"Why couldn't the quarterback run?" "Why was that an illegal rush?" "Why did the rusher get a penalty?" The rush rules come up every Friday night. Here's how they work at our field.

The 7-yard rush line

Any defender who wants to rush the quarterback must start at least 7 yards from the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. A marker or the referee shows the rush line, and defenders should check their spot with the official on every play.

  • Any number of defenders can rush in our league. National NFL FLAG allows at most 2, but our home field rules don't limit it.
  • Defenders who aren't rushing can line up right on the line of scrimmage to cover receivers.
  • Teams don't have to rush, and they don't have to say who's rushing before the play.

Once the ball is handed off

The 7-yard rule ends as soon as the quarterback hands the ball off. Then every defender can cross the line of scrimmage from anywhere on the field. The 7-second pass clock also stops applying.

When the quarterback can run

The quarterback can't run with the ball, unless a defender rushes from 7 yards back. Once that rusher crosses the line of scrimmage, the quarterback can take off.

One exception overrides this: in a no-run zone (the 5 yards before midfield and before each end zone), the offense can only pass, even when rushed.

Jumping early

If a rusher leaves the 7-yard marker before the snap, that rusher can't rush on that play. Another defender who's 7 yards back still can. It only becomes a penalty if that rusher then crosses the line of scrimmage before a handoff or pass.

Illegal rush: 5 yards from the line of scrimmage and an automatic first down for the offense.

The rusher's path

The rusher gets a clear path to the quarterback. That path is set before the snap, in a straight line from the rusher to the quarterback, and it doesn't move when the quarterback does.

  • If an offensive player moves into the path, they must avoid the rusher. Contact or getting in the way is impeding the rusher: 5 yards and loss of down.
  • If an offensive player doesn't move after the snap, it's the rusher's job to go around them.

What a rusher can and can't do

  • Can: pull the quarterback's flag behind the line for a sack, or try to block the pass.
  • Can't: make contact with the quarterback. That's roughing the passer: 5 yards and an automatic first down, unless the official rules the contact incidental.

A sack in the offense's own end zone is a safety (2 points).

The 7U exception

In our 7U Division, defenders can't rush the passer at all unless there's a legal handoff in the backfield. That gives our youngest quarterbacks time to learn to throw.

All the rules are on our rules page.