COMMENTS ON THE 2014 FOOTBALL RULES CHANGES
GAME OFFICIALS AUTHORITY (1-1-7): Due to teams being on the field earlier than 30 minutes prior to
the game, state associations can require game officials to be on the field for pre-game responsibilities more than
30 minutes prior to game time. This change extends the game officials authority in those states.
TARGETING DEFINITION AND FOUL ADDED (2-20-2 NEW; 9-4-3m NEW): Continuing with the
focus on risk minimization, the committee determined that taking aim at an opponent with the helmet, forearm,
hand, fist, elbow or shoulder, to initiate contact above the shoulders with an intent that goes beyond making a
legal tackle, a legal block or playing the ball is prohibited. Furthermore, the committee feels it is important to
separate and draw specific attention to this illegal act.
ILLEGAL KICK CLARIFIED (2-24-9): The committee clarified the intent of an illegal kick. When an
illegal kick occurs, the loose ball retains the same status that it had prior to the illegal kick.
DEFINITION OF DEFENSELESS PLAYER ADDED (2-32-16 NEW; 9-4-3i(3)): The committee added the
definition of a defenseless player in an attempt to continue concentrating on risk minimization. A defenseless
player is a player who, because of his physical position and focus of concentration, is especially vulnerable to
injury.
END-OF-PERIOD PROCEDURE CHANGED (3-3-3, 4): This rule changes the procedure of determining
when to extend a period with an untimed down. In order to extend a period with an untimed down, time must
expire during the down.
PROVISIONS TO FREE-KICK FORMATIONS ADDED (6-1-3b, c NEW): Two new provisions were
added to adjust the free kick. One provision balances the kicking team’s formation and the other limits the
maximum distance of the run-up for the kicking team.
CLARIFICATION OF CREATING A NEW FORCE (8-5-1b NEW): This rule change clarifies that a new
force is not created when a player is blocked into the ball.
ROUGHING-THE-PASSER FOULS REVISED (9-4-4): Roughing-the-passer fouls now include all illegal
personal contact fouls listed in Rule 9-4-3. These fouls against the passer now result in an automatic first down