Vice City Elite Flag Football Club

Field Dimensions & Equipment

  • Field Size: 50 yards long (plus two 7-yard end zones) by 25 yards wide.
  • Fields Markings: Marked with a midfield line (the sole first-down marker) and two “No-Run Zones” located 5 yards before each end zone.
  • Flags: All players must wear a belt with two pop-flags positioned on their hips. Tampering with flags (tying, tucking, or altering) results in an immediate ejection.
  • Ball Size: Standard official NFL-sized football.

Game Clock & Timing

  • Duration: Two 20-minute halves with a running clock.
  • The “Two-Minute Warning”: In the final 2 minutes of the second half, the clock transitions to a “pro clock” or “stop clock.” It stops for incomplete passes, out-of-bounds, scores, turnovers, and timeouts.
  • Play Clock: 25 seconds from the time the ball is spotted by the referee.
  • Timeouts: Each team receives two 60-second timeouts per half (timeouts do not carry over).

Game Play & Possessions

  • Starting the Game: A coin toss determines possession. There are no kickoffs. The offensive team takes possession at their own 5-yard line.
  • First Downs: The offense has 4 downs to cross the midfield line. Once crossed, they earn a new set of 4 downs to score a touchdown.
  • Turnovers on Downs: If the offense fails to pick up a first down or score, the ball changes possession, and the new offensive team starts at their own 5-yard line.

Passing, Running, & The “No-Run Zone”

Passing Play

  • All players are eligible to receive a pass, including the center after snapping the ball.
  • Only one forward pass is allowed per down. Shovel passes are legal but must be caught beyond the line of scrimmage. There is no limit to lateral passes and pitches.

Running Play

  • The Quarterback cannot directly run the ball past the line of scrimmage.
  • To execute a run play, the QB must hand off, pitch, or throw a lateral behind the line of scrimmage. Multiple handoffs are allowed behind the line.
  • No Blocking: Offensive players cannot block, screen, or run “interfere” routes downfield for the runner. Once a player has the ball, teammates must stand still or clear out.

The No-Run Zone

  • When the ball is spotted on or inside the opponent’s 5-yard line, the offense enters the No-Run Zone.
  • In this zone, the offense must execute a legal forward pass that crosses the line of scrimmage to advance or score.

Rushing the Quarterback

  • Defenders who intend to rush the passer must wait a period of 4 seconds before they may rush the passer.
  • Any number of players can rush the passer provided they wait the 4 second period.
  • The “Ghost” Line: Once the ball is handed off, pitched, or lateral-ed behind the line of scrimmage, the 4 second restriction lifts, and all defenders are eligible to cross the line to make a play.

Scoring

Touchdown 6 Points: The ball must break the plane of the goal line in player possession.

Extra Point (1 Point): Taken from the 5-yard line; MUST be a passing play.

Extra Point (2 Points): Taken from the 10-yard line; can be a run or a pass.

Safety 2 Points: Occurs if a flag is pulled in the offense’s own end zone, a snap goes out of bounds in the end zone, a dead ball occurs in the offense’s own end zone, or an offensive player commits a penalty in their end zone.

Defensive Return 2 Points: An interception on a 1 or 2-point conversion attempt can be returned by the defense for 2 points.

Possession & Live Ball Return

  • Returnable: Interceptions are live and can be returned by the defense for a touchdown during standard scrimmage downs.
  • The Spot: If the intercepting player’s flag is pulled or they step out of bounds before scoring, the play is dead. Their team takes over at the spot of the ball.

Interceptions in the End Zone

  • If a defender intercepts the pass inside their own end zone, they can choose to run it out.
  • If their flag is pulled inside the end zone or they take a knee, it is ruled a touchback. The ball is dead, and the intercepting team takes over on offense at their own 5-yard line.
  • Extra point interceptions- If an intercepting player does not score, their team will take over at their own 5 yard line, unless the player crosses midfield, in which case their team takes over at midfield.

Flag Pulling & Dead Balls

A play is immediately ruled dead when:

  • A defender pulls the ball-carrier’s flag (the exact spot of the ball—not the flags—determines the forward progress).
  • The ball-carrier’s knee, hip, or elbow hits the ground.
  • The ball-carrier’s flag falls off on its own (the play remains live, but they are down at the spot of the first touch by a defender).
  • Fumbles: There are no live fumbles. If the ball hits the ground, it is dead at that exact spot, and possession stays with the offense (unless it’s a turnover on downs).

Common Penalties & Enforcements

All penalties are 5 or 10 yards. Most defensive penalties result in an automatic first down, while offensive penalties result in a loss of down.

Offensive Penalties

  • Flag Guarding (5 yards from spot + Loss of Down): The runner physically blocks a defender from pulling their flag using their hands, arms, or the football.
  • Jumping/Diving (5 yards from spot): Runners cannot leave their feet to advance the ball or avoid a flag pull (spinning is legal, but feet must stay on the ground).
  • Impeding the Rusher (5 yards from line + Loss of Down): The center or any offensive player fails to move out of the path of a legally rushing defender.

Defensive Penalties

  • Pass Interference (10 yards from line + Automatic First Down): Physical contact downfield before the ball arrives.
  • Illegal Rush (5 yards from line): Rushing before the 4 second waiting period after the center snaps the ball.
  • Holding/Stripping (5 yards from spot + Automatic First Down): Holding a runner to slow them down, or attempting to swat/strip the ball out of their hands rather than pulling the flag.