NFL Rules & Guidelines

Of the four major sports, professional football may be the most difficult to officiate. Penalties occur on almost every play but they are usually called when the degree of the offense is deemed to be egregious. Calls are primarily subjective and what may be a penalty to one official will be acceptable to another. This leads to many controversial plays and memorable arguments. Officials also need to revisit their calls as coaches can challenge certain decisions and force the official to look at the play on videotape to render a final decision.

  1. Types of Penalties

    • Officials are charged with calling penalties throughout the game. The penalties are for minor violations or major violations (10, 15 or spot of foul) calls. Minor penalties include offsides, delay of game, illegal procedure, defensive holding, illegal substitution and ineligible player downfield. These minor penalties can have a major impact since they can give the offense another opportunity to make a play five yards further downfield and they take away any negative play that happened after the penalty was called.

      Some of the major penalties include pass interference, offensive pass interference, offensive holding, using the helmet to tackle and pulling the face mask. These penalties often ruin drives for offensive teams or lead to scores when they come against the defense.

    Types of Officials

    • There are 11 players on the field for each team and there are also seven officials trying to judge the game fairly. They include the referee, the umpire, the head linesman, the line judge, the field judge, the side judge and the back judge. The referee is in charge and he makes all penalty announcements. He must communicate with the other officials to determine that all penalty calls are legitimate and with merit.

    Instant Replay

    • The NFL uses instant replay to help determine if calls are correct. Coaches may challenge two calls each per game and if they use both challenges correctly, they are given a third challenge. A replay official can also stop play in the final two minutes of either half if he deems a call should be reviewed. Penalty calls are not reviewable. However, change of possession calls, touchdown calls, first-down calls and out-of-bounds calls are all reviewable. The referee works with the replay official -- situated in the press box -- to determine how the play should be interpreted.

    Part-time Employees

    • While players and coaches are paid millions of dollars to do their jobs, officials are not full-time employees of the NFL. Most have jobs outside the game and are paid only for their game-day performance. This has led to criticism by many fans, coaches and media members who believe the game would be better served by having full-time officials. The NFL does not agree with that theory.

    Potential

    • While many calls are controversial and could go to either one side or the other, most officials take their job quite seriously and officiate with intensity and integrity. The NFL is fearful of a gambling controversy involving its officials that could stain the credibility of its game. No major controversies have emerged in that area for officials during the game's history.