When a flag is thrown in football, it can be good or bad depending on which team you’re rooting for, but it can also be confusing to wonder why it happened. I still don’t recognize all the penalties that happen in a game. Just the other week, I was so confused why a flag kept getting thrown for a forward pass. Isn’t that what the quarterback is supposed to do?? Apparently, it’s a penalty if they throw it forward after crossing the line of scrimmage. There is something new to learn every day. I want to go over a few common penalties, with examples, so we can all be more knowledgeable about the game.
False start
I personally think that false starts are the most common type of football penalty we see. A false start is when a player on the offensive team makes an illegal move before the ball is snapped. This one confused me because I see players move around, but they’re only allowed to make specific movements before the ball is snapped. A very good indicator of a false start would be if you see a player on the offense jump forward. A false start is a 5-yard penalty, and they replay the down.
Offsides
An offside penalty is very similar to a false start except it is usually committed by the defense. It is when a defensive player goes over the line of scrimmage before the ball gets snapped. This results in a 5-yard penalty and a replay of the down. Fun fact about offsides, the offense can typically keep playing and often sees this as a “free play.”
Here is a video from NFL network that shows and explains pre-snap football fouls, including false starts and offsides.
Source: NFL Network – Pre-Snap Fouls – NFL Football Operations
Holding
Holding is another common penalty. It is when a player is illegally restricting another from moving freely. There is a big difference between blocking and grabbing someone’s jersey or arm so they can’t move. We can see this happen pretty much anywhere on the field, whether that be with the offense or defense. Interestingly enough, the penalty differs depending on which team it is called on. An offensive holding is usually a 10-yard penalty and a replay of the down, while a defensive holding is a 5-yard penalty and gives the offense an automatic first down.
This video clearly explains defensive holding and shows an example.
Source: NFL Network – Defensive Holding – NFL Football Operations
Pass Interference
A pass interference call is probably one of the most debated penalties out there. This is when a ball is being thrown to a player, and the defender makes it nearly impossible to catch the ball. This can be by holding, grabbing their arms, tackling the player too early, etc. These calls can be very debatable, and sometimes it just comes down to the referee’s judgment. In the NFL, a pass interference penalty results in the offense moving to the spot of the foul and an automatic first down. This is one of the costliest penalties a team can get.
This is an example of defensive pass interference and it also gives more insite the penalty.
Source: NFL Network – Defensive Pass Interference – NFL Football Operations
I hope these examples and explanations help you understand more about why a flag is thrown on the field the next time you are watching football. I encourage you to watch and practice to see if you can call a penalty before the referee throws the flag!
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