How to play american football

Getting Ready

American Football starts with the toss of a coin, just 3 minutes before the game. The referee meets both team captains and calls for a toss. The winner of the toss has can choose from either receiving the kickoff or just kickoff to start the game. Apart from that the winning team chooses an end of the field and the loser of the toss other end of the field.

Players & their Positioning

Each team is divided in three different units

The Offense, the players who have the possession of the ball indicated in the picture below as the grey team

The Defense, the other team players who line up to stop the offense indicated in the picture below as the blue team.

Special teams, the team that takes care of free kicks, kickoff, and field goal attempts along with the punts. Only 11 players are on the field from each team at any point of time.

The offense team lines up the field on the line of scrimmage, with 1 center player having the control of the ball, 2 guard players on both right and left side of the centre player, 2 tackle players positioned outside of the guard players on both sides. A quarterback player standing right behind the centre player is the primary passer and ball handler. A tight end player is lined up on the left side of the centre player slightly behind the tackle players. He is the powerful player who has extra blocking control.

There are 2 wide receiver players stationed 7 yards away from the centre player on both strong and weak sides, who will receive the ball and are fastest in passing the ball. A halfback player placed behind the wide receiver players runs, blocks, receives, and passes the ball. An important player who is extremely powerful runner, excellent blocker and good passer is positioned in the fullback on the strong side.

The defence team lines up on the defence line of scrimmage, exactly opposing the offense team, with 2 tackle and 2 end players blocking the centre player of the offense, being the strongest are known as front four. The front four players battles headto-head against the offense. Their main aim is to stop the running attack, rush the passer and take control of the ball. They are even permitted to use their hands against the offense.

A nose tackle player positioned as the middleman to help the defence line players. There are 3 linebackers stationed exactly behind the tackle and end players. They are the most handymen with their main objective to pursue running, play, drop back, defending against the passes, and disrupting the pass plays. Two cornerback players, also known as defensive backs, are placed a little behind the linebackers in the area of defence called secondary area. These players are required to tackle fast runners in the plays and interrupt the passing. They also have commendable speed to strike down the wide receivers of the offense. The last two players called the safeties will try to take the control of the ball from the offense.

Quick Glimpse of the Game

The offensive team with 11 players takes possession of the ovoid ball and tries to advance the ball by throwing and running to the opponent team’s goal post to score points. Both the teams try to gain points by crossing the goal line and getting into the end zone. The opponent team called the defence tries to stop the offensive team and takes the control over the ball. Out of both the teams, the team with the ball has to score more points or the team is forced to give up the possession of the ball. The offensive and defensive teams change roles (the offensive team goes on defence and the defensive team goes on offense). The same continues back and forth, until all four 15 minute quarters of the game have been played.

The game starts with the kickoff. The ovoid ball is placed on a tee (a cone shaped platform which holds the ball) at the defence’s 35-yard line, and a special kicker also known as a placekicker kicks the ball to the offense. Any player from offense team will try to catch the ball and advance to the defence. When a kickoff is caught in the offense’s end zone, the kicker has two options to play. First option is to run the ball away from the end zone and second option is to kneel down in the end zone to gesture a touchback and to stop the play immediately. The ball is positioned on the 20-yard line and game is started again.

The offensive team tries to get as much space as it can to try and move closer to the defence’s end zone. Every time the offense gets hold of the ball and has four downs or chances to gain 10 yards. If the offensive team effectively passes and moves the ball 10 or more yards, they earn a first down and similarly other set of four downs. If the offense fails to gain 10 yards space then they lose control of the ball. The defence tries to prevent the offense from scoring and gaining the 10 yards needed for first down. If the offense reaches fourth down then they end up punting the ball (kicks it away). This makes the defence team to begin its game from further down the field.

One of the important game rules of American Football is the play from scrimmage. It is the movement of the game during which one team tries to advance the ball, get a first down, or a point, and the other team tries to stop them or take the ball away. These plays from scrimmage include–field goal attempts (from either a place kick or a drop kick), passing the ball, retaining the ball and running, punting the ball (dropping the ball from the hands and then before it reaches the ground, kicking the ball), or freekicks such as kick-offs and fair catch kicks. The game also consists of a series of downs, referred to as a time period in which the individual plays in a certain duration, outside of which the ball is dead or not in play.

Replacement of players can be made only between the downs, which allows for a great deal of choice for the team to send in the best suitable player for that particular situation.

Moving the Ball –The Run and the Pass

Usually the game begins with the snap of the ball at the line of scrimmage. The quarterback of the offense calls out a play in code and the centre player passes or snaps the ball under his legs. The quarterback than continues from there and takes a quick decision on either to throw the ball or run with it.

The offense can advance the ball in two ways. First one is The Run and this happens when the quarterback player passes the ball off to a running back player, who attempts to gain as many yards as possible by escaping the defensive players. The quarterback is also one of the runners and is permitted to run with the ball.

Another alternative to taking the ball is to Pass it. The quarterback player generally passes the ball to trick the defence. Any other player from the offensive team can also pass the ball as long as the pass is thrown from behind the line of scrimmage. A pass is complete after another offensive player catches the ball, typically the wide receiver or tight end player of the catch the ball. If the ball smashes the ground before any other player catches it, then it’s an incomplete pass.

The defence players stop the offense from progressing with the ball by getting the ball to the ground. A player is said to be Tackled when the players knees touch the ground. This results in end of the play. A play also finishes in case if the player runs out of boundaries.

Scoring

The game is played on a point based scoring system. The main objective of the players is to score points and team with scoring highest number of points is declared winner of the game. According to the scoring structure points can be scored in four methods that is Touchdown, Extra point (PAT), Field goal, and Safety points.

A Touchdown is achieved when a player carries the ball and crosses the opponent team’s end zone. The player who is successful in advancing the ball or otherwise gains control of the ball by catching it in the end zone is qualified as a touchdown. If a forward pass was thrown on the play, the quarterback is also credited with a passing touchdown. It is the biggest single score in the whole game worth six points, and it allows the scoring team an opportunity to attempt to get an extra point.

Following a Touchdown the ball is spotted at the opponent’s two-yard line, the offense has two possibilities. Either the offense will try for an extra point called the Point After Touchdown (PAT) conversion or the offense magnificently kicks the ball through the goal post to earn one point. Two extra points can also be scored by running or throwing the ball into the end zone similar to a touchdown.

A Field Goal can be recorded by the team if the ball is place kicked, drop kicked or free kicked in between the goal posts in the opponent’s end zone. With field goal a team is worth of three points and often are the determining points in the climax of the game. These goals can be tried from anywhere on the field on any down, but mostly are kicked from inside the defence’s fourth down position. If a field goal is missed, the ball is kept back on the original line of scrimmage or on the 20-yard line if ball goes further from the goal line and the control of the ball goes to the other team. Place kick is the best way to make a perfect field goal. The defence attempts to block the offense from making a field goal and stop the ball from reaching the goal post.

The Safety is worth two points. A safety rises if the player grounds the ball making it a dead ball in his own end zone. In that case two points are awarded for safety to the opponent team. A safety is also granted to the team if the other team commits a foul in its own end zone.

A Turnover happens when the team is trying to advance the ball to the end zone and by chance loses the possession of the ball without kicking it.

A Fumble occurs when the ball mover or passer drops the ball, any player can recover the ball by leaping on it or he can run with it. The team that recovers a fumble gets the control of the ball. A violent defence can regain the ownership of the ball by intercepting (catching) passes than an Interception takes place. The fumble recoveries and interceptions can advance up to the end zone to score a touchdown.

American Football Rules

American Football is one of the biggest North American sports. Whilst the game is played worldwide, the professional leagues in North America (such as the NFL) easily attract the best players in the world making its leagues the most competitive. The pinnacle of the sport comes in the form of the Super Bowl played out every year to millions of people around the world.

Object of the Game

The object of American football is to score more points than your opponents in the allotted time. To do this they must move the ball down the pitch in phases of play before eventually getting the ball into the ‘end zone’ for a touchdown. This can be achieved by either throwing the ball to a teammate or running with the ball.

Each team gets 4 chances (downs) to move the ball 10 yards forward. Once they pass the 10 yards their downs reset and they start again for another 10 yards. After 4 downs have passed and they have failed to make it over the 10 yards required the ball will be turned over to the defensive team.

Players & Equipment

Whilst there are only 11 players from each team on the field at any team, an American football team is actually made up of 45 players. The teams are generally split into three groups of attacking (generally smaller, stronger, faster type of players, including a quarterback who is said to run the attacking plays and throw the ball to their teammates), defence (larger, more powerful players designed to stop players from running) and special team players (responsible for the kicking and punting side of the game with a mixture of larger and faster players).

An American football field is generally around 100 yards long and 60 yards wide. Lines are drawn on the field at 10 yard interval to indicate how far each team has to go before reaching the end zone. The end zones are added at each end of the pitch and are roughly 20 yards in length each. Posts can also be found at each end of which the kicker kicks the ball over.

Scoring

When a player scores a touchdown six points are awarded to their team. A touchdown can be scored by either carrying the ball into the end zone or receiving the ball from a pass whilst in the end zone. After a touchdown has been scored the attacking team have opportunity to kick the ball for an extra point. The ball must pass between the upright posts for a successful kick.

A field goal can be scored from anywhere on the pitch at any time (usually on the final down) and a successful kick will result in three points. A safety is where the defensive team manages to tackle an attacking opponent in their own end zone; for this the team will receive 2 points.

Winning the Game

The team with the most points at the end of the game will be deemed the winner. If the points are tied then over time will come into play where the teams will play an additional quarter until a winner is found.

American Football Rules and Regulation

This NFL overview is a basic introduction to the rules and regulations of American Football games. It simplifies all the important references and player tactics used in the game.

Read on to learn American Football rules explained in a simple format for beginners. Simplifying the basics of NFL rules makes them easier to understand and the game more enjoyable to watch.

Rules for American Football: Table of Contents

Note: The Official Playing Rules of the National Football League contain 18 rules categories in 89 pages. This is a summary of all the rules of American Football taken from the current NFL Rule Book [PDF] terms and rulings.

American Football Rules Explained

In fact, the popular sport of American Football is widely played in the United Kingdom as well. By demystifying the elements of the complex NFL laws, this guide will help you figure out how the game plays out.

So, let’s kick things off:

Besides the United States, football American style or Gridiron, is played in many countries worldwide. Some of its ardent followers and players compare basic American Football rules to a ‘chess match with shoulder pads’.

In case you’re wondering:

Gridiron football is one of the biggest and most popular sports in North America. The National Football League is immensely competitive and mighty lucrative for its professional players.

Grasping the fundamentals of American Football basics is not always easy. But, let’s begin by stating that any of these three rule books govern and dictate the finer points of the game.

Note: All three codified law books cover every possible eventuality of American Football rules and regulations.

British American Football Association

The BAFA sanctions various formats of the game around Great Britain. Their rules provide governance over the contact and non-contact variants in the sport.

So, here’s the deal:

We summarized the most important rules and essential tactics for all newcomers to the game. It’s the ideal start for those who want to get a regulation snapshot of how to play American Football for beginners in the United Kingdom.

NFL United Kingdom Playbook

The UK hosts several NFL fixtures each football season. Read an article about the year NFL UK Playbook features a roll out by Heinz Yellow Mustard.

A Brief History of American Football

In fact, the origins and history of American football trace back to the earliest versions of association football and rugby football. Both originate, in various forms, from games played in Britain around the mid-19th century

Several major divergences produced the game as we know it today. We can thank Walter Camp, a Yale University and Hopkins School graduate, for the most notable of rules changes. In fact, many still consider him as being the ‘Father of American Football’.

And the rule changes?

The key changes he introduced were the legalisation of blocking tactics, the down-and-distance rules, and the line of scrimmage.

A more modern game saw a further introduction of the forward pass around the late 19th century. College football became very popular. It grew to be a dominant variance of the sport played in United States from the beginning of the 20th century.

College football traditions (bowl games) started attracting a national audiences. Nowadays, they still command a widespread appeal throughout North America.

Aim of Playing American Football Game

Like most other ball sports, there is one simple goal or objective to playing American Football games. Each team aims to score more points than their opponents do in the allotted game duration.

The team with possession of the ball (the offense) attempt to advance it down the pitch in phases of play (called downs). Their ultimate aim is to get the ball into the ‘end zone’ to score points from a touchdown.

There are several ways to achieve a touchdown. Players can run with the ball until they get tackled, or they can throw it down field to one of their teammates.

American Football Starting Lineup

The match referee will organise a coin toss with the team captains three minutes before the start of the game. As a rule, the visiting team will call the toss by choosing ‘heads or tails’.

Being the winner of the coin toss means you can choose to begin play for the first half or for the second half. Being the losing captain of the coin toss means your team would get the remaining options.

The choices are:

Note: USA Today states the team winning the coin toss will defer their choice to the beginning of the second half more than 90% of the time in college games.

The Kickoff Formation

A phase of play begins when the team is in formation with seven players standing on the line of scrimmage. The line of scrimmage is a ‘movable’ imaginary line determined by the match officials.

As a rule, the center player stands on the line and passes the ball back between his legs to the quarterback. This is usually called the snap or hiking the ball.

The kickoff takes place on a kicking tee at the defense’s 30-yard line. The place-kicker punts the ball down field to the offense players. A kick return man will try to catch the ball and run with it into opposition territory.

American Football Match Duration

Rules of American Football games allow sixty (60) minutes as an allotted time of play. The actual match duration will divide into four (4) quarters. There will be fifteen (15) minutes of play in each quarter.

Players take a two minute break between the 1st and the 2nd quarter, and then again between the 3rd and 4th quarters. A fifteen minute rest break takes place between the 2nd and the 3rd quarter for half time.

American Football Players

NFL rulings permit 53 players to be on the team active roster. But, only 45 players can dress out for the game.

This is the important part:

The rules and regulations of American Football allow each team to field no more than eleven (11) players during the game itself. There are no restrictions on substitutions made between plays.

American Football rules and positions generally consist of three different groups of players, such as:

American Football Equipment UK

American Football rules and regulations state all players must wear approved and mandatory safety equipment.

Protective gear is part of the American Football equipment list and includes:

American Football Field Dimensions

American Football Safety Gear

Players must wear proper gear and accessories for a game. Check out the section that lists the equipment used in American Football with detailed descriptions on:

Moving the Ball

You move the ball either by throwing it to a teammate or running with it. Each team gets 4 chances (downs) to progress the ball 10 yards forward.

Passing a 10 yards distance means the ‘down’ is reset and the movement starts again for another 10 yards.

Losing possession of the ball:

The ball gets turned over to the defensive team if you fail to make 10 yards after 4 downs have passed.

The Run:

The Pass:

Downs in American Football Explained

There will be many different plays happening on any down. But generally, the team players will determine the play.

Footy fundamentals for beginners:

It often appears uncoordinated and haphazard when players are running all over the place (making routes).

As a rule, it will be the senior members of the squad who call out the offensive and defensive tactical plays. It is usually the head coach or quarterback and the defensive captain (respectively).

American Football Rules [PDF Download]

Reading through the American Football rules PDF version will help you master all the fundamental laws. It contains the 2022 rules changes with a free download option.

Scoring in American Football for Beginners

There are four ways to score points in basic American Football rules and regulations:

American Football Officiating and Officials

There should always be seven (7) officials who officiate on the field at the same time (in professional games). But, it is the Referee who has the final ruling in any important decisions.

The match Referee also has superiority over all other officiating crews. As part of the American Football basics on officials for officiating matches, there will also be:

Note: The jurisdiction of the seven officials will begin 100 minutes before the scheduled kickoff. It ends once the Referee declares the final score.

Penalties in American Football

Committing an illegal action against the rules and regulations in American Football will incur penalties. It will be either a five, ten, or 15 yard penalty and the down gets replayed.

A minor offence is more commonly punished by a five yard penalty.

Aggressive actions often result in an award of a ‘first down’ to the opposition. Match officials would spot the ball in the appropriate place for a penalty and play would resume.

Some of the most common penalties used by match officials as part of American Football terminology are:

American Football Terms and Phrases

Browse a section with 100s of American Football terms and definitions used by players and officials listed alphabetically from A to Z.

Winning a Game of American Football

The winner in American Football is the team with the most points at the end of the game. Over time would come into play if the teams both have the same number of points.

US football rules is a timed sport, so what happens in the event of a tied game? If this happens, the teams would play an extra quarter to determine the outright winner.

Related Guides in this Section

Note: Watch a short video presentation [4:58 seconds] explaining the basic fundamentals of football American style with simple graphics and clear commentary.

American Football Rules Made Easy for Beginners in United Kingdom
Last Updated 2022

The Complete Beginners Guide To American Football

American football is a team sport played on a rectangular grass or turf surface called a football field. There are a total of 22 players on the field at all times.

These players make contact with each other to tackle the player with the football. American football is much more than physical contact and big hits in the organized chaos.

As one of the more complicated sports globally, American football has many rules, positions, and equipment that make it unique.

In this article, we will break down American football and how the game is played for beginners.

American Football Equipment

Every football player, by rule, must wear the proper equipment to play. The referees check the equipment before the game to ensure the player has the necessary pads to meet the guidelines.

These are the mandatory pieces of equipment that all players must wear during a football game.

Helmet

The first and most noticeable piece of equipment is the helmet. The hard plastic helmet is a word to protect the face and skull from hard hits.

Helmets are worn to fit the player’s head, and the facemask is often adjusted based on the position. For example, wide receivers need more of an open face mask to catch the football.

On the other hand, the offensive lineman will have a closed-style face mask to protect their face from hands and fingers.

Before helmets, football players used to wear leather caps. These leather caps did not protect against impact, and it often ended in players dying on the field.

Shoulder Pads

Shoulder pads are another noticeable piece of equipment on a football player. The shoulder pads are a hard piece of plastic that secures tightly underneath the armpits.

Shoulder pads help protect the shoulders, as well as the breastplate. These pads help protect against any contact made at the chest cavity and below the neck.

Girdle

The girdle is worn under the game pants to protect these areas starting with the hips and tailbone. The girdle holds three pads: 2 hip pads and a tail bone pad. These girdles are specially designed to help protect both hips and the tailbone.

Players used to have to put their pads in a girdle. However, most common girdles have pads that are pre-built in them.

Girdles help reduce direct impact hits on both the hip and tail bones.

Pants With Pads

Over the girdle, football pants are worn with slots for pads to be placed. Inside of the pants, thigh pads and knee pads are placed.

Thigh pads are often thick, bulky pads that help absorb direct impact from other players. The knee pads are also worn to protect players from contact with the knee area.

Free Coaching Kit

Get 3 free templates to help you build an organized and structured team. The 3 templates include:

Football Cleats

While cleats aren’t mandatory for players to play football, they’re highly encouraged. Surfaces like turf and grass can be slippery as the weather changes throughout a football season.

Football cleats help secure traction into the ground as players maneuver around the football field.

Uniform Numbers

Over-the-shoulder pads and football jerseys are worn on game day. These football jerseys are made of a soft nylon material with numbers on the front and back.

Football numbers are essential, as players need to fall into a certain number page based on their position. This helps the referees determine who can catch the football and who can’t.

Here are the rulings for football numbers:

Field Dimensions

The football field is played on grass or turf surface, measured in yards. Below is a complete diagram of how a football field measures out.

The small lines above the numbers that extend the field’s length are called hash marks. These hash marks get closer together the older the player gets. For younger players, they are set at 17.8 yards apart from the sideline.

Rules Of The Game

Football is one of the more complicated sports because it has 22 players and a complex set of rules.

The game is broken up into four quarters. The time of the quarters depends on what league you’re playing. In the NFL, they use 15-minute quarters.

American football has 3 phases, offense, defense, and special teams. The offense is in charge of scoring touchdowns and field goals. The defense ensures the offense doesn’t score, and special teams are used to change field positions.

Each team has four chances to get 10 yards. These “chances” are also called “downs.” The offense must get 10 yards to get a new set of downs. The offense will repeat this process until they score points.

The defense must make a tackle by putting the offensive player on the ground. This is how all plays end, with a tackle.

A tackle is counted by getting the player who has the ball to the ground or their knees. Once a tackle is made, the referee will blow the whistle for the play to end.

The play ends when:

If the offense fails to get 10 yards on the four downs, they will give the ball to the other team and try to defend against their offense.

Football is all about strategy, making sure each down has its own strategy. For instance, football coaches will plan for down and distances:

When watching football, it’s important to look at the down and the distance to determine what play the coach may call.

Free Coaching Kit

Get 3 free templates to help you build an organized and structured team. The 3 templates include:

Penalties In American Football

To keep the game fair, the referees will keep track of the clock, blow the whistle when a player is tackled, and throw a penalty flag if there are any penalties.

Each referee can throw a yellow flag on the ground, which signals that the referee has identified a penalty. After the play is over, the referee will call the penalty and assess the result. Penalties often result in negative yards for the offense or defense.

For example, if the offense gets a 5-yard penalty instead of 1st and 10, it will be 1st and 15. Football is a game of mistakes, and the team that often gets the least amount of penalties will usually win the game.

Penalties on defense are pretty standard. The defense must not grab, hold, or grab any part of the opponent’s facemask. If they do, it will result in a penalty, and a flag will be thrown.

Offensive penalties are similar to defensive penalties. The basis of penalities is to make sure no offensive or defensive player can gain any advantage by grabbing or holding a defender, lining up in the proper spots, and ensuring no unnecessary roughness.

Here is a list of common defensive and offensive penalties:

Blocking Below The Waist: An illegal block made below the waistline.

Block In The Back: All blocks in football must be made from the front.

Chop Block: Occurs when one player is blocking high, then another player blocks low, causing the player to fall.

Clipping: Blocking a player below the waist and from behind

Delay Of Game: When one play ends, another one starts. Offenses need to snap the ball before the play clock expires

See the difference between encroachment, offsides, and neutral zone infractions.

Holding: Grabbing another player’s jersey to block them or restrict them from catching the football.

Pass Interference: Restricting the offensive or defensive player from catching the football.

Roughing The Passer/Kicker: Contact the quarterback/kicker/punter after the ball leaves its hand or foot.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct: This is called when a player is endangering another player or taunting the opponent.

Scoring In American Football

A touchdown is scored by crossing the goal line. The goal line is the thick white stripe at the end zone’s start. If an offensive player successfully scores a touchdown, they will be awarded points.

The main goal of the offense is to score a touchdown. The scoring in football is broken down into points. Here is a list of all the ways an offense and defense can score points:

Positions In American Football

Each team has 11 players on the field at all times. Each player on the field ranges from larger, taller players to smaller, faster players.

via Wikipedia

Offensive Positions

Quarterback

The quarterback is one of the most important players on the field. They are the player that lines up directly behind the center.

The quarterback will hand the ball off to another player or throw the ball down the field. This player needs to handle pressure, as all 11 players on the defense will tackle him.

NFL quarterbacks include players like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers.

Running Back

The running backs are often aligned directly behind the quarterback. This player’s primary responsibility is to run the football.

via palpinmedia

Running backs often get tackled a lot and require physical and mental toughness. They must run in the middle where all the bigger players are and the outside where the speedy defensive players are.

Running backs in the NFL include Ezekiel Elliot, Christian McCaffery, and Alvin Kamara.

Wide Receivers

Wide receivers are players that line up wide to the outside. These players are responsible for catching a football thrown by the quarterbacks.

In today’s game, teams often throw the football 50+ times. This means wide receivers need to be fast and have good hands. Wide receivers are often taller, faster players that can track down the football thrown by the quarterback.

Wide receivers in the NFL include Julio Jones, Larry Fitzgerald, and Odell Beckham Jr.

Tight Ends

Tight ends are a mix between an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. The tight end is big enough to play offensive line and has the athleticism of a wide receiver.

These players often block but can also catch passes in a run play. They are used strategically by each coach.

Popular tight ends in the NFL are Travis Kelce, Rob Gronkowski, and George Kittle.

Offensive Line

The offensive line is equally as important as the quarterback. Offensive linemen protect the quarterback and block defensive players for the running backs.

These players are often the largest players on the field. The offensive line is made up of 5 players, the center, two offensive guards, and two offensive tackles.

Popular offensive linemen in the NFL are Trent Brown, Tyrone Smith, and Lane Johnson.

Free Coaching Kit

Get 3 free templates to help you build an organized and structured team. The 3 templates include:

Defensive Positions

The defense is responsible for stopping the offense. Not only does it take tough players, but it also takes discipline and hard-working players to execute a defensive game plan.

Defensive Line

Like the offensive line, the defensive line is the biggest player on the defense. Their responsibility is to stop the run and attack the quarterback when he drops back to pass.

Contact from a defensive lineman happens as soon as the ball is snapped, so they must be quick to react and play physically.

NFL defensive linemen include Von Miller, Joey Bosa, and Chandler Jones.

Linebackers

Linebackers in the NFL are often the toughest players on the field. They are the defense captains, responsible for calling out the defensive plays.

They are also responsible for tackling running backs when they run and covering receivers and tight ends when the offense passes.

Popular linebackers in the NFL include Sean Lee, Bobby Wagner, and Dont’a Hightower.

Defensive Backs

The last defensive position is the defensive backs. These players are often the fastest players on the field because they need to cover the speedy wide receivers.

Defensive backs are often the most athletic, as they need to work backward, forwards, and side to side.

Popular defensive backs in the NFL are Jamal Adams, Joe Haden & Stephon Gilmore.

Special Teams Positions

The 3rd and final part of the game is the special teams. Special teams control field position and score 3 points with a field goal.

Kickoff

Every game starts with a kickoff. The kickoff is when a player will put the ball on a tee and kick it as far as possible.

The kickoff receiving team will catch the football and run it back as far as possible. After the player is tackled, both the offense and defense will come onto the field.

The first special teams unit is the punt team. Teams will elect to punt the football to change field position.

For example, if the offense is in a situation where it is 4th down, instead of trying to get the first down, they will punt the football. Punting the football is when a player holds the football in their hand and kicks the ball as far as possible.

Field Goal

There are large yellow field goal posts at the end of each football field. A team can line up to kick a field goal worth 3 points.

The process includes a player holding the football, placing it on a tee or the ground, and another player kicking the football. Field goals are often kicked on 4th down or at the end of a game.

Free Coaching Kit

Get 3 free templates to help you build an organized and structured team. The 3 templates include:

Keep Learning

Learn more about football rules in the articles below.

Football can be a complicated sport when trying to digest it all at once. We recommend focusing on the offense, defense, and special teams to start. Once you begin to understand the format of the game, then try to learn the positions.

If you need help learning the positions, we’ve created free guides that can help you understand each position.

Football is a fast-paced sport that involves both strategy and speed to score points.

Let’s keep learning! Our learning center is packed with information regarding techniques, schemes, and more!

If you’re looking for more in-depth breakdowns & coaching resources, visit our coaching resource page here.

Rules Of American Football – Beginners Guide

American football can be a complicated game for those unfamiliar with it. In this article, we’re going to show you everything you need to know, including the rules of American Football.

By the end of this article, you will better understand and watch football on TV with no confusion or misunderstanding of the game.

Let’s get started.

Rules Of American Football

Before we talk about the rules, first, we need to show you the playing surface that football players play on.

Football games are played on grass or artificial turf surfaces. This all depends on what the athletic administration decides to play on. There are no requirements.

The Football Field

American football is played on a field that is 120 yards in length and 53.3 yards in width. This is standard for all American football fields, no matter if it’s professional or youth football.

The field measures 100 yards in length from goal line to goal line. Each endzone is 10 yards, so from the back of the endzone to the other back of the endzone is 120 yards.

Football fields were first measured initially in feet. This means football fields were 360 feet by 160 feet.

The measurements were then converted to yards, which means all of the numbers got divided by 3 (3 feet in 1 yard). This is why it is 53.3 yards when talking about the width.

Players Are On The Field

There are 22 football players on the field at all times. 11 on the offense and 11 on the defense. Teams may choose to have fewer players but not have more than 11.

If any team has more than 11 players, it will result in a penalty.

Learn more about the individual players on the field and their positions here.

Coin Toss

Every game starts with a coin toss. Both teams will elect “captains” to meet at midfield with the referees. From here, the referee will flip a coin in the air.

The away team will call “heads” or “tails” while the coin is in the air. If it lands on the side that the away team called, they will decide what to do to start the game. The four options are:

The team that wins the coin toss will have the option to choose one of the four options.

Game Rules

Football is played in quarters. Professional and college teams will play 4, 15 minute quarters.

Youth and high school teams play 4, 12 minute quarters.

At the end of the second quarter, teams will go to their locker room for halftime. This is a break in the game where players can rest and coaches can adjust.

The team with the winning score at the end of the four quarters will win the game.

Kickoff & Kick Return

One team will kick the football to start the game, and one team will receive the football. Whoever kicks to start the game will receive at the start of the second half.

Kickoff teams are required to line up in a straight line, with the kicker in the middle. From here, the kicker will kick the ball off of a tee to the kick return team.

The kick return team will then try to return the ball for as many yards as possible.

Once the kick return team player is tackled, both the offense and defense will come on the field.

Downs In Football

American football rules are based on the offense successfully or unsuccessfully moving the ball past the 10-yard marker.

There will be chains and a down marker on the sideline that looks like this.

Offenses have four opportunities (downs) to move the ball 10 yards. If they successfully move the football 10 yards, they will have four chances to move the ball 10 yards.

If the offense does not move the ball 10 yards in 4 downs, the other team’s offense will come on the field to try to score points.

Moving The Football Down The Field

For the offense to move the football, they will either run or pass it.

Running the football is easier, as the quarterback will hand the ball off to another player. They will try to gain as many yards as possible before they are tackled.

The other option is to pass the football. This means the quarterback will throw the football through the air to another offensive player.

Each time a player runs or catches the football, they try to score a touchdown.

Free Coaching Kit

Get 3 free templates to help you build an organized and structured team. The 3 templates include:

Scoring In Football

Offenses will line up against the defense and try to score in different ways. Below, we will show you how to score points in football.

Scoring A Touchdown

A touchdown in football is worth 6 points. Offenses in football will try to score as many touchdowns as possible while they have possession of the football. The main goal of football is to score touchdowns.

A player on the offense (or defense) must control the football and pass the goal line to score a touchdown in football. The goal line is the thick white stripe at the endzone’s start.

When an offensive player crosses the goal line, the referee will put his hands in the air to signal a touchdown like this.

After a touchdown is scored, teams can kick a field goal or go for a two-point conversion.

It’s very common to see a team kick a field goal, which means they will kick the ball off the ground and in between the field goal post. If successful, the team that scored a touchdown will be awarded one point.

Another option is for the offense to run another play. This is called a two-point conversion. If successful, the scoring team will be awarded two points.

The other way for an offense to score points in football is by kicking a field goal before they score a touchdown. If the offense kicks a successful field goal, it will be worth 3 points.

Scoring A Field Goal

If the offense moves the ball into the defense’s territory but runs into a situation where it’s fourth down, they may elect to kick a field goal.

A field goal before a touchdown is scored worth 3 points but only worth one point after a touchdown (as noted above).

A team may line up to kick a field goal at any point during the game. If the ball is successfully kicked through the uprights, the referee will put his hands in the air signaling the attempt is good. Three points will be awarded to the kicking team.

These are the two ways that an offense can score points.

Defensive Scoring

While the defense is trying to prevent the offense from scoring a touchdown or a field goal, they can also score points for their team.

Interception

The defense can intercept the pass from the quarterback anytime the ball is in the air. If they successfully catch it, the defense’s offense will come on the field once their defensive player is tackled.

If the defensive player intercepts the ball and doesn’t get tackled, he can score points for his team. This is also known as a pick-6.

Fumble Recovery

Teams who like to run the football may have the ball stripped or taken from a defensive player. When the ball is on the ground (or taken), the defense can pick it up and score a touchdown. If they get tackled, then the offense will take the field.

This is known as a “turnover.”

Safety

A safety is a unique way to score points in football. It happens when the defense tackles a ball carrier in the offense’s endzone.

The defense is awarded 2 points, and the other team will have to kick the ball to them on the kickoff.

If you want to learn more about the safety, we recommend you check out this article which covers scoring a safety.

Overtime Rules

In the rare case of a tie game, teams will go into overtime.

There are two overtimes in football for professional, college & high school teams.

Penalties In Football

Football is organized chaos. Teams are physically battling each other for leverage and positioning. Tackles are being made and missed.

To keep players from being too aggressive, football has penalities. Penalties are identified in football by the yellow flags thrown on the ground. If the referee sees a penalty, they will throw their flag on the ground at any point in time.

Offensive Penalties

Most of the penalties you see during the game will be on offense. This is because one of the more common penalties in football, on offense, is holding. This occurs when an offensive player holds the jersey or equipment and impedes the defensive player from making a tackle.

Learn more about legal and illegal blocks in football here.

Offensive players must also remain still until the ball the snapped. Only one player can move, but it will be a penalty if more than one player moves.

Here is a complete list of penalties and referee signals to help you learn more about offensive penalties.

Defensive Penalties

Regarding defensive penalties, most of the penalties that are called are unnecessary roughness, not lining up correctly, or not allowing the offensive player a fair chance at catching the football.

One of the most common defensive penalties is pass interference. This means the defensive player prevented the offensive player from catching the football.

Players need to be able to lineup properly not to get flagged; this means they need to line up on their side of the football and not go past the line of scrimmage.

Learn more about offsides, neutral zone infractions, and encroachment here.

The defense cannot hold a wide receiver or running back without the football like the offense. Facemasks can also not be grabbed, as safety is the primary concern in football.

Positions In Football

There are many positions in football. All of these positions have specific roles and responsibilities.

Some players can run and catch the football; others are not. It’s important to know what each player does, such as the quarterback, to help you better understand how the game is played.

We’ve made a complete guide on positions on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. View the positions guide here.

Free Coaching Kit

Get 3 free templates to help you build an organized and structured team. The 3 templates include:

Keep Learning

Below are articles to help you learn more about the rules of football.

American football rules can be complicated when you try to learn them all at once. We recommend you go through (again) each part of this blog and piece together the game for yourself.

We have some great resources available to help you learn at an accelerated rate.

Our learning center is packed with techniques, schemes, and more!

If you’re looking for more in-depth breakdowns & coaching resources, visit our coaching resource page here.

The Only Football Guide You’ll Need

Instantly improve your football IQ by taking our Football Handbook course. This course will help you identify coverages, plays, rules & more!