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RULE 2 — PART 2 OF 3

What's in This Deck

Fouls and Penalties

Free-Blocking Zone

Fumble

Handing

Helmet Contact — Illegal, Targeting

Huddle

Hurdling

Interception

Kicks

Line of Scrimmage

Lines

Muff

Neutral Zone

Out of Bounds

Participation

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SECTION

Fouls and Penalties

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SECTION 16 · ART. 1, 3–6

What Is a Foul?

A foul is a rule infraction for which a penalty is prescribed.
No foul causes loss of the ball.
No foul causes a live ball to become dead.
A penalty is a result imposed by rule against a team or team member that has committed a foul.

Not Classified as Fouls

Disqualification of a player
First touching of a kick by K
Forfeiture of a game

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SECTION 16 · ART. 2

Types of Fouls

Type	What It Means
Dead ball	Occurs after a down ends and before the ball is next snapped or free kicked.
Double	Live-ball fouls (other than nonplayer/unsportsmanlike) by each team at a time when the penalties offset.
Flagrant	Severe/extreme enough to endanger an opponent, or extremely/persistently vulgar or abusive.
Live ball	Occurs during a down.
Multiple	Two or more live-ball fouls by the same team on the same down, giving the offended team a choice of penalties.
Nonplayer / unsportsmanlike	A noncontact foul while the ball is dead or during the down that isn't illegal participation and doesn't influence the play.
Player	A foul (other than nonplayer/unsportsmanlike) committed by a player in the game.
Post-scrimmage kick	An R foul during/after a scrimmage kick play, beyond the expanded neutral zone, before the kick ends — see next slide.
Simultaneous with the snap	An act that becomes a foul when the ball is snapped or free kicked.

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SECTION 16 · ART. 2h

Post-Scrimmage Kick Foul — All Conditions Must Apply

A foul by R (other than illegal substitution or illegal participation at the snap) counts as a post-scrimmage kick foul only when all of the following are true:

It occurs during a scrimmage kick play, other than a try or successful field goal.
It occurs during a scrimmage kick play where the ball crosses the expanded neutral zone.
It occurs beyond the expanded neutral zone.
It occurs before the end of the kick.
K will not be the next team to put the ball in play.

Why It's Its Own Category

Protects the returning team's spot when the kick has clearly settled possession
All five conditions must be met — missing even one makes it an ordinary foul instead

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SECTION 17 · ART. 1, 4

The Free-Blocking Zone

The free-blocking zone is a rectangular area extending 4 yards laterally either side of the snap spot, and 3 yards behind each line of scrimmage.

A player is in the zone if any part of his body is in it at the snap.

The zone disintegrates once the ball has left it — the exception allowing an offensive lineman to block in the back does not continue after that point.

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SECTION 17 · ART. 2–3

What the Zone Allows

Blocking below the waist is permitted in the zone when:

All players involved are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap.
The contact happens in the zone.
The block is an immediate, initial action following the snap.

Blocking in the Back — Permitted When:

Done by offensive linemen on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap
Against defensive players who are in the zone at the snap
The contact happens in the zone

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SECTION 18

Fumble

A fumble is any loss of player possession other than by handing, passing, or legal kick.

It's defined by exclusion — if possession is lost and it wasn't a hand-off, a pass, or a legal kick, it's a fumble.

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SECTION 19 · ART. 1–3

Handing the Ball

Handing the ball is transferring player possession to a teammate so the ball is still in contact with the first player when the teammate touches it.

Handing the ball is not a pass.
Loss of possession from an unsuccessful attempt to hand the ball is a fumble.

Forward handing — the runner releases the ball when the entire ball is beyond the yard line where he is positioned.
Backward handing — the runner releases the ball when any part of the ball is on or behind the yard line where he is positioned.

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SECTION

Helmet Contact

Illegal Contact and Targeting

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SECTION 20 · ART. 1

Illegal Helmet Contact — Three Types

Illegal helmet contact is initiating contact with the helmet against an opponent.
Butt Blocking — initiating contact against a non-runner with the front of the helmet.
Face Tackling — a defensive player initiating contact against a runner with the front of the helmet.
Spearing — initiating contact against an opponent at the shoulders or below with the crown (top) of the helmet.

Targeting (Art. 2)

Taking aim and initiating contact against an opponent above the shoulders
With the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow, or shoulders
"Taking aim" is the key distinction from incidental helmet contact

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CASE PLAY — 2.20.1

Helmet or Face-Mask Contact

THE PLAY

(A) From a four-point stance, interior lineman A1: (a) initially contacts an opponent (not the runner) by driving his face mask directly into the opponent's chest; or (b) contacts an opponent with his shoulder so his head is to the side and the helmet doesn't make initial contact; or (c) attempts a shoulder block, but because of a defensive slant, primary contact ends up being made with A1's helmet.

(B) A1, a flanker outside the free-blocking zone, comes back toward the ball right after the snap and contacts B1 from the front, above the waist, delivering the blow with his face mask.

(C) During a running play beyond the neutral zone, B1 comes up to tackle A1 with his head upright, eyes on the numbers, and: (a) moves his head at the last moment so contact is with the shoulder; or (b) attempts a shoulder tackle, but because of a sharp cut by A1, there's some contact with the side of B1's helmet.

THE RULING

(A) (a) is illegal butt blocking. (b) is a legal block — there was some helmet contact, but the helmet/face mask wasn't used to deliver the blow. (c) is a judgment call for the covering official — defensive slants and stunts can cause a blocker attempting a legal shoulder block to inadvertently contact with the face mask or helmet; when that happens without a direct blow, it's legal.

(B) It's butt blocking — even though contact was above the waist, the front of the helmet made initial contact.

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SECTIONS 21–22

Huddle and Hurdling

Huddle — two or more players of the same team grouped together before a down.
Hurdling — an attempt by a player to jump with one or both feet or knees foremost over an opponent who is contacting the ground with no part of his body except one or both feet.

Note on Hurdling

The opponent being jumped must be down to only feet touching the ground
It's about the attempt to jump over — not just any leap near a pile

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SECTION 23

Interception

An interception is the catch of an opponent's fumble or pass.

Interception is a form of catch — the same catch requirements from Section 4 apply (possession plus grounding inbounds, or forward progress stopped while carried inbounds).

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SECTION

Kicks

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SECTION 24 · ART. 1–2, 9

Kick Basics and Illegal Kicks

A kick is the intentional striking of the ball with the knee, lower leg, or foot.
A kick ends when a player gains possession, or when the ball becomes dead while not in player possession.
An illegal kick is any intentional striking of the ball with the knee, lower leg, or foot that doesn't comply with the free-kick or scrimmage-kick rules.

When the ball is loose following an illegal kick, it keeps the same status it had before the illegal kick.

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SECTION 24 · ART. 3–5

Free Kicks, Scrimmage Kicks, and Kickoffs

Free kick — any kick that puts the ball in play to start a free-kick down. Every player except the kicker and holder must be behind his free-kick line after ready-for-play and before the kick. Used for a kickoff, a kick after a safety, or following a fair catch or awarded fair catch.
Scrimmage kick — any kick from in or behind the neutral zone during a scrimmage down. Place kick, punt, or drop kick may be used; a place kick's ball must be controlled on the ground or a legal tee by a teammate.
Kickoff — a free kick that puts the ball in play at the start of each half, after a successful field goal, and after any try. Place kick or drop kick only.

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SECTION 24 · ART. 6–8, 10

Kicking Methods

Method	How It Works
Drop kick	The kicker drops the ball and kicks it as it touches the ground or as it's rising. May be used for a scrimmage kick, kickoff, or a free kick after a safety, fair catch, or awarded fair catch.
Place kick	Kicked while in a fixed position on the ground or a tee, or held there by a teammate holder. No material/device may improve the kicker's footing. May be used for a scrimmage kick, kickoff, or a free kick after a safety, fair catch, or awarded fair catch.
Punt	The kicker drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. Used for a free kick after a safety, or for a scrimmage kick.
Pop-up kick	A free kick where the kicker drives the ball immediately into the ground; it strikes once and pops into the air like a kick directly off a tee.

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SECTION 25 · ART. 1–3

Line of Scrimmage

The line of scrimmage for each team is a vertical plane through the point of the ball nearest that team's goal line — set at the ready-for-play and remaining until the next ready-for-play.
An offensive player is on his line of scrimmage when he meets the position requirements of a lineman.
A defensive player is on his line of scrimmage when he is within 1 yard of his scrimmage line at the snap.

Quick Reference

Offense: must meet lineman positioning
Defense: within 1 yard at the snap
Set at ready-for-play, holds until the next one

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SECTION

Lines

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SECTION 26 · ART. 1–3

Boundary, End, and Goal Lines

Boundary lines are the end lines and sidelines — they are out of bounds.
The end line is the outer limit of each end zone.
The goal line is the vertical plane separating the field of play from the end zone. A team's own goal line is the one it is defending.

When related to a live ball in a runner's possession touching inbounds while the ball is over out-of-bounds territory, the goal line includes its extension beyond the sidelines.

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SECTION 26 · ART. 4–8

Hash Marks, Line to Gain, Sideline, Yard Line

Hash marks — a series of marks parallel to the sidelines dividing the field of play longitudinally into thirds; bisected by the yard lines.
Line to gain — the yard line set when a new series (first down) is awarded; normally 10 yards in advance of the ball's foremost point. If it extends into the end zone, the goal line becomes the line to gain.
Sideline — the lateral limit of the field of play and end zones, running end line to end line.
Yard line — any line and its vertical plane parallel to the end lines, numbered in yards from a team's own goal line to midfield.

Restraining Line

A line placed around the outside of the field
No spectators, game administrators, or media allowed within it
Max of three coaches plus permitted nonplayers allowed within it, in front of the team box

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CASE PLAY — 2.26.3

Goal-Line Extended

THE PLAY

Runner A1 is advancing toward B's goal line, very near the sideline.

(a) A1 advances into B's end zone while holding the ball outside the sideline plane.

(b) A1 dives toward the end zone but is hit by B1, causing him to land out of bounds beyond the goal-line extended. A1's last contact with the ground was short of the goal line.

In both cases, the ball breaks the plane of B's goal-line extended.

THE RULING

(a) It's a touchdown — A1 was touching inbounds when the ball broke the plane of the goal-line extended.

(b) It is NOT a touchdown, even though the ball did break the goal-line plane extended, because A1 was not touching inbounds and was short of the goal line when he was hit. The ball is spotted at the inbounds spot on the yard line where the foremost point of the ball crossed the sideline plane when A1 was driven out.

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SECTION 27

Muff

A muff is the touching of a loose ball by a player in an unsuccessful attempt to secure possession.

A muff is touching, not possession — it can still create a new force (see Section 13, Force) and change who is responsible for the ball's position.

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SECTION

Neutral Zone

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SECTION 28 · ART. 1–2

Neutral Zone and Expanded Neutral Zone

The neutral zone is the space between the two free-kick lines (free-kick down) or the two scrimmage lines (scrimmage down). It's established when the ball is ready for play.

Free-kick down: the zone is 10 yards wide.
Scrimmage down: the zone is as wide as the length of the football.

The neutral zone may be expanded following the snap, up to 2 yards behind the defensive line of scrimmage, inside the boundary lines, during any scrimmage down.

If a scrimmage kick occurs, the neutral zone may not be expanded into the end zone.

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CASE PLAY — 2.28.2

The Expanded Neutral Zone

THE PLAY

(A) B1 is on his defensive line of scrimmage when he is contacted by ineligible lineman A1 and driven about 2 yards downfield.

(B) On a scrimmage kick, R1 is 1½ yards behind his line of scrimmage when he jumps up and deflects the kick. (a) R1 was, or (b) was not, driven off the line of scrimmage by a block from K1. Is the touching of the kick ignored?

THE RULING

(A) A1 is not illegally downfield, nor has he committed pass interference if a forward pass crosses the neutral zone — he contacted B1 in or behind the neutral zone and didn't go beyond the expanded zone after driving him downfield. If it's a low scrimmage kick and B1 touches it, the touching is ignored. B1 is on his line when within 1 yard of it at the snap. If a scrimmage kick occurs, the neutral zone may not be expanded into the end zone.

(B) In both (a) and (b), the touching of a low scrimmage kick is ignored — whether R1 was or wasn't blocked into the expanded zone doesn't change the ruling.

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SECTION

Out of Bounds

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SECTION 29 · ART. 1–3

When Is Something Out of Bounds?

A player or other person is out of bounds when any part of the person touches anything (other than another player or game official) on or outside the sideline or end line — and stays out of bounds until returning with a body part touching the field and none touching out of bounds.
A ball in player possession is out of bounds when the runner or the ball touches anything (other than another player or game official) on or outside a sideline or end line.
A loose ball is out of bounds when it touches anything — including a player or game official — that is out of bounds.

The Game-Official Distinction

For players and balls in possession, touching a game official does NOT put them out of bounds
For a loose ball, touching a game official who is out of bounds DOES count — see the case play

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CASE PLAY — 2.29.3

Free Kick Touches a Game Official

THE PLAY

A free kick by K1 is touched by R1 on his 15-yard line and then it:

(a) rolls out of bounds at R's 5-yard line; or

(b) contacts a game official in the field of play and thereafter rolls out of bounds at the 5-yard line; or

(d) contacts a game official in the end zone.

THE RULING

The ball is put in play by R from its 5-yard line in (a), (b), and (c).

(a) R1 was the last to touch the kick before it went out of bounds.

(b) The ball touching a game official who was inbounds doesn't change its status — that touching is ignored, so R1 was, in effect, last to touch it before it went out of bounds.

(c) When a loose ball touches a game official straddling the sideline, that causes the ball to go out of bounds, and R1 was the last to touch it.

(d) The ball is dead when it breaks the goal-line plane — a touchback results.

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SECTION 30

Participation

Participation is any act or action by a player or nonplayer that has an influence on play.

This is the standard used throughout the rules to decide whether someone who isn't obviously involved — a substitute, a nonplayer, a player near the sideline — has actually affected the down.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Rule 2, Part 2 — Recap

Fouls come in defined categories — dead ball, live ball, multiple, flagrant, and more — and the category determines how it's enforced, not just that a rule was broken.

Illegal helmet contact splits into three named techniques (butt blocking, face tackling, spearing), while targeting is judged by "taking aim" above the shoulders with any hard surface.

A kick is defined by the body part and intent, not the outcome — the same strike can be a punt, drop kick, or place kick depending on technique and setup.

The goal line's protection extends along its plane beyond the sideline — what matters for a touchdown is whether the runner was touching inbounds when the ball broke that plane.

The neutral zone can expand up to 2 yards downfield after the snap, but never into the end zone on a scrimmage kick.

A loose ball touching an inbounds game official is ignored; touching one who is out of bounds puts the ball out of bounds.