Penalties · flags, holding and interference
Penalties in American football: flags, holding, offside and pass interference
A practical guide to penalty flags, common pre-snap fouls, holding, pass interference and the main differences between NFL and NCAA enforcement.
What a penalty flag means
A yellow flag means an official has observed a possible foul. Officials may confer and pick up the flag if no foul is confirmed; otherwise the referee announces the foul and enforcement. Some fouls are dead-ball fouls before the snap, while others are enforced after a live-ball play.
False start, offside and holding
False start and offside are among the most common pre-snap fouls. In the NFL, both normally carry five yards, while offensive holding normally carries 10 yards. NCAA football uses the same core concepts, although enforcement details and exceptions can differ.
Pass interference and personal fouls
Pass interference is illegal contact that significantly hinders an eligible opponent’s opportunity to catch a forward pass. In the NFL, defensive pass interference normally gives a first down at the spot of the foul; NCAA enforcement is different and long defensive pass interference is capped at 15 yards from the previous spot. Personal fouls can also carry major yardage and possible disqualification.
Accepted, declined and offsetting penalties
Many penalties may be accepted or declined by the non-offending team. Fouls by both teams can offset, and some penalties include an automatic first down or loss of down. Because NFL and NCAA enforcement is not identical, the competition-specific rule should decide the final result.