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Rule 19: OFFICIALS
Section 1: OFFICIALS
19-1-1
PDF page 77-77
GAME OFFICIALS. The game shall be played under the supervision of seven officials: the Referee, Umpire, Down Judge, Line Judge, Field Judge, Side Judge, and Back Judge. In the absence of seven officials, the crew is to be rearranged according to the remaining members of the crew.
19-1-2
PDF page 77-77
JURISDICTION. The officials’ jurisdiction begins 100 minutes before the scheduled kickoff and ends when the Referee declares the final score.
19-1-3
PDF page 77-77
REFEREE’S AUTHORITY. The Referee is to have general oversight and control of the game. The Referee is the final authority for the score. If there is a disagreement between members of the crew regarding the number of down, any decision, or the application, enforcement, or interpretation of a rule, the Referee’s decision will be final. The Referee’s decisions upon all matters not specifically placed under the jurisdiction of other officials by rule are final.
19-1-4
PDF page 77-77
RESPONSIBILITIES AND MECHANICS. Officiating responsibilities and mechanics are specified in the Mechanics Manual, published annually by the National Football League.
Section 2: SUPPORT FROM NFL OFFICIATING STAFF
The Replay Official and designated members of the Officiating department at the League office may consult with the on-field officials to provide objective information regarding on-field rulings and the correct application of playing rules. In addition, if the designated members of the Officiating department determine that a foul for a football or non-football act called on the field is flagrant, then they can instruct the on-field officiating crew to disqualify the player(s) who committed the foul. For actions not called on the field, if designated members of the Officiating department determine, prior to the next legal snap or kick, that such action is flagrant, they may consult with the on-field officials regarding a potential disqualification of the offending player(s).
Penalty: Loss of 15 yards and disqualification from the game if actions are found to be flagrant. Those players who were not penalized, but who engaged in football or non-football acts that were determined to be flagrant and directly related to the foul called on the field, may also be disqualified by designated members of the Officiating department. A penalty will be assessed when a player was not penalized by on-field officials but was subsequently disqualified pursuant to this Section. The determination that a foul is flagrant must be based on the available video, and the designated members of the Officiating department must instruct the officiating crew to disqualify the identified player(s) before the ball is next legally put in play.
Penalty index (text)
Distance Penalties
Loss of Five Yards
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Delay of game | 4-6 |
| Encroachment | 7-4-3 |
| False start | 7-4-2 |
| Holding (defense) | 12-1-6 |
| Illegal contact | 8-4-3 |
| Illegal formation (free kick) | 6-1-3, 6-1-6 |
| Illegal formation (scrimmage down) | 7-5-1 |
| Illegal formation (scrimmage kick) | 9-1-3 |
| Illegal forward handing | 8-7-4 |
| Illegal kick | 6-1-1, 6-1-6 |
| Illegal motion | 7-4-8 |
| Illegal shift | 7-4-7 |
| Illegal snap | 7-6-3, 7-6-4 |
| Illegal substitution | 4-7-2, 5-2-8, 5-3-2 |
| Illegal touching of a forward pass | 8-1-8 |
| Illegally touching of a free kick | 6-2-5 |
| Illegal use of hands by defense | 12-1-7 |
| Ineligible player downfield on kick | 9-1-2 |
| Ineligible player downfield on pass | 8-3-1 |
| Invalid fair catch signal | 10-2-2 |
| Kicking team player voluntarily out of bounds | 9-1-5 |
| Neutral zone infraction | 7-4-4 |
| Offside | 7-4-5 |
| Punt, drop kick, or place kick from beyond the line | 9-1-1 |
| Running into kicker | 12-2-12 |
| Second excess team timeout after two-minute warning | 4-5-4 |
| Team timeout requested and granted when not allowed | 4-5-1 |
| Too many players on the field | 5-1-1 |
| Voluntarily going out of bounds on free kick | 6-2-6 |
Loss of Ten Yards
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Assisting the runner | 12-1-4 |
| Holding (offense) | 12-1-3(c) |
| Illegal batting | 12-5-1 |
| Illegal blocking or use of hands (free kick) | 6-2-1, 6-2-2 |
| Illegal kicking | 12-5-2 |
| Illegal use of hands (offense) | 12-1-3(a) |
| Illegal block in the back | 12-1-3(b) |
| Offensive pass interference | 8-5-2, 8-5-4 |
Loss of Fifteen Yards
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Attempting to call excess/illegal timeout to freeze kicker | 12-3-1(v) |
| Blindside block | 12-2-7 |
| Blocking a kicking team player out of bounds | 12-2-8(c) |
| Chop block | 12-2-5 |
| Clipping | 12-2-1 |
| Concealing ball or using equipment to simulate ball | 12-3-1(j) |
| Crackback block | 12-2-6 |
| Delaying the start of a half | 4-2-1(a) |
| Disconcerting acts or signals | 12-3-1(i) |
| Forcibly contacting a player out of bounds | 12-2-8(b) |
| Goaltending | 12-3-1(s) |
| Horse-collar tackle | 12-2-16 |
| Illegal block after fair catch signal | 10-2-2 |
| Illegal block below the waist | 12-2-4 |
| Hip-drop tackle | 12-2-18 |
| Illegal contact after a fair catch | 10-2-3 |
| Illegal cut block | 8-4-5, 12-2-3 |
| Illegal double team block | 6-2-1, Item 2(c), 6-2-2, Item 2(d) |
| Illegal wedge on free kick | 6-2-1, Item 2(d), 6-2-2, Item 2(d) |
| Illegally entering field | 4-1-2 |
| Impermissible Use of the Helmet | 12-2-10 |
| Interference with a fair catch | 10-1-1 |
| Interference with the opportunity to make a catch | 10-1-1 |
| Kicker or holder simulating being roughed | 12-3-1(t) |
| Kicking player not attempting to return inbounds | 12-3-1(u) |
| Leaping | 12-3-1(o), (r) |
| Leg whip | 12-2-8(a) |
| Leverage | 12-3-1(p) |
| Non-player unnecessary contact or abusive language | 13-8 |
| Peel back block | 12-2-2 |
| Picking up a teammate to block a kick | 12-3-1(q) |
| Player going in motion in front of bench area | 12-3-1(l) |
| Prohibited contact to a defenseless player | 12-2-9 |
| Prolonged or excessive celebration | 12-3-1(f) |
| Pulling opponent off a pile of players | 12-2-8(h) |
| Pushing teammate on scrimmage kick | 9-1-3 |
| Removal of helmet in the field of play | 12-3-1(h) |
| Repeated illegal substitutions when time is in | 12-3-1(m) |
| Roughing the holder | 12-2-13 |
| Roughing the kicker | 12-2-12 |
| Roughing the passer | 12-2-11 |
| Striking, kicking, tripping or kneeing an opponent | 12-2-14 |
| Successive delay of game penalties when time in | 12-3-1(n) |
| Throwing a punch, forearm, or kicking at opponent | 12-3-1(a) |
| Twisting, turning or pulling of opponent’s facemask | 12-2-15 |
| Unnecessary contact against a runner | 12-2-8(d), (f) |
| Unnecessary contact against player on the ground | 12-2-8(e) |
| Unnecessary contact to a kicker out of the play | 12-2-8(i) |
| Unnecessary contact to a player out of the play | 12-2-8(g) |
| Unnecessary physical contact with game official | 12-3-1(e) |
| Unnecessary roughness | 12-2-8 |
| Unsportsmanlike conduct by non-player | 13-1 |
| Use of the helmet as a weapon | 12-2-17 |
| Using abusive, threatening or insulting language | 12-3-1(b) |
| Using an object as a prop | 12-3-1(g) |
| Using baiting or taunting acts or words | 12-3-1(c) |
| Using substitutes or returning players to deceive | 12-3-1(k) |
| Violent, offensive, or sexually suggestive gesture | 12-3-1(d) |
Loss of Down Without Yardage
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Illegal touching of forward pass by an eligible receiver who had gone out of bounds and reestablished | 8-1-8(b) |
Ball Placed on 1-Yard Line
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Defensive pass interference in its end zone and previous spot is outside its 2-yard line | 8-5 |
Loss of Down with Yardage
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Illegal batting behind the line of scrimmage | 12-5-1 |
| Illegal forward handing beyond the line of scrimmage or to an ineligible receiver behind the line of scrimmage | 8-7-4 |
| Illegal forward pass | 8-1-2 |
| Backward Pass Out of Bounds that Conserves Time | 8-7-2 |
| Intentional grounding | 8-2-1 |
| Illegal kicking behind the line of scrimmage | 12-5-2 |
| Punt, drop kick, or place kick from beyond scrimmage | 9-1-1 |
Ball Placed on 1-Yard Line
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Defensive pass interference in its end zone and previous spot is outside its 2-yard line | 8-5 |
Loss of Down with Yardage
Time Penalty
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Actions that conserve time | 4-7-1 |
| Fouling by defense, illegal touching or fair catch interfering by offense or fouling by both teams at end of half during play in which time expires (extend quarter) | 4-8-2 |
Replay Down Penalties
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Defensive foul on unsuccessful Try | 11-3-3 |
| Double foul without change of possession | 14-5-1 |
Scoring Penalties
Try
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Foul by Team B that would result in a safety during Try | 11-3-3 |
Score Awarded
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Palpably unfair act | 12-3-4, 13-1-7 |
| Repeated fouling by defense to prevent score | 12-3-2 |
Safety
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Enforcement for offensive foul behind goal line | 11-5-1, 14-2-2 |
| Intentional grounding in own end zone | 8-2-1 |
Score Not Allowed
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Offending team scores after foul during down in which time expires for half (with no extension of time) | 4-8-2(b) |
Unsuccessful Try
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Team A committing foul during a Try which would ordinarily result: in loss of down or in a touchback | 11-3-3 |
| in loss of ball in field of play (not during a kick) | 11-3-3 |
| Team B recovering ball | 11-3-3 |
New Series Penalties
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Team B foul during scrimmage down | 14-1-2, Item 5 |
Combination Penalties
Loss of Ball and Fifteen Yards
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Fair catch interference | 10-1-1 |
| Prohibited contact against a kick returner | 12-2-9(a)(6) |
Time Restored and Fifteen Yards
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Intentional fouls to manipulate game clock | 12-3-3 |
Miscellaneous Situations
Fair Catch Awarded
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Interference with opportunity to make fair catch | 10-1-1, 10-2-2 |
First down at Spot of Foul
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Defensive pass interference | 8-5-2, 4 |
Safety
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Ball in possession of team behind or out of bound behind own goal line and impetus from player of that team | 11-5-1 |
Touchback
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Illegal touching of scrimmage kick inside five-yard line | 9-2-3 |
Kickoff Out of Bounds Between Goal Lines
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Receiver’s ball at inbounds spot | 6-2-4 |
Touchback
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Receiver’s ball 25 yards from spot of kick | 6-2-4 |
Kickoff Not Reaching the Landing Zone
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Receiver’s ball at inbounds spot | 6-2-4 |
| Receiver’s ball 25 yards from spot of kick | 6-2-4 |
| Receiver’s ball at the spot where ball lands or touched | 6-2-4 |
Ball Remains Dead
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Actions that delay game | 4-6-4, 4-6-5 |
| Snapping before Officials assume normal position | 4-6-5(b) |
Ball Dead Immediately
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Committing acts that conserve time | 4-7-1 |
| Kickers recovering free kick | 6-1-4(d)(1) |
| Kickers advancing after recovery of a scrimmage kick unless behind line | 9-3-1, 9-3-2 |
| Any kick touching receiver’s goal post or cross bar unless scoring field goal | 6-1-5(c), 9-4-2, 11-6-2(d) |
| Official sounding whistle | 7-2-1(o), 7-2-2 |
| Catch after fair catch signal | 10-2-3 |
Penalty Enforced from Goal Line
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Spot of enforcement behind other team’s goal line | 14-2-2 |
| Runner crosses opponent’s goal line and spot of enforcing foul by teammate during run is behind defense goal line | 14-2-2 |
Penalty Enforced on Next Free Kick
| Foul | Rule |
|---|---|
| Personal foul, unsportsmanlike conduct foul, or palpably unfair act committed during opponent scoring play | 14-2-3 |
Penalty index, book page 71
Penalty index, continued, book page 72
Official Signals, book page 73
Official Signals, continued, book page 74
