NFL Forfeiture Rules

Competition is the heart and soul of the National Football League. When you see linemen battle each other in the trenches, or a running back violently collide with the linebacker trying to tackle him, it may be hard to believe that the league has rules in place for simply giving up and choosing to not even take the field and play the game. Yet, NFL forfeiture rules do exist.

  1. Occurrences of Forfeiture

    • According to NFL.com, "a forfeit occurs only when a game is not played because of the failure or refusal of one team to participate."

    Score of a Forfeited Game

    • NFL forfeiture rules dictate that the final score of a forfeited game is 2-0 in favor of the winning team. According to WikiAnswers, the reason for this is because a two-point safety is the only way a team can score in the National Football League without any specific player receiving credit for it.

    Limitations of NFL Forfeiture Rules

    • According to the NFL rule book, "The Commissioner, (except in cases of disciplinary action...), League President, and their representatives, including referees, are not authorized unilaterally to declare forfeits." There must be a consultation between the commissioner, the league president and other NFL officials before such a ruling can be handed down.

    Forfeited Games in NFL History

    • Only one game in National Football League history has ended in a forfeit, and that was in 1921. In December of that year, Rochester forfeited to Washington because of the condition of the frozen, snow-caked field.

    Related NFL Rules

    • The commissioner, in the case of emergencies, can enforce a number of different policies related to NFL forfeiture rules. Among those are the ability to cancel a game, postpone it until a later date or terminate it early and have it count towards the official league stats and standings.