How Penalties Work in (American) Football

An overview explaining the common types of penalties in American Football and how they are called.

[@kenmograd2009]

There has been one instance where an unsportsmanlike act actually AWARDED a touchdown: During the 1954 Cotton Bowl game between Alabama and Rice, Rice running back Dicky Moegle broke free for was going to be a 95-yard touchdown. As Moegle crossed midfield, Tommy Lewis (one of Alabama’s RBs) came off the bench to tackle him at the Alabama 42. Lewis thought that he would be penalized for illegal participation and the ball would be placed at the 47. Instead, the referee awarded Rice a touchdown under the “palpably unfair rule,” which covers instances where a flagrant foul prevents players from scoring.

[@shrekisbae21]

I am the Glob-glo-gab-galab The shwabble-dabble-wabble-gabble flibba blabba blab I'm full of shwibbly liber-kind I am the yeast of thoughts and minds [Chorus] Shwabble dabble glibble glabble schribble shwap glab Dibble dabble shribble shrabble glibbi-glap shwap Shwabble dabble glibble glabble shwibble shwap-dap Dibble dabble shribble shrabble glibbi-shwap glab [Bridge] Ooh, ha ha ha, mmm, splendid Simply delicious Ohm, ha ha ha ha [Verse] I am the Glob-glo-gab-galab The shwabble-dabble-wabble-gabble flibba blabba blab I'm full of shwibbly liber-kind I am the yeast of thoughts and minds

[@ramadansteve1715]

@@shrekisbae21 Beautiful, thank you

[@Cradien]

@kenmograd2009 beautiful, thank you

[@noname-mw7oy]

1:00 How Refs Call Penalties 2:00 Punishments 2:20 Common Penalties 2:25 False Start 3:20 Encroachment 3:51 Offsides 4:03 Delay of Game 4:17 Penalties During Play 4:20 Holding - 10 yards 4:41 Face Mask - 15 yards 5:04 Roughing the Passer - 15 yards 6:05 Roughing the Kicker - 15 yards / 5 yards 6:38 Pass Interference 8:28 Declining Penalties (Hurts team to be have penalty called on opposing team) 9:27 Multiple Penalties

[@tythe06animatoralt]

I like how you used the blown call for an image for PI

[@KarenSDR]

Thanks, that was very helpful. I'm an old lady who has never followed football, but I'm interested in boardgames. After my parents died, I inherited a couple of old boardgames that simulate football, from the 1920s and 1930s. The rules explain how the dice or cards work, but then say to follow the rules of football (which have changed since then, but that's another story.) So I've been trying to cobble together an understanding of the rules of football, but it's surprisingly difficult to find. It seems to be the kind of thing you learn from your parents, and my dad would have loved to teach me, but I wasn't interested when I was young. My husband has tried to teach me, but there are a lot of details he isn't sure about. So videos like this one really help.

[@markdebre7610]

Enjoyed the little shout out to the Saints Rams game while he explains pass interference.

[@rauserbegins5850]

I really appreciated this video. You have a wonderful, no-nonsense way of explaining things. No nonsense ("pound that like button!") or annoying jump-cuts, etc. Just a beautifully illustrated and well-explained video. Subscribed!

[@brendanhoffmann7189]

“No automatic scoring in football” *the intentional grounding safety has entered the chat*

[@guiseppe8032]

Really any penalty that occurs in the end zone of the offense.

[@quranical-lyspeaking9019]

26yrs old and barely know anything about football smh 🤦🏾‍♂️. This video helped a lot good stuff!!

[@goblinman3010]

Oooh سلام same man but am only here cause i was thinking how rough sports like these have rules

[@ethanpogue7943]

Love the illustrations!

[@danb5779]

Thanks for explaining! Good job! ✌🏻

[@EfotbumTheOG]

Great video, really needed it!! :)

[@stellaf.2381]

Thank You!

[@atozed932]

It is worth noting that the image you used for "roughing the kicker" would be more likely to be called "running into the kicker".

[@cheesycrispy2253]

very helpfull!

[@caryeastwood6691]

If a team commits a live ball foul (holding for example) and is flagged and then after the play is over (dead ball) there is some sort of dead ball foul (un-sportsman like conduct) both penalties are assessed. Now, if they are on different teams, (the offensive player holds, the defensive player punches the offensive player several seconds after the play is over the ball is moved one way for the first infraction, then back the other way for the second one. But the officiating team can rule this is a continuation and have the penalties offset. If they are on the same team (the player that did the hold gets upset and then makes contact with the referee after the play is over) both penalties are assessed (and the player is ejected because touching an official is a no no except if the official gets in the way during a play) During the the announcement of the penalties, the ref will announce if they are "Offsetting penalties", or will say "During the play" and "After the play" to show there are going to be double punishment.

[@willoughbykrenzteinburg]

In the Cowboys vs Chargers game in week 2 for example, there were two fouls committed by the offense. First, an illegal shift. On the play, the Chargers scored, and after the play they were flagged for taunting. You can't enforce both penalties on this play, and even if you could, the Cowboys would not want them both enforced since accepting the taunting penalty would come with a touchdown. The Cowboys ended up declining the taunting penalty and accepting the illegal shift.

[@yookeis3025]

amazing video!!!

[@MKTLZ]

10:11 ”hi mom!” 😂 great video, thank you!

[@kareems3187]

He said that? I played it back three times I didn't hear that 🤦🏽‍♂️👀😂

[@OhMikeGod]

Awesome

[@Wewhosee-im3ii]

I came here looking for some explanations after watching the super bowl, (im new to football still learning) but during this last game, someone grabbed the other team player’s face mask and turned his head around, that wasn’t called, i thought it was pretty obvious and can’t believe they didn’t call it!

[@goalscorerlajon]

There AREN'T 7 REFEREES. There ARE 7 ON-FIELD officials. They are: 1. Referee 2. Umpire 3. Down Judge 4. Field Judge 5. Side Judge 6. Line Judge 7. Back Judge

[@funkybunch6108]

But there is automatic scoring on offensive penalties in their own end zone can result in a safety being given, usually on holding preventing a sack in the end zone

[@Samwiththaham]

9:13 i like this number a lot :)

[@Goliath32114]

I beg to differ on the penalties not resulting in scoring. Let's say an offensive holding happens at least 10 yards from the offenses own end doesn't that result in an automatic safety?

[@MB57]

Old timey convicts 💀

[@avoiredranger110]

Penalty number 69 😂😂 I don't think this was random

[@kareems3187]

I'm familiar with the rules of the NFL but one thing I've never paid much attention to was how Penalties are shown on TV. For example I'm watching the Vikings Vs Bears Game on the screen it shows 6/339 what exactly does that mean? Does it mean that Team got Six Penalties and they gave up a total of 339 Yards in that Game?

[@TheOnDeckCircle]

That they had six penalties called on them and those penalties resulted in them losing 339 yards. With most penalties being for 5 or 10 yards, penalty yards don't usually get that high, but something like defensive pass interference way down the field or a holding call that brings back a punt return could result in losing a lot of yards.

[@dingidingibang1720]

@@TheOnDeckCircle one question , im not from usa btw, if wr catch the ball and run, can his team shove and push the opponents who chasing the wr from the back (making the opponent fall), i mean, its not holding, its shoving

[@atozed932]

@@dingidingibang1720 No, that would be considered a "block in the back", and would be a different penalty.

[@BrendanStolaruk]

Jason kelce false starts sometimes lead my my head scratching

[@ronkali5365]

During snow games the home team can get penalties if fans throw snow balls on the filed

[@johntracy72]

Are you from Iceland? I noticed you showed Iceland's flag when you said the referee's flag is not a real flag.

[@ScumbagKorain]

How would the offense commit a pass interference?

[@willoughbykrenzteinburg]

The same way the defense does. Neither the offense nor the defense is allowed to push, tackle, hold, or otherwise physically prevent the other from making a play on the ball. The offense is most often called for pass interference when they push off the defender just before the ball arrives. It is pretty rare that it is called. It's usually pretty blatant when it does get called. I think receivers get away with P.I. far more often than defensive players do.

[@ScumbagKorain]

@@willoughbykrenzteinburg Thanks!

[@salmanbinahmed8253]

which penalties earn you an automatic 1st down.

[@oussamaghrib4558]

All of them can; If the result of penalty is more than the remaining yards!

[@akikinapodjo5159]

Great

[@jerallen47]

5 Yards & Automatic 1st Down 1. Holding; Defence 2. Illegal Contact 10 Yards & Automatic 1st Down 1. Tripping; Defence 15 Yards & Automatic 1st Down 1. Clipping; Defence 2. Facemask; Defence 3. Horse Collar Tackle 4. Leaping 5. Roughing the Kicker 6. Roughing the Passer 7. Spearing; Defence 8. Unnecessary Roughness; Defence 9. Unsportsmanlike, Defence Spot & Automatic 1st Down 1. Pass Interference, Defence Plus any Defensive penalty in which the yardage of the penalty is equal to or greater than of that needed for a 1st Down but it’s not “automatic” but “as a result of the penalty”

[@salmanbinahmed8253]

@@jerallen47 excellent reply. thanks

[@jerallen47]

@@salmanbinahmed8253 no worries

[@peterskrobola8753]

What happens if a Nerf war breaks out?

[@namata305]

Old timey convicts 🤣🤣🤣

[@frederikweishaupt6371]

What if there’s only 1-4 yards left and the defense gets a penalty..? Is that an automatic TD?

[@TheOnDeckCircle]

Good question, but no, generally the ball is moved "half the distance to the goal line" although for some penalties like defensive pass interference in the end zone the ball is put at the 1 yard line.

[@frederikweishaupt6371]

Thanks! 😁

[@willoughbykrenzteinburg]

Just to clarify - and not including pass interference as the OP stated - the yardage of the penalty is the lesser of the stated penalty yardage or half the distance to the goal. In other words, if the yardage the penalty is worth is more than half the distance to the goal, then the penalty is half the distance to the goal. Another way to put it is to double the penalty yardage, and if you are inside that yard marker, the penalty is half the distance. For example, for a 5 yard penalty, anything inside the 10 is half the distance instead. For a 10 yard penalty, anything inside the 20 is half the distance instead. For a 15 yard penalty, anything inside the 30 is half the distance instead.

[@danboi9841]

@@willoughbykrenzteinburg do you know if that half the distance rule applies even when they are on an odd numbered line like the opposing team's 9 yard line or 7 yard line?

[@willoughbykrenzteinburg]

@@danboi9841 It does. It even applies on lesser fractions. It's half the distance, no matter the distance. For example, if a team has the ball 6 inches outside the goal line, and they commit something like a false start which normally comes with a 5-yard penalty, they would be moved back half the distance to the goal - or 3 inches. This actually happens relatively frequently. A team is backed up to their own goal line, and they do what they call a "hard count" which is designed to draw the defense off sides. If that team is just 6 inches, or a foot or a yard or whatever - just backed up to their own end zone, there is little risk to them trying to draw the other team off sides to draw a 5 yard penalty from the defense and move them out to the 5 yard line (plus 6 inches or whatever). The worst that can happen is the offense flinches and they are moved back half the distance - or 3 inches. But to answer your question - yes. If the offense is on its own 7-yard line, and they commit a penalty that would otherwise come with a 5-yard penalty, the half-the-distance rule applies, and they would be moved back to the 3 and a half yard line. The closer you are to your own goal line, the lesser the penalty, which is why when offenses are REALLY backed up, they take the chance to draw the defense offsides because the penalty for them is just a few inches in that case.

[@pyramidhead138]

how can you give someone a "wet willy" when their wearing a helmet?

[@gatormclusky3134]

Ear holes on either side of the helmet

[@truehope287]

2024 the dirty bird ravens hit Mahomes twice in the head and should have been made to leave the field and ravens left to play with 10 men the rest of the game . If those were the rules, the 2nd hit wouldn't have happened. Tougher penalties for QB head shots is a must!!!

[@danielbowden2401]

If you are going to teach, use the proper terms. Officials do not call penalties. They call fouls. Penalties are the result of a foul.