GRIDIRON FOOTBALL LEAGUE 

MIDWEST

Playing Field:

• A grass or acceptable playing surface.
• A lined field of 100 yd long X 53 yd wide, with 10 yd end zones.
• Goal posts. If no goalposts, both teams have to agree to use field.
• Bathrooms or port-a-potties
• Optional: Stands for fans.
• Lined out fields every 5 yards.
• 1^st Down Chains with Chain Crew.

• Any rules not specified herein will be enforced per current Official NFL Rules.
• Game consists of no Kick-offs.
• Each half, teams start play from the 30-yard line with a 1^st down.
• 10 yards are needed for 1^st downs, and each team gets 4 downs to achieve a 1^st down.
• At the 45-minute mark a 10-minute halftime will take place, teams will change direction on the field and the team who started the game on defense now has the ball offensively.
• On 4^th down, teams may continue play to attain a 1^st down if chosen or give up the ball to the opposing team.  If the offense agrees to give up the ball on any down (routinely 4^th down), then 30 yards will be marked off from the last down the offense had the ball. The defending team will now take the ball on 1^st down as the offensive team going the opposite way. If the ball is within the 30 yard line to the goal, and the offense gives up the ball, then it is placed on the 5 yard line. 1^st down going the other way.

OFFENSE:

•  Each team will have 8 players max. for Offense or Defense. Players can play both Offense and Defense, and can be substituted freely.
• The Offense must have Four (4) players on the Line-of-Scrimmage for each play. There must be a Center over the ball, and a Tackle and Tight end or another (Tackle) on each side of the Center. The 4^th player can be used as a WR or additional TE, but must be on the line of scrimmage. The 4^th player (WR/TE) covers up the Tackle and makes him ineligible. To make the TE on the other side eligible, the WR must be off the line of Scrimmage.
• Unlike the NFL rules, there could be 2 wide receivers on a single side that are both lined up on the line of scrimmage that are eligible as long as they are split out from the interior line. 
• See below for the examples of a formation:                      

                                  WR            WR                 T         C         T (TE)

• The QB can run on any play, and he must be out of the pocket to throw the ball away.
• Blocking may not be below the the thigh pads of the defense player (No Cut Block=15 yd unsportsmanlike penalty).
• Teams may attempt extra points and field goals; on attempts the defense may only rush 4 players thru the offensive line box (unbroken interior line). The extra point attempt, if blocked, is a dead ball. For field goal attempts: If the ball is touched behind the LOS, the ball is live and may be recovered and advanced by either side. If the ball is in the field of play beyond the LOS, only the defense may recover and advance the ball, unless legally touched by a defensive player.  Field goal attempt recoveries are per NFL Rules.
• Following a safety the defense will receive the ball on their own 40 yard to begin their offensive series

DEFENSE:

• The Defense may rush as many players as desired on a pass or run attempt by the offense. However, the defensive players must rush through the offensive box which is the outside shoulder of the unbroken offensive line to the other outside shoulder of the offensive line. If there is an open gap (day light visable) between end of the offensive line and the defensive rusher, a 5-yard illegal procedure penalty will result.  
• The outside player must rush from within the box (defined as tackle to tackle or tackle to tightend outside shoulder).  In other words, a Defensive end must initiate contact through the outside shoulder if he is rushing to the outside.  If the Defensive end rushes inside and a linebacker is blitzing, then the linebacker must blitz within the original box.  This could mean no contact for the linebacker if the tackle blocks inside.   
• The prohibition on rushing through the box is negated only when any of these conditions occur:

          -  Ball is fumbled. Any defensive player may rush to recover the ball.

          -  The QB initiates a run action by either: lowering the ball and rushing forward, attempting to hand off the ball (successful or not; i.e. a fake), or by leaving the pocket (i.e. exiting the tackle to tackle box).

          -  Note: This means the inside-the-box rush is for a drop back pass stance as long as the QB motion is lateral only within the pocket/box

TACKLING:

• No leading with the Crown of Helmet on either Offense or Defense, if so, a 15 yd penalty results.
• Tackle Zone- From the yoke of the jersey down to the feet. Any tackle below the thigh pads is an acceptable only when the tackler has his arms wrapped around the ball carrier or makes an attempt to.  Note: Diving at the knees/feet of the ball carrier without extending the arms is NOT acceptable.  A Tackle made in the body of a ball carrier by running through the carrier or by shoulder block push/tackle IS acceptable within the rules of sportsmanship (i.e. unnecessary use of force or intent to injure are penalties).

          -  Example: Meeting a ball carrier shoulder to shoulder for the stop/tackle is acceptable.

          -  Exception: If the ball carrier leaves the ground in an attempt to hurdle the tackler, discretion should be used as to whether the leg contact by the tackler was initiated by the ball carrier, in which case it is NOT a penalty. However, if the ball carrier is a receiver in the air to catch a pass the tackler may NOT run through the legs of the receiver for the tackle without attempting to wrap with the arms.

• 6 pts for a touchdown.
• 3 pts for field goals, and if missed then 1^st down for opposing team at spot of the attempted kick (spot of the holder).
• 1 pts for X-point kick from the 2.5-yard line (see kick rule).
• 1 pt for run or pass from the 2.5-yard line.
• 2 pts for run or pass from the 5-yard line.

Sportsmanship:

• Intent to injure (15 yd penalty, ejection and $50.00 fine to league). If the intent to injure is a pre-planned act prior to game time or during game time, then the player is ejected from the league, the team owner is fined $100.00, and both player and owner are subject to legal action if intent to injure to the player has serious injuries.
• Fighting (15 yd penalty, ejection and $50.00 fine to league). Any confrontation that is controlled within reason the player will not be ejected or fined but still may result in an unsportsmanlike penalty. The player will be warned and second offense controlled or not will result in an ejection and fine. Using helmet or any other object as a weapon results in a penalty and fine.   
• 2^nd violation to above, results in ejection from league.
• Only captains or coaches are aloud to talk to the refs during game time otherwise an unsportsmanlike penalty can be called with discretion of ref. 

Game Timing:

• Games are 90 minutes long with 10-minute halftimes.
• Each team has 2 one-minute time outs per half. Time outs during last 2 minutes of the 1^st half and 2^nd half of the game will stop the clock.
• During the second half of the game, with 2 minutes or less remaining, clock management by running out of bounds or incomplete pass will stop the clock. 
• Game starts on Stroke of the Hour. For example: 7:00 pm start, and 8:40pm end. Ref will flip a coin for who starts with the ball first at 10 minutes to game start.  Away team has the option to call it. 
• Refs will conduct time on field, and will instruct teams 10 minutes before start of game. Teams can adjust their watches to Refs time on field or if a scoreboard is present then the refs must coordinate with the time keeper with the official time.  
• Team must have minimum of 8 players at start of game to play game. $75.00 will be paid by team short of players to an opposing team.
• 10 minutes past the hour, if team has not increased in players to mandatory limit, an additional $75.00 will be paid to the GFL and a shorten 45 minute game will be played with an additional 21 points given to opposing team. (We must cover the cost of the refs and field for the opposing team more so then the league)
• No Show Team. $100.00 to opposing team and $100.00 to 8FL from the No Show team. If time permits game will be rescheduled later. If forfeit, the show up team receives 21 points. If there is a field cost, the No-Show Team must cover full cost of the field rental.

TEAMS:

• Rosters are 40 players max. per team
• Initial roster must be turned in before 1^st game of the season. The additions and subtractions of players to rosters must be added the GFL Web Site to be official the Wednesday before the game starts. After the initial roster is posted, teams may only add up to 2 players per week as long as they also remove a player from the roster (i.e. you may replace players in the first 6 weeks but may not continually add players). Rosters becomes locked right before the 7th game of the regular season.
• A roster check can be made at anytime. Refs will check against team’s roster before or after games if there is question, and a player must show some type of picture id to verify who they are against the roster. If before the game, the player is not allowed to play. If caught after the game, the game will be reviewed by the league for violation (violation consists of a forfeit by 21 points).
• Players whom signed contacts may not jump to another GFL team without a release from the team whom they initially signed with.

Player Equipment/Uniforms:

Overtime:

• If a game ends in a tie, an overtime period will be played.
• A coin toss will occur; winner gets to determine if they want the ball first.
• Each team gets the ball at the 10 yard line for 4 plays, and may score on as many times possible in 4 downs without a 1^st down. For example, if a team scores on the 1^st down, it is 1 point for that team and the ball returns to the 10 yard line for the 2^nd down. If on 2^nd down they move the ball 5 yards, then it is 3^rd down at the 5 yard line. If they score on 3^rd down, then ball is placed on the 10 yard line for 4^th down. After the 4^th down is completed, the opposing team then gets their 4 downs.
• If the overtime ends in a tie, then the game is counted as a tie. If it’s a playoff game, then the tied teams will both receive 4 more downs till the tie is broken.
• No extra points after each score.