Game Rules Number of Players 1. Teams consist of 7 players, but may play with a minimum of 5.

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1 Turkey Bowl Rules 2014 Adapted from Richfield Parks and Recreation Adult Flag Football Rules Please see bottom of rules for an explaination of new (bold) rules. General Information 1. A roster with names, addresses, signatures, and phone numbers of all players must be completed before the first game and turned in to the scorekeeper or recreation staff at the field. 2. Teams may have up to 12 players on their rosters. Participants may only play for one team. 3. Participants must be at least 16 years old to play in the Turkey Bowl. 4. Captains are responsible to know and understand these rules. 5. Jewelry should not to be worn while participating. 6. If a player is bleeding, has an open wound, or has an excessive amount of blood on their clothing, the player will be removed from the game. In order for the player to return to the game, they must have the bleeding stopped, the wound covered, and clothing changed. 7. If poor weather or unsafe conditions occur, a decision may be made to suspend play. 8. Richfield City does not provide accident insurance for participants in recreation programs. Players are encouraged to have adequate health insurance. Those whose names appear on the roster or participate in the Turkey Bowl are indicating that they assume responsibility for any risk involved with participation in this event. 9. The winning team will have their name engraved on the official Vince Lomturki Turkey Bowl trophy, and take possession of it for one year, unless they reside outside of Richfield. In that case, the trophy will remain in the possession of the Richfield Recreation department. Game Rules Number of Players 1. Teams consist of 7 players, but may play with a minimum of 5. Playing Time 2. The clock will start at the scheduled game time, or on the kickoff, depending on which occurs first. 3. Each half will consist of a 20-minute continuous clock. The clock will only stop for time-outs or injuries. 4. The offense has 25 seconds to put the ball into play after the referee has blown the whistle ready for play. 5. The clock will be regulation clock during the final 2 minutes of the second half. The clock will stop for incomplete passes, out-ofbounds, safeties, touchdowns, touchbacks, team time-outs, first downs, fair catches, official s time-outs, changes of possession, and penalties. Spiking the ball will not stop the clock. Exception: If one team is up by 17 points or more in the last 2 minutes of the second half, the clock will not stop. Scoring 6. Touchdowns: 6 points PAT from 5 yards out: 1 point PAT from 10 yards out: 2 points Safeties: 2 points 7. Tie breaker: When the score is tied at the end of the second half, a coin toss will be held and the winning team will have the choice of offense or defense. Play will proceed as follows: a. The ball will be placed on the 20 yard line, and each team will have a series of four downs. PAT will be attempted. b. The team that scores the most points will be declared the winner. c. The four down series will be repeated until a winner is declared. d. If two or more overtime periods occur, teams must try for 2-point PATs. Equipment 8. GENERAL a. Players are highly encouraged to wear mouthpieces. b. The Richfield Recreation Department will furnish the game ball. c. Players must wear the distributed flags attached in the following manner: the clip must be clipped to a single or double layer of belt material and may not be tied, looped through, or fastened in any other manner.

2 9. SHIRTS & JERSEYS a. Teams are encouraged to have matching shirts or jerseys. b. All shirts must be tucked into the pants, and remain tucked in for the entire down so there is no interference with the defense s ability to pull the flags. i. If a player s shirt comes out due to the action of the game, no penalty will be assessed as long as the player continues to tuck it in. ii. If a player chooses to wear a shorter shirt, there must be a minimum of 4 (the average width of a fist) from the bottom of the shirt to the player s waistline. iii. Players will receive a warning to remember to keep shirts tucked in. If players refuse or continually fail to tuck their shirts in, the referee may give an unsportsmanlike conduct foul and assess a 10 yard penalty to the offending player s team. 10. SHOES, CLEATS AND OTHER CLOTHING a. All players must wear shoes with closed toes and heels. No bare feet or sandals will be allowed. b. All cleats must be made of plastic or rubber. Metal cleats are not allowed. c. Players may wear gloves and headgear that consist of soft, pliable, and non-abrasive material. If any clothing or equipment is considered dangerous, the supervisor or officials have the right to declare it illegal. General Procedures 11. TO BEGIN THE GAME a. The referee will hold a coin toss between the captains of both teams, and the winning captain will have the choice of the following options for the first half: i. To defer. ii. To receive the kickoff. iii. To choose which goal to defend. b. The captain not having the first choice of options shall exercise the remaining option. 12. PUTTING THE BALL IN PLAY a. Each half will start with a kickoff from the 20 yard line. Onside kicks are illegal, and the kickoff is always the receiving team s ball. b. In the event of a kickoff going out of bounds, the receiving team may put the ball in play at the point the ball goes out of bounds or have a re-kick with a 5 yard penalty assessed to the kicking team. c. After each touchdown and PAT, the ball will be put into play on the 20 yard line. d. A team in possession of the ball shall have 4 consecutive downs to gain a first down. 13. TIME OUTS a. Each team has two one-minute time-outs per half. b. Unused time-outs do not carry over into overtime periods. 14. PUNTS a. All punts must be announced. The ball must be snapped. No direct snap is allowed. The punter must kick the ball immediately and in a continuous motion. Neither team can cross their scrimmage line until the ball is kicked. The punter must be at least 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage. b. The ball must be punted after a safety. c. In the event of a punt going out of bounds, the official shall mark the spot and the ball will be put into play at the point the ball went out of bounds. d. The officials will notify both teams when a team has announced that they intend to kick the ball. e. Any ball may be returned from the end zone, whether it s a kickoff, punt or interception. Exception: the ball cannot be advanced on an interception during an extra point attempt. f. Both teams must have a minimum of four players on the line of scrimmage during any kicking play. Players on the line of scrimmage must remain motionless until the ball is kicked. g. At all times when the ball is snapped, it must be snapped between the legs of the center and the shoulders of the center must be parallel to the line of scrimmage. h. Any snap that hits the ground is dead at the spot where it hits the ground.

3 Penalty Procedures 15. LEGAL POSITION a. Anytime at the snap or after the ball is ready for play, each defensive and offensive player must momentarily be within 15 yards of the ball. Defensive players must be at least two yards away from the line of scrimmage. 16. MINIMUM OFFENSIVE LINE PLAYERS a. The offensive team must have at least 4 players on their scrimmage line at the snap. 17. MOTION a. One offensive player may be in motion, but not in motion towards the opponent s goal line. Other offensive players must be stationary without movement of their feet, body, head or arms. 18. THE SNAP a. The ball must be snapped between the legs of the center. The person receiving the ball on the snap may not be closer than 2 yards to the center. b. The center cannot carry the ball from the line of scrimmage, but may receive a pass. 19. DEFENSIVE ENCROACHMENT a. Entering the neutral zone prior to the snap is a dead ball foul. The whistle shall be blown immediately. PENALTY: 5 yards from the line of scrimmage. 20. OFFENSIVE FALSE START a. Movement on the offensive line is a dead ball foul. The whistle shall be blown immediately. PENALTY: 5 yards from the line of scrimmage. 21. OFFENSIVE BLOCKING a. The offensive blocker may take his place in front of a player with his hands and arms either in front, to the side, or behind their body. No extending of the arms is allowed. b. Illegal use of the arms, elbows, legs or body such as a two hand push, cut or crab block is illegal during an offensive player s block. c. A player must be on his feet before, during and after blocking. PENALTY: Personal Foul, 10 yards from the spot of the foul. 22. HANDLING THE BALL a. Any player may hand the ball backward at any time. b. Ball carriers cannot use a stiff-arm. PENALTY: Illegal use of hands, 10 yards from the spot of the foul. c. If opposing players simultaneously catch a pass or fumble in flight, the ball becomes dead at the spot of the catch and belongs to the offensive team. d. Runners may spin or jump at anytime during a run, but are not allowed to dive or hurdle to advance the ball. e. The player scoring a touchdown must raise his arms so the nearest official can de-flag the player. If the player is not de-flagged with one pull and the official determines the flag belt had been secured illegally, the touchdown is disallowed, and the player is disqualified. PENALTY: Personal Foul, 10 yards from the previous spot. 23. PASSING a. All players are eligible to receive a pass. b. Only one forward pass is allowed per down. No one can advance the ball beyond the line of scrimmage unless there is a completed forward pass. The forward pass can be completed behind the line of scrimmage.

4 c. If the ball is advanced without a completed forward pass, the play ends at the line of scrimmage and the down counts. d. One foot must land in bounds to complete a pass reception. e. A passer is declared down if his flag is withdrawn by a defensive player or is pulled before his arm is in forward passing motion. f. Illegal forward pass: PENALTY: 5 yards from the spot of the penalty and loss of down. g. Roughing the passer occurs when defensive players fail to avoid making contact with the passer. This includes blocking the ball and then charging into the passer. If the defender contacts the passer s arm, whether or not he touches the ball, it is roughing the passer. PENALTY: 10 yards and automatic 1st down. h. Pass interference occurs when a defensive player displaces the intended receiver in an attempt to play the ball. You may still make a play on the ball if you maintain verticality. PENALTY: 10 yards from the previous spot, repeat down. 24. THE QUARTERBACK a. The quarterback cannot directly run with the ball. The quarterback may scramble in the back field but cannot advance the ball beyond the line of scrimmage. PENALTY: Play blown dead. Next down begins at the previous line of scrimmage. b. After a backward pass/pitch, the quarterback becomes an eligible receiver and can receive a forward pass and advance the ball. 25. RUNNERS a. The ball carrier is down at the spot where the tackler pulls his flags. Unnecessary roughness by the tackler or by the runner is a personal foul. b. Runners shall not guard their flags by using their hands, arms or the ball to deny the opportunity for an opponent to pull or remove the flag belt. Flag guarding includes: i. swinging the hand or arm over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from de-flagging the runner, ii. placing the ball in possession over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from de-flagging the runner, iii. lowering the shoulders in such a manner which places the arm over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from de-flagging, iv. placing the flag belt on in an improper fashion (tying it, looping through, etc.) c. The ball carrier may not run through a defensive player, but must attempt to evade the defender. d. If a flag is inadvertently lost, the offensive player is still eligible. Play reverts to one-hand-touch between the shoulders and knees. e. Offensive players may not run the ball directly up the middle immediately after the snap. PENALTY: 5 yards from the line of scrimmage, loss of down. 26. DEFENSIVE PLAYERS a. Tackling is not permitted. PENALTY: 10 yards from the spot of penalty. If, in the official s opinion the tackle was flagrant, the offending player will be ejected from the game and facility immediately. b. In order to down a ball carrier, the offensive player s flags must be withdrawn from the waist by a defensive player. The defensive player must stop at the point of the tackle and extend his arm with the withdrawn flag upward. The ball carrier is declared downed at this point. c. If a defensive player intentionally knocks down or tackles an opponent when the runner is in the clear and, in the opinion of the referee, would have scored if he had not been knocked down or tackled, a touchdown shall be awarded. Possible ejection will occur as stated above. d. The following rules are in place with regard to defensive players. i. The defense may rush four players from tackle to tackle ii. The defender may not hold, push, run through the ball carrier, or physically impede the ball carrier to stop his momentum in order to pull his flags. iii. Defensive players may not grab, push, or throw an offensive player, or use swim moves.

5 iv. Defensive players may not run through an offensive blocker, or use the hands and/or arms to move a blocker to the side. The defense must go around the blocker. v. If the defensive player forces the offensive player out of bounds, a penalty will be assessed. PENALTY: Personal Foul, 10 yards from the spot of the foul. e. The defense may not deliberately withdraw an opponent s flag unless that player is in possession of the ball. The official shall consider this action as unsportsmanlike conduct, and penalize accordingly. 27. FUMBLES a. A fumbled ball is dead at the point the ball touches the ground if fumbled backward, or at the spot where the fumble occurred if fumbled forward. The ball belongs to the team which controlled it last, before the ball touched the ground. b. A loose ball which has not hit the ground may be caught and advanced by either team. 28. UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT a. Please see the attached Player Code of Conduct for details. b. Unnecessary roughness, cursing at the officials or other players, or any other unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. Players may be ejected from a game and facility at any time without warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. PENALTY: 15 yards from the line of scrimmage (repeated penalties will result in suspension from the league). c. If a player is ejected from a game, that person will be placed on probation and will be ineligible for the next scheduled game. d. If a player is ejected from a game for a second time, that person will be suspended for the remainder of the tournament. The new rules about the quarterback and a forward pass having to be made are implemented in the Turkey Bowl this year. The game is designed to be a passing game. This should help to eliminate the bull rush and blocking issues because the quarterback cannot directly advance the ball beyond the line of scrimmage. If a player advanced the ball without a completed forward pass beyond the line of scrimmage, the down ends there. It will require teams to figure out the best way to utilize players and play by the forward pass rule. In the past you have been able to throw multiple forward passes, there is now only one forward pass allowed per down. The forward pass can follow a backward/lateral pass behind the line of scrimmage. If the backward/lateral pass hits the ground the ball is dead and the play ends. The forward pass can also be made behind the line of scrimmage and then the receiver becomes a runner and can advance. At any time after a completed pass the runner can lateral the ball backwards to another runner. Again if the ball hits the ground, play over. As always, if a player with the ball has his flag pulled, he is down regardless of where he is on the field whether he is an eligible runner or not. If a These are rule changes that we would like to implement in our flag football league in the spring. Any common sense interpretations of the rules will be considered. Let us know what you think. The idea behind these rule changes is to keep some of the rough play out of flag football. It s all about having some fun.