NFL in-game penalties
Penalty is a sanction assessed against a team for a violation of the rules, called a foul. Officials initially signal penalties by tossing a bright yellow colored penalty flag onto the field toward or at the spot of a foul.
Many penalties result in moving the football toward the offending team's end zone, usually in 5 yard increments. Penalties may go as high as 25 yards depending on the penalty. Most penalties against the defensive team also result in the offense receiving an automatic first down, while a few penalties against the offensive team cause them to automatically lose a down.
In the NFL, most defensive penalties result in an automatic first down: the offense is given a first down regardless of how many yards they have moved since their last first down, including the penalty. The exceptions are offside, encroachment, neutral zone infraction, delay of game, illegal substitution, calling excess timeouts, running into a kicker, and having more than 11 men on the field.
Blocking below the waist
An illegal block, from any direction, below the waist by any defensive player or by an offensive player.
Block in the back
A blocker contacting a non-ballcarrying member of the opposing team from behind and above the waist.
Chop block
An offensive player tries to cut block a defensive player that is already being blocked by another offensive player.
Clipping
A blocker contacting a non-ballcarrying opponent from behind and at or below the waist.
Delay of game
Any action which delays the next play (failing to snap the ball before the play clock reaches zero, defensive player hinders the offense in hurrying to make the next snap, the return team runs after signaling for a fair catch).
Encroachment
Before the snap, a defensive player illegally crosses the line of scrimmage and makes contact with an opponent or has a clear path to the quarterback.
Equipment violation
Any player in the game without necessary safety equipment (mouthpiece, pads) or without chin straps properly fastened.
Face mask
Grasping the face mask of another player while attempting to block or tackle him.
False start
An offensive player illegally moves after lining up for—but prior to—the snap. Since the ball is dead, the down does not begin.
Helmet to helmet collision
The act of banging one's helmet into the helmet of another player. Possible ejection if ruled to be flagrant.
Helping the runner
When a member of the offensive or receiving team pushes, pulls, grasps or lifts a person in possession of the ball. The penalty is extremely rare, having last been called at the NFL level in 1991.
Holding
Illegally grasping or pulling an opponent other than the ball carrier while attempting to ward off a block or cover a receiver.
Horse-collar tackle
Illegally tackling another player by grabbing the inside of the ball carrier's shoulder pads or jersey from behind and yanking the player down.
Illegal batting
Any intentional batting of a loose ball or ball in player possession.
Illegal contact
Making significant contact with a receiver after the receiver has advanced five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. The illegal contact is called only if the quarterback is still in pocket and the ball is still in his hands.
Illegal fair catch signal
A receiver for a punt or kick return signals a "fair catch" by waving his hand in the air before catching the ball, and running after the catch was made.
Illegal formation
Fewer than seven players line up on the line of scrimmage; eligible receivers fail to line up as the leftmost and rightmost players on the line; on field goal attempts if they have more than six players on the line on either side of the snapper (on defense).
Illegal forward pass
A forward pass is thrown from past the line of scrimmage. Also, a second forward pass is thrown on the same play.
Illegal hands to the face
Pushing or hitting a player in the head or helmet
Illegal kick
Any ball not kicked in accordance with the rules.
Illegal kickoff
The ball, after a kickoff, heads out of bounds between both goal lines without touching any player on either team.
Illegal motion
A player in motion is moving forward at the time of the snap.
Illegal shift
A player is not in motion but is not set before the snap; more than one player is in motion at the snap; or after more than one player was moving (shifting), all eleven players have not been motionless for one second.
Illegal touching of a forward pass
A forward pass first touches an ineligible receiver (e.g., an offensive lineman). If the ball is touched by the defenders first, any player may touch it.
Illegal touching of a free kick
The ball, after the free kick, first touches a member of the kicking team prior to travelling 10 yards. This is most often seen on an onside kick where a member of the kicking team prematurely comes in contact with the ball in an attempt to recover it.
Illegal use of hands
Illegal use of the hands against a player while attempting to ward off a block, cover a receiver, or tackle a ball carrier.
Ineligible receiver downfield
An ineligible receiver is past the line of scrimmage prior to a forward pass. Ineligible receivers must wait until the pass is thrown beyond the line of scrimmage (or touched) before moving past the line of scrimmage.
Intentional grounding
A forward pass is thrown intentionally incomplete so that the passer avoids loss of yardage or to conserve time. Not assessed if the ball is spiked. If the quarterback has moved outside of the area between his offensive tackles (the tackle box or more commonly called "the pocket"), there is no foul for grounding the ball if the quarterback throws the ball past the line of scrimmage.
Leaping
A defender at least one yard in front of the line of scrimmage running forward and leaping in an attempt to block a field goal or a point-after try lands on other players on either team. The penalty is not called if the defender was within one yard of the line of scrimmage at the time of the snap.
Leverage
A defensive player jumping or standing on a teammate or an opponent to block or attempt to block an opponent's kick.
Neutral Zone Infraction
Before the snap, a defensive player (most often a lineman) jumps into the neutral zone and "startles" an offensive player, causing him to false start.
Offside
A player is on the wrong side of the line of scrimmage (or in the neutral zone) when the ball is snapped. This foul occurs simultaneously with the snap.
Pass interference
Making intentional physical contact with an intended receiver/defender, after the ball has been thrown and before it has been touched by another player.
Personal foul
A conduct- or safety-related infraction. Includes unnecessary roughness, such as hitting a ball carrier after he is already out of bounds, "piling on" a ball carrier who is already down, or violent contact with an opponent who is away from and out of the play.
Running into the kicker
On a kicking play where the defense fails to touch ("block") the kicked ball, the defense runs into the kicker/punter. If such an act occurs but is not intentional, this foul is assessed.
Roughing the kicker
A defender, having missed an attempt to block a kick, tackles the kicker or otherwise runs into the kicker in a way that might injure the kicker or his vulnerable extended kicking leg.
Roughing the passer
A defender continues an effort to tackle or "hit" a passer after the passer has already thrown a pass. A defender is allowed to take one step after the ball is thrown.
Roughing the snapper
On a punt or field goal attempt, the long snapper is allowed to regain his balance and assume a protective position before he is contacted by the defense.
Spearing
Tackling or otherwise contacting an opponent with one's helmet.
Targeting
A defensive player tackles with the crown of his helmet, by initiating contact to the opponent's head above the player's neck, or makes helmet-to-helmet collision.
Too many players
12 or more players participate during the play, because the extra players either are not detected before the snap or enter during the play.
Tripping
A player trips another player with the lower leg.
Unsportsmanlike conduct
Any person (usually a player but occasionally a coach and very rarely one or more spectators) acts or speaks in a manner deemed to be intentionally harmful or especially objectionable by the game officials, or by rule. Unsportsmanlike conduct is a non-contact foul; if contact is involved it becomes a personal foul.
