Penalty Administration

  • Personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct fouls are always enforced regardless of the outcome of a replay review. If personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct fouls occur after an overturn ruling creates a dead ball, the fouls are enforced as dead ball fouls. PLAY: Interception and illegal block below the waist by Team B during the return. Review determined pass was incomplete. RULING: Personal foul for illegal block below the waist becomes a dead ball foul and is enforced as such.

  • Fouls that carry five-yard and 10-yard penalties are not enforced if the ruling is overturned and they become dead ball fouls. PLAY: Interception and hold by Team B during the return. Review determined pass was incomplete. RULING: Holding foul becomes a dead ball foul and is not enforced.

  • The spot of where a foul occurred is not reviewable. 

  • A safety created by a foul is not reviewable. An exception is the location of the ball in relation to the goal line when intentional grounding is ruled on the field (Rule 12-3-2f). 

  • Penalty marking errors are not reviewable (mark off 10 yards instead of 15 yards, etc.). Use alternate official, sideline attendants or O2O to communicate the error to officials.

  • Incorrect down may be corrected any time within that series of downs or before the ball is legally put in play after that series.

  • Referee's announcement. A referee's announcement allows replay to review the following plays:

    • Pass interference: “There is no foul for pass interference because the ball was tipped.” The referee will create a pass interference foul if replay determines the ball was not tipped. 

    • Forward pass or fumble: “There is no foul for intentional grounding. The ruling on the field is a fumble, recovered by the defense.” The referee may create an intentional grounding foul if the ruling of fumble is overturned to an incomplete pass. 

    • Tipping of a scrimmage kick: “There is no foul for roughing (or running into) the kicker because the ball was tipped.” The referee may create a foul if replay determines the ball was not tipped. 

    • Ineligible receiver downfield/pass interference. “There is no foul for ineligible receiver downfield/pass interference due to the ball being touched behind the neutral zone.” The referee will create a foul for ineligible receiver downfield or pass interference if replay determines the pass was caught beyond the neutral zone.

    • Rule 12-3-8 allows replay to create fouls in certain instances when there is no call by the on-field officials.