{"id":17,"date":"2026-07-04T13:26:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T13:26:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/?page_id=17"},"modified":"2026-07-09T18:55:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T22:55:47","slug":"rules","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/?page_id=17","title":{"rendered":"Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Field Dimensions & Equipment<\/h2>\n
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  • Field Size:<\/strong> 50 yards long<\/strong> (plus two 7-yard end zones) by 25 yards wide<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • Fields Markings:<\/strong> Marked with a midfield line (the sole first-down marker) and two “No-Run Zones” located 5 yards before each end zone<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • Flags:<\/strong> All players must wear a belt with two pop-flags <\/strong>positioned on their hips. Tampering with flags (tying, tucking, or altering) results in an immediate ejection.<\/li>\n
  • Ball Size:<\/strong> Standard official NFL-sized football.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Game Clock & Timing<\/h2>\n
      \n
    • Duration:<\/strong> Two 20-minute halves<\/strong> with a running clock.<\/li>\n
    • The “Two-Minute Warning”:<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n
    • Play Clock:<\/strong> 25 seconds<\/strong> from the time the ball is spotted by the referee.<\/li>\n
    • Timeouts:<\/strong> Each team receives two 60-second timeouts per half (timeouts do not carry over).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Game Play & Possessions<\/h2>\n
        \n
      • Starting the Game:<\/strong> A coin toss determines possession. There are no kickoffs<\/strong>. The offensive team takes possession at their own 5-yard line<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      • First Downs:<\/strong> The offense has 4 downs<\/strong> to cross the midfield line. Once crossed, they earn a new set of 4 downs<\/strong> to score a touchdown.<\/li>\n
      • Turnovers on Downs:<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Passing, Running, & The “No-Run Zone”<\/h2>\n

        Passing Play<\/h3>\n
          \n
        • All players are eligible to receive a pass, including the center after snapping the ball.<\/li>\n
        • Only one forward pass<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Running Play<\/h3>\n
            \n
          • The Quarterback cannot directly run the ball<\/strong> past the line of scrimmage.<\/li>\n
          • 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.<\/li>\n
          • No Blocking:<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            The No-Run Zone<\/h3>\n
              \n
            • When the ball is spotted on or inside the opponent’s 5-yard line<\/strong>, the offense enters the No-Run Zone<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
            • In this zone, the offense must execute a legal forward pass<\/strong> that crosses the line of scrimmage to advance or score.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Rushing the Quarterback<\/h2>\n
                \n
              • Defenders who intend to rush the passer must wait a period of 4 seconds <\/strong>before they may rush the passer.<\/li>\n
              • Any number of players can rush the passer provided they wait the 4 second period.<\/li>\n
              • The “Ghost” Line:<\/strong> Once the ball is handed off, pitched, or lateral-ed behind the line of scrimmage, the 4 second restriction lifts, and all<\/em> defenders are eligible to cross the line to make a play.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Scoring<\/h2>\n

                Touchdown 6 Points: <\/strong>The ball must break the plane of the goal line in player possession.<\/p>\n

                Extra Point (1 Point): <\/strong>Taken from the 5-yard line<\/strong>; MUST be a passing play<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

                Extra Point (2 Points): <\/strong>Taken from the 10-yard line<\/strong>; can be a run or a pass.<\/p>\n

                Safety 2 Points: <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n

                Defensive Return 2 Points: <\/strong>An interception on a 1 or 2-point conversion attempt can be returned by the defense for 2 points.<\/p>\n

                Possession & Live Ball Return<\/p>\n

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                • Returnable:<\/strong> Interceptions are live and can be returned<\/strong> by the defense for a touchdown during standard scrimmage downs.<\/li>\n
                • The Spot:<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Interceptions in the End Zone<\/h3>\n
                    \n
                  • If a defender intercepts the pass inside their own end zone, they can choose to run it out.<\/li>\n
                  • If their flag is pulled inside the end zone or they take a knee, it is ruled a touchback<\/strong>. The ball is dead, and the intercepting team takes over on offense at their own 5-yard line<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                  • 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. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Flag Pulling & Dead Balls<\/h2>\n

                    A play is immediately ruled dead when:<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • A defender pulls the ball-carrier’s flag (the exact spot of the ball\u2014not the flags\u2014determines the forward progress).<\/li>\n
                    • The ball-carrier\u2019s knee, hip, or elbow hits the ground.<\/li>\n
                    • The ball-carrier\u2019s flag falls off on its own (the play remains live, but they are down at the spot of the first touch by a defender).<\/li>\n
                    • Fumbles:<\/strong> There are no live fumbles<\/strong>. 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).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Common Penalties & Enforcements<\/h2>\n

                      All penalties are 5 or 10 yards<\/strong>. Most defensive penalties result in an automatic first down, while offensive penalties result in a loss of down.<\/p>\n

                      Offensive Penalties<\/h3>\n
                        \n
                      • Flag Guarding (5 yards from spot + Loss of Down):<\/strong> The runner physically blocks a defender from pulling their flag using their hands, arms, or the football.<\/li>\n
                      • Jumping\/Diving (5 yards from spot):<\/strong> Runners cannot leave their feet to advance the ball or avoid a flag pull (spinning is legal, but feet must stay on the ground).<\/li>\n
                      • Impeding the Rusher (5 yards from line + Loss of Down):<\/strong> The center or any offensive player fails to move out of the path of a legally rushing defender.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        Defensive Penalties<\/h3>\n
                          \n
                        • Pass Interference (10 yards from line + Automatic First Down):<\/strong> Physical contact downfield before the ball arrives.<\/li>\n
                        • Illegal Rush (5 yards from line): <\/strong>Rushing before the 4 second waiting period after the center snaps the ball.<\/li>\n
                        • Holding\/Stripping (5 yards from spot + Automatic First Down):<\/strong> Holding a runner to slow them down, or attempting to swat\/strip the ball out of their hands rather than pulling the flag.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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                          <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                          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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-no-title","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-17","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"brizy_media":[{"id":305,"url":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Vice-City-Elite-Thumbnail-logo-1.jpg","name":"Vice-City-Elite-Thumbnail-logo-1.jpg","meta":{"brizy_attachment_uid":"wp-fb224db43aa47812ced5b51668c69eed.jpg","brizy_post_uid":["82ea7c95ae389b15398446fd66ae0abb","7038f815966718f2e3a9d2dc3e1fdaeb","6e57de63f5be44d2b0d4071139194f58","e133d68889fc1554ae78a30b8eb123d2","446948f5cdeb136bf71892f8b1162221","16e75bf985eaf46b63b6cfe89e57ec74"]}}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":321,"href":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17\/revisions\/321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vicecityeliteflagfootball.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}