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Football (American) Penalty Codes
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IBW
Illegal Block in the Back - Offensive player blocks an opponent from behind, above the waist. 10-yard penalty from the spot of the foul.
IT
Illegal Tackle - Tackling with a 'horse collar' grip on the inside back of the shoulder pads. 15-yard penalty from the spot of the foul.
IFJ
Ineligible Receiver Downfield - An ineligible player is beyond the line of scrimmage during a forward pass play. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
FM
Face Mask - Player grabs an opponent's face mask or helmet opening. 15-yard penalty for a personal foul face mask, which is an automatic first down.
LNZ
Neutral Zone Infraction - A defensive player crosses the line of scrimmage prior to the snap, causing the offensive player to react. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
PI
Pass Interference - Player interferes with eligible receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. Offense: 10-yard penalty. Defense: spot foul and automatic first down.
LG
Leg Whip - Offensive or defensive player uses a whipping motion with his leg to trip or hit an opponent. 15-yard penalty from the previous spot.
HLD
Holding - Offense/Defense. 10-yard penalty from the previous spot (offense), or 5 yards and an automatic first down (defense).
IH
Illegal Hands to the Face - Player uses hands to strike, push, or obstruct an opponent's face. 10-yard penalty from the previous spot (offense) or 5 yards and automatic first down (defense).
IP
Intentional Grounding - Quarterback throws the ball away to avoid a sack without a realistic chance of a complete pass. Loss of down and 10-yard penalty from the spot of the foul, or at the spot of the pass if further back.
CLIPPING
Clipping - Offensive player blocks a defender from behind, below the waist. 15-yard penalty from the spot of the foul.
ILF
Illegal Formation - Offense has fewer than 7 players on the line of scrimmage at the snap. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
RTP
Roughing the Passer - Defense hits the quarterback after a pass has been thrown. 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
IC
Illegal Contact - Defense makes impermissible contact with an eligible receiver beyond five yards from the line of scrimmage. 5-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
UNR
Unnecessary Roughness - Player commits excessively violent contact against an opponent. 15-yard penalty and could result in an automatic first down depending on the foul.
OH
Offensive Holding - Offensive player restricts a defender's movement illegally. 10-yard penalty from the previous spot.
HO
Horse Collar Tackle - Defensive player tackles another player by grabbing the inside back collar of the shoulder pads or jersey. 15-yard penalty from the spot of the foul.
RPS
Running into the Punter - Less severe contact with the punter without affecting the motion. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
DH
Defensive Holding - Defense holds a player who is not in possession of the ball. 5-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
UNS
Unsportsmanlike Conduct - Any act contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship. 15-yard penalty from the previous spot or the end of the run, depending on the foul.
DK
Delay of Game - Offense fails to snap the ball before the play clock runs out. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
TT
Tripping - Player uses his leg or foot to cause an opponent to fall. 10-yard penalty from the previous spot.
LOW
Low Block - Offensive player blocks a defender below the waist from the front or side. Outside of the tackle box, this is illegal. 15-yard penalty from the previous spot.
HLMT
Using Helmet as a Weapon - A player uses any part of his helmet to butt, ram, or spear an opponent. 15-yard personal foul.
RPK
Roughing the Kicker - Defense interferes with the kicker's motion during or after a kick. 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down.
CHOP
Chop Block - An offensive player blocks a defender low while another offensive player is engaging the defender high. 15-yard penalty from the previous spot.
Leverage
Leverage - A player jumps or stands on a teammate to gain extra height on a field goal or extra point. 15-yard Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty.
DOF
Defensive Offside - Defensive player is offside at the snap of the ball. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
FLS
False Start - Offensive player moves illegally after lining up but before the ball is snapped. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
INA
Illegal Shift/Motion - Illegal movement by offensive players before the snap. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
OPI
Offensive Pass Interference - Offensive player hinders the defensive player's opportunity to intercept the ball. Loss of 10 yards.
SS
Sideline Infraction - Non-players (e.g., coaches, staff) on the team's sideline enter the playing field during the ball being live. 15-yard Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty.
IREC
Illegal Receiver - A player not eligible partakes in the catch or the action after the play. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
OFF
Offside - Defense jumps the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
IB
Illegal Bat - A player intentionally hits a loose ball with the hand or arm. Penalty is 10 yards from previous spot, or from spot of the foul if possession was lost.
12M
12 Men on the Field - More than 11 players of a team are on the field during the snap. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
KP
Kickoff Out of Bounds - The ball goes out of bounds without being touched after a kickoff. The receiving team gets the ball at the 40-yard line, or 25 yards from the spot of the kick.
FST
Neutral Zone Infraction - Defensive player enters the neutral zone causing an offensive player to false start. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
PF
Personal Foul - A player commits a non-sportsmanlike act against an opponent, such as face masking or illegal use of the hands. 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down if committed by the defense.
DST
Encroachment - Defense illegally contacts the offense or crosses the line of scrimmage before the snap. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot.
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