NJ Elite Flag Football Rules
NJ Elite Flag Football League Rules
Game Start & Possession Rules (Quick Summary)
Equipment Rules (Quick Summary)
Required Gear:
Official NFL FLAG belt and flags (must contrast with shorts).
Mouthguards must be worn at all times.
Age-appropriate footballs will be provided.
Footwear:
Optional Gear:
Players may wear gloves, elbow/knee pads, soft-shell helmets, halos, and sunglasses (must be secure).
Forearms, hands, and fingers may be taped.
Prescription glasses allowed (strap optional).
Prohibited Items:
No jewelry, hats, or metal braces on the field.
Jerseys must be tucked in.
Shorts/Pants:
Additional Notes:
Players should bring their own belts and mouthguards (extras may be available to purchase).
Electronic communication between players and coaches/spectators during play is strictly prohibited and results in immediate disqualification.
Timing & Overtime (Quick Summary)
Game Length:
Games are 40 minutes total – split into two 20-minute halves.
Running clock unless there’s an injury, halftime, or official timeout.
Halftime is 2 minutes.
Play Clock:
Timeouts:
Mercy Rule:
If a team gains a 35-point lead, the game ends.
Teams may choose to continue playing (score will not change).
Overtime Rules
Overtime Format:
1st Overtime:
Each team gets 1 play from:
If Team A scores, Team B must match or beat it. If not, game is over.
2nd Overtime:
3rd Overtime:
Additional OT Notes:
No timeouts in overtime.
Each team gets 1 coach’s challenge (must be a rule misapplication, not a judgment call).
Interceptions can be returned for 2 points and end the game in any OT round.
Scoring Guide (Quick Summary)
Touchdown: 6 points
Extra Point (PAT):
Interceptions:
Safety: 2 points
PAT Decision:
Must be declared immediately after a touchdown.
Changing the decision requires a timeout.
No changes allowed after a penalty.
Mercy Rule:
Forfeits:
Coaching Guidelines
Coaches, officials, and scorekeepers must verify the final score sheet after the game.
If a coach does not verify, the scorekeeper's record will stand as final.
Live Ball & Dead Ball Rules (Quick Summary)
When the Ball is Dead:
Play ends when:
The ball hits the ground (from a snap, lateral, or pitch – ball is spotted where it lands).
The flag is pulled.
The ball-carrier steps out of bounds.
A touchdown, PAT, or safety is scored.
The ball-carrier's knee, shin, leg, forearm, or arm touches the ground.
The ball-carrier’s flag falls off.
A receiver catches the ball with 1 or 0 flags attached.
The 7-second pass clock expires.
There is an inadvertent whistle.
The ball-carrier dives, jumps, or hurdles another player (exception: diving to catch a pass or pull a flag is allowed).
Fumbles:
Inadvertent Whistle Options:
If the whistle is blown accidentally:
Take the ball where the whistle blew and let the down count, OR
Replay the down from the original spot.
If this happens on the last play of a half or game, the offense gets one untimed down with the same options.
Timeout for Rule Questions:
Running Game Rules (Quick Summary)
Spot of the Ball:
Quarterback Rules:
Hand-Offs & Laterals:
Allowed only behind the line of scrimmage.
Once a handoff, pitch, or lateral occurs:
If the ball is handed off and then crosses the line of scrimmage, and possession is lost, the play is dead at that spot.
“Center sneak” handoffs to the center are not allowed.
No-Run Zones:
Jumping/Leaping:
Possession Rules:
Blocking / Screening:
Off-Ball Movement:
Flag Obstruction:
Legal Handoff:
Passing Rules (Quick Summary)
Receiving Rules (Quick Summary)
Eligible Receivers:
In-Bounds Catch:
Simultaneous Possession:
Interceptions:
Rushing the Passer (Quick Summary)
Legal vs. Illegal Rush
✅ Legal Rushes:
1–2 players rushing from the 7-yard marker.
Any defender rushing after a handoff, lateral, or backward pitch.
❌ Penalties (5 yards & 1st down):
Illegal Rush: Rusher leaves early or isn't 7 yards back at snap.
Encroachment: Any defender crosses the line before the snap.
Impeding the Rusher: Offense blocks or moves into the rusher's pre-snap path.
Jumping the Rush Line: Not a penalty unless rusher crosses the LOS before a legal ball movement.
💡 Note: Teams are not required to rush the QB due to the 7-second pass clock.
Sacks & Contact Rules
Sack:
Safety:
Blocking the Pass:
Rushers may attempt to block a pass without making contact.
Unintentional contact may be excused, but otherwise it’s roughing the passer.
Flag Pulling Rules (Quick Summary)
Formations & Offensive Rules (Quick Summary)
Offensive Formation:
Must have at least 1 player on the line of scrimmage (usually the center), up to 4 allowed.
The quarterback must line up off the line.
Motion Rules:
Only 1 player may be in motion at the snap.
Motion must be parallel or backward, and the player must be off the line of scrimmage.
Shifting:
Snap Requirements:
False Starts:
Conduct & Sportsmanship Rules
Unsportsmanlike Conduct Penalties
2 unsportsmanlike penalties = ejection (with possible additional discipline)
Defensive Spot Fouls:
Foul |
Penalty |
Defensive pass interference |
Automatic first down |
Holding/ illegal contact |
+5 yards and automatic first down |
Stripping |
+5 yards and automatic first down |
Offensive Spot Fouls:
Foul |
Penalty |
Screening or blocking |
-5 yards and loss of down |
Charging |
-5 yards and loss of down |
Flag guarding |
-5 yards and loss of down |
Holding/ illegal contact |
-5 yards and loss of down |
Defensive Penalties:
Foul |
Penalty |
Defensive unnecessary roughness |
+10 yards and automatic first down |
Offensive unsportsmanlike conduct |
+10 yards and automatic first down |
Offside / illegal substitution |
+5 yards from line of scrimmage and automatic first down |
Illegal rush (Starting rush from inside 7-yard marker) |
+5 yards from line of scrimmage and automatic first down |
Illegal flag pull (Before the receiver has the ball) |
+5 yards from line of scrimmage and automatic first down |
Roughing the passer |
+5 yards from line of scrimmage and automatic first down |
Taunting |
+10 yards from line of scrimmage and automatic first down |
Offensive Penalties:
Foul |
Penalty |
Offensive unnecessary roughness |
-10 yards and loss of down |
Offensive unsportsmanlike conduct |
-10 yards and loss of down |
Offside / false start / illegal substitution |
-5 yards from line of scrimmage and loss of down |
Illegal forward pass (Any pass received or lands behind the line of scrimmage or throwing a pass after crossing the line of scrimmage) |
-5 yards from line of scrimmage and loss of down |
Offensive pass interference |
-5 yards from line of scrimmage and loss of down |
Illegal motion (More than one person moving) |
-5 yards from line of scrimmage and loss of down |
Delay of game |
-5 yards from line of scrimmage and loss of down |
Impeding the rusher |
-5 yards from line of scrimmage and loss of down |
Illegal Procedure |
-5 yards from line of scrimmage and loss of down |
Taunting |
-10 yards from line of and loss of down |
NFL Flag Rules