Arena Football League

The field: An indoor padded surface 85 feet (26 m) wide and 50 yards (46 m) long with 8-yard (7.3 m) end zones. Goal posts are 9 feet (2.7 m) wide with a crossbar height of 15 feet (4.6 m) ( goalposts are 18.5 feet (5.6 m) wide with the crossbar at 10 feet (3.0 m)). The goalside rebound nets are 30 feet (9.1 m) wide by 32 feet (9.8 m) high. Any ball bouncing off of the nets, whether thrown or kicked, prior to contacting the ground, is live, as are balls off of the nets' supporting systems. The bottom of the nets are 8 feet (2.4 m) above the ground. Sideline barriers are 4 feet (1.2 m) high and made of high density foam rubber.^[103]

NFL

Equipment: the official football is the same size and weight as a , but with proprietary Arena Football insignia.

National Football League ball

Players and formations: eight players on the field; 21-man active roster; four-man inactive roster

Substitutions: free substitution; some players may play both ways either by coach's choice or to step in because of injury. (The rule was adopted in 2007; prior to this, the AFL mandated a one-platoon system, from which two players on each side of the ball, the "specialists" and the quarterback or kicker, were exempt.)

free substitution

Formation: four offensive players, including a wide receiver, must line up on the line of scrimmage. Of the three interior linemen, one must raise his hand indicating that he is an eligible receiver and hence a , the other lineman being considered a guard. Three defensive players must be down linemen (in a three or four-point stance). Only the "Mac" linebacker may blitz on either side of the center. The "Jack" linebacker is restricted in where he can go prior to the ball crossing the line of scrimmage. Alignment is two or more yards off the line of scrimmage. No stunting or twisting. Offensive motion in the backfield: one receiver may go in a forward motion before the snap.

tight end

Timing: four 15 minute quarters with a 15-minute halftime (in the ArenaBowl, 30 minutes). The clock stops for out-of-bounds plays and incomplete passes only in the last half-minute of regulation and overtime and when the referee deems it necessary for penalties, injuries or timeouts. Except in the last half-minute of regulation, the clock continues to run after a touchdown is scored until the extra-point conversion has been attempted. Each team is allowed three timeouts per half, and two per overtime period if regulation ends tied; as in the NFL, any injury in last half-minute of regulation or overtime costs that player's team a timeout (exception applies to when team has no timeouts, and their player is injured, they're allowed a 4th timeout). Before 2018, the league had clock stoppage rules for the final minute of each half that now are only implemented in the final half-minute of regulation and overtime. Also, prior to 2018 a team with the lead and possession of the ball in the last minute had to gain positive yards on a play from scrimmage or the clock was stopped until the next snap, effectively outlawing the "victory formation". The play clock is 30 seconds.

[98]

Movement of the ball and scoring: four downs are allowed to advance the ball ten yards for a first down, or to score. Six points for a touchdown. One point for a conversion by place kick after a touchdown or if a is scored off any conversion attempt, two points for a conversion by drop kick or for successful run or pass after a touchdown. Three points for a field goal by placement or fair catch kick or four points for a field goal by drop kick. Two points for a safety and for a defensive turnover on a conversion attempt returned the length of the field (a play which would be a defensive touchdown under any circumstances other than its occurring during a conversion attempt).

safety

Kicking: kickoffs are from the goal line, to begin the halves and odd overtimes, or after any score. Kickers may use a one-inch tee. All kicks must be made by either or drop kick; punting is prohibited. The receiving team may field any kick that rebounds off the net or its surrounding framework and lands in the field of play. Any kickoff that goes out of bounds untouched or hits an overhead structure is to be placed at the 20-yard line or the place where it went out of bounds, whichever is more advantageous to the receiving team. If a kickoff goes beyond the end zone and stays in bounds (such as kicking it into the field goal "slack net" or if the ball goes under the net), the ball will come out to the five-yard line. The touchback is not automatic; players must attempt to advance the ball out of their own end zone if it is caught there. The same is true if a missed field goal attempt goes beyond the goal line but is short of the rebound net. If the receiving player chooses not to take the ball out of the end zone (takes a knee) or is tackled in the end zone, the ball is placed on the 2½-yard line (the attempted runback does not result in a safety unless the runner crosses the goal line onto the field of play and then retreats into the end zone under his own impetus and is tackled there). Any field goal or extra point attempted by drop kick is worth one additional point (thus four points for a drop-kicked field goal or two for drop-kicked conversion).

place kick

Passing: passing rules in arena football are the same as outdoor in which receivers must have one foot inbounds. A unique exception involves the rebound nets. A forward pass that rebounds off the end zone net is a live ball and is in play until it touches the playing surface, as is a ball which bounces off of the padding of the sideline boards, provided it has not been touched by a member of the crowd. A player who goes over the boards to catch a ball and maintains possession of the ball to the floor is awarded a catch even if he lands out of bounds.

NCAA football

Overtime: overtime periods are now 15 minutes during the regular season and the playoffs. In the first overtime each team gets one possession to score, unless the first team to possess yields a defensive touchdown or a safety, either of which ends the game immediately. Whoever is ahead after one possession for each team wins. If the teams are tied after each has had a possession, whoever scores next by any means wins. Multiple overtime periods will be played if needed in case of a tie and play continues in true thereafter for both regular-season and postseason games.

sudden death

Coaching challenges: Coaches are allowed two challenges per game; to do so, they must throw the red challenge flag before the next play. If the play stands as called after the play is reviewed, the team loses a timeout; however, if it is reversed they keep their timeout. If a team wins two straight challenges they are granted a third. In lieu of coaching challenges, reviews are automatic in the final half-minute of regulation and in all overtime periods, as they are for all scoring plays and all turnovers.

Offsides: Defensive players may not jump offsides twice in any half; they risk ejection for the rest of the half if they do (this penalty is enforced in addition to the yardage penalty). Defensive players called for jumping offsides in overtime risk disqualification.

Targeting, such as using the helmet to ram another player is prohibited, and players who do so risk immediate disqualification, plus a 15-yard penalty.

Like the NCAA, CFL, and NFL, players are warned once for their first unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and if they pick up another, they risk immediate disqualification. Flagrant fouls involving non-football violent acts or flagrantly unsportsmanlike conduct result in immediate disqualification.

quarterback, Iowa Barnstormers, 1995–97, inducted in the Class of 2017

Kurt Warner

owner, Colorado Crush, 2003–08, inducted in the Class of 2019 (Bowlen's business partner in the Crush, John Elway, was inducted into the Hall as a player in 2004)

Pat Bowlen

offensive lineman/defensive lineman, Charlotte Rage, 1992, inducted in the Class of 2003 (note that DeLamielleure's time in the AFL was largely a publicity stunt and that DeLamielleure saw only limited action in two games)

Joe DeLamielleure

 – 1987–1992

Jim Foster

 – 1992–1993

Joe O'Hara

 – 1994–1996

Jim Drucker

 – 1997–2008

C. David Baker

(interim)^[126] – 2008–2009^[127]

Ed Policy

 – 2010–2015

Jerry Kurz

 – 2015–2017

Scott Butera

 – 2018–2019^[69]

Randall Boe

 – 2023–present

Lee A. Hutton

(1987–2009, 2012–2014)

Chicago

(2009–2011)

Tulsa

(2015–2017)

Las Vegas

(2018–2019)

Philadelphia

(2023–present)

Phoenix

Arena Football Hall of Fame

List of leagues of American football

List of Arena Football League seasons

Arena Football League arenas

NFL Europe

Professional sports leagues in the United States

Official website

ArenaFan Online

Arena Football League at OurSports Central