If you've watched NFL FLAG videos or read the rules on nflflag.com, you might notice our games look a little different. That's on purpose. Englewood plays under the NFL FLAG banner, but we use our own home field rule book, written for our field, our age groups and our community.
When the national rules and ours disagree, our rules apply at our field.
What's the same
The heart of the game is the same as anywhere else in NFL FLAG:
- No tackling, no blocking, no screening and no fumbles.
- A play ends when the ball carrier's flag is pulled.
- Touchdowns are 6 points. Extra points are 1 from the 5-yard line or 2 from the 10. Safeties are 2.
- Rushers start 7 yards from the line of scrimmage.
- The quarterback has a 7-second pass clock and can't run unless rushed.
- The 5 yards before midfield and each end zone are no-run zones.
- Flag guarding, diving and jumping to avoid a flag pull are penalties.
What's different
| Englewood (home field) | National NFL FLAG | |
|---|---|---|
| Players on the field | 6 on 6, rosters up to 12 | 5 on 5, rosters up to 10 |
| Downs to score after midfield | 4 | 3 |
| Timeouts | Three 30-second timeouts per game | One 60-second timeout per half |
| Pitches and laterals | Not allowed | Backward pitches allowed behind the line |
| Rushers | Any number, from 7 yards back | At most 2 |
| Mouthpieces | Required only with braces | Required for everyone |
We also have our own overtime format and a mercy rule: once a team leads by 28, no extra-point tries are attempted.
A few local rules you won't find in the national book
- No "center sneak." The quarterback can't hand off to the center on the first handoff.
- 7U rushing. In our 7U Division, defenders can't rush the passer unless there's a handoff in the backfield.
- The rusher's path. The rusher gets a clear path to the quarterback, set before the snap. Offensive players who are moving must stay out of it.
- Challenging a call. A team can use a timeout to question a rule interpretation. If the official was wrong, the timeout isn't charged.
Why have local rules at all?
Every league adapts the game to its own players. Six-a-side gives more kids time on the field. Banning pitches keeps the game about passing, handoffs and flag pulling, and allowing any number of rushers gives defenses more options. Our rule book reflects what has worked best on our field.
The full rules are on our rules page. Coaches who use NFL FLAG playbooks should adapt them for 6 on 6 with no pitches.