speeds up obvious errors.
Hawk-Eye Optical Tracking: Replaces the chain gang for line-to-gain measurements starting 2025. Provides faster, more accurate first-down rulings.

Scoring

Touchdown — 6 points: Carry or catch the ball into the opponent's end zone, or recover a fumbleA ball-carrier loses possession before being downed. Either team can recover; whoever does so gains possession. there. The most common scoring play.
Field Goal — 3 points: Kick the ball through the goalposts. Most field goals are attempted from inside the opponent's 40-yard line.
Extra Point (PAT) — 1 point: After a touchdownSix points scored by carrying or catching the ball into the opponent's end zone, or by recovering a fumble there., the offense kicks from the 15-yard line for one point.
Two-Point Conversion — 2 points: After a touchdownSix points scored by carrying or catching the ball into the opponent's end zone, or by recovering a fumble there., the offense may instead try to score from the 2-yard line by run or pass for two points.
Safety — 2 points: The defense scores 2 points and gets the ball back when the offense is tackled or commits certain penalties in its own end zone.
Defensive Two-Point Return — 2 points: If the defense returns a turnover or blocked PAT/conversion all the way to the opposite end zone on a try, they score 2 points (rare).

Game Basics

Field & Equipment: 100 yards plus two 10-yard end zones; 53⅓ yards wide. Hash marks 70'9" from each sideline. The ball is the league-issued Wilson "The Duke".
Players: 11 players per side on the field. 53-man active roster, 48 dressed on game day, plus a practice squad.
Periods: Four 15-minute quarters with a 12-minute halftime. The clock stops on incomplete passes, out-of-bounds plays, scores, timeouts, and inside two minutes of each half.
Play Clock: 40 seconds between most plays. Resets to 25 seconds after a timeout, change of possession, or other administrative stoppage.
Timeouts: Each team gets 3 timeouts per half. Unused first-half timeouts do not carry over to the second half.
Two-Minute Warning: Automatic stoppage with 2:00 remaining in each half. Acts as a free timeout for both teams.
Downs: The offense gets 4 downs (attempts) to gain 10 yards. Reaching 10 yards resets to 1st down. Failing to gain 10 yards in 4 downs surrenders the ball.

Overtime (2025+ rules)

Regular Season: One 10-minute period. Both teams are guaranteed at least one possession even if the team that wins the coin toss scores a touchdownSix points scored by carrying or catching the ball into the opponent's end zone, or by recovering a fumble there. on the opening drive. If the score is even at the end of the period, the game ends in a tie. A defensive touchdownSix points scored by carrying or catching the ball into the opponent's end zone, or by recovering a fumble there. or safetyDeep defender. Free safety plays centerfield; strong safety supports the run. on the opening possession ends the game immediately.
Postseason: Same possession rule: both teams get at least one possession. Periods are 15 minutes. Repeat as many overtime periods as needed until a winner is determined; ties are not allowed in the playoffs.
Why this changed: Following the AFC Championship-style scenarios in recent years where one team's offense never touched the ball, the league extended the both-teams-get-a-possession rule to the regular season starting in 2025.

Common Penalties

Defensive Holding — 5 yds + auto 1st down: Grabbing or restraining a receiver beyond the 5-yard chuck zone, or any non-ball-carrier.
Offensive Holding — 10 yds: Grabbing a defender to keep them away from the ball-carrier or QB.
Defensive Pass Interference — spot foul (capped at 1 yard from goal line): Illegal contact that prevents a receiver from making a catch on a catchable pass.
Offensive Pass Interference — 10 yds: A receiver illegally pushes off or interferes with a defender on a catchable pass.
False Start — 5 yds: An offensive player moves before the snapThe play's start; the ball is passed from center to QB. (after assuming a set position).
Offside / Encroachment / Neutral Zone — 5 yds: A defender is in or crosses the neutral zone at the snapThe play's start; the ball is passed from center to QB..
Delay of Game — 5 yds: Failure to snapThe play's start; the ball is passed from center to QB. the ball before the play clock expires.
Illegal Formation / Shift / Motion — 5 yds: Improper alignment or movement before the snapThe play's start; the ball is passed from center to QB. (e.g., not enough players on the line).
Illegal Use of Hands — 10 yds (offense) / 5 yds (defense): Hands to the face or other illegal hand contact.
Roughing the Passer — 15 yds + auto 1st down: Late, low, or excessive contact with the QB after the ball is thrown.
Roughing the Kicker — 15 yds + auto 1st down: Significant contact with the punterKicks the ball away on 4th down to flip field position. or place-kickerSpecialist who attempts field goals and extra points. on a kicking play.
Running Into the Kicker — 5 yds: Minor contact with the kickerSpecialist who attempts field goals and extra points.; less severe than roughing.
Unnecessary Roughness — 15 yds (auto 1st down on defense): Late hits, helmet-to-helmet contact, or other excessive contact.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct — 15 yds (auto 1st down on defense): Verbal abuse, taunting, or other conduct unbecoming of an NFL player.
Personal Foul — 15 yds (auto 1st down on defense): Catch-all umbrella for serious physical fouls (face mask, horse-collar, leading with the helmet).
Face Mask — 15 yds (auto 1st down on defense): Grabbing a player's face mask to bring them down.
Horse-Collar Tackle — 15 yds (auto 1st down on defense): Pulling a runner down by the back of the shoulder pads or jersey collar.
Hip-Drop Tackle — 15 yds (auto 1st down on defense): Banned starting in 2024. The tackler swivels and uses their full bodyweight to drop onto the ball-carrier's legs from behind.
Illegal Contact — 5 yds + auto 1st down: Defender contacts a receiver beyond 5 yards downfield while the ball is in the air. Distinct from holdingGrabbing or restraining a non-ball-carrier. 10 yards on offense, 5 + auto first down on defense..
Intentional Grounding — 10 yds + loss of down: QB throws an incomplete pass with no receiver in the area to avoid a sackTackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before he throws. Counts as negative yardage on the offense's stat sheet and a positive sack on the defender's..
Illegal Block in the Back — 10 yds: Blocking a non-ball-carrier in the back, away from the play.
Taunting — 15 yds (auto 1st down on defense): Excessive celebration directed at an opponent.

Notable 2025 Rule Changes

Dynamic Kickoff (now permanent): The kickoff line stays at the 35; the receiving team's setup zone is between its 30 and 35; touchbacks now place the ball at the 35-yard line (up from the 25). Designed to encourage live returns.
Onside Kick — declarable any time: Previously restricted to the 4th quarter when trailing. Now any team trailing at any point in the game can declare an onside attempt.
Tush Push: QuarterbackThrows and hands off the ball; the offense's leader and primary decision-maker. sneak with rear push remains legal as of 2025 — a recurring debate the competition committee continues to revisit.