Outside of tackling, traditional (tackle) football and flag football are pretty much the same thing, right?

WRONG!!!

Undeniably the biggest fallacy that rookie flag players with extensive backgrounds in traditional football buy into is the notion that transitioning from tackle to flag is a seamless process. Once the ball is snapped for the first game of a PFFL season, preconceived notions get debunked almost immediately.

So if you are a novice flag football player signing up for your first season, then you should pay close attention to the top five differences between tackle football and flag football.

1.  Pitching

In tackle football a player can pitch a football to a teammate behind the line of scrimmage to a teammate to set up a big play. In flag football pitching the ball behind the line of scrimmage is illegal; however, a player can pitch the ball across the line of scrimmage for a play that is commonly known as a shuffle pass.

2.  Stiff-arming

In tackle football a runner can use his non-ball carrying arm to ward off defenders by  stiff-arming them. Since flag football is a non-contact sport stiff-arming, an offense known as “flag-guarding” in our sport, is illegal. Basically, a runner is not able to use his any part of his body or the football itself to prevent an opposing player from grabbing the runner’s flag.

3.  Press Coverage

In tackle football defensive backs are allowed to play press coverage against wide receivers within the first five yards of the play. Press coverage/bump ‘n’ run coverage are illegal in flag football.

4.  Fumbles

In tackle football if a player drops the football then the ball becomes “live” for any player on the field to recover. There are no such things as live balls in flag football. Once the ball hits the ground, whether it be on a bad snap or a runner just loses control of the football while trying to make a play, the ball is dead and the line of scrimmage is marked at the spot where the ball hit the ground.

5.  Jumping/Diving

In flag football a runner has the freedom to jump or dive to gain an advantage on a defender or score a touchdown. Flag football players are prohibited from jumping or diving. For example, if a runner breaks off a big run and is heading for the end zone, stops and decides to showboat by diving into the end zone, then the touchdown will be negated.