Flag football rushing rules: the rush line, blitzers and rush counts
Flag football rushing rules set where a rusher starts and how many may go. NFL FLAG, USA Football and i9 Sports use a 7-yard rush line, IFAF requires more than 7 yards, and FNL uses 10. RISE through 6th grade and Under the Lights allow no rush until a handoff or fake. Most 8v8 rule sets let any number rush.
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By Jay Fraser. Published . Updated .
What are the rushing rules in flag football?
Each rulebook sets three things: how far back a rusher starts, how many defenders may rush, and when the rest of the defense may cross the line of scrimmage.
| NFL FLAG | 5v5 | 7 yd | Up to 2, hand raised; no delayed rush. None in regular season for 8U and younger and 1st to 3rd grade | After a handoff, pitch, lateral or pass | 7 secondsnflflag |
| USA Football (USA Flag 5s and 7s) | 5v5 and 7v7 | 7 yd | Up to 2 blitzers, hand raised | After a handoff or pass | 7 secondsusafb5susafb7s |
| IFAF | 5v5 and 7v7 | More than 7 yd | Any defender more than 7 yd off; up to 2 may raise a hand for right of way | After a handoff, a fake handoff or a pass | 7 secondsifaf |
| i9 Sports | 5v5 and 7v7 | 7 yd | not specified | not specified | not specifiedi9 |
| FNL | 6v6 | 10 yd | Any number; none for a team leading by 20 or more | When the ball leaves the quarterback's hands (handoff, pitch, lateral or pass) | 7 secondsfnl |
| RISE | 6v6 (5v5 in 7th and 8th) | No rush (K to 6th); 3 yd (7th and 8th, 5v5) | None (K to 6th); 1 declared rush per possession (7th and 8th, 5v5) | After a handoff, a fake handoff or a backward pass | 5 seconds K to 2nd; 4 seconds 3rd and uprise |
| Under the Lights (rules as of 2021) | 6v6 | No rush | None | After a handoff, a fake handoff or a backward pass | 6, 4 or 3 seconds by gradeutl |
| Under the Lights 7v7 | 7v7 | No blitzing | None | not specified | 4 secondsutl7v7 |
| NFHS high school | 7v7 | See NFHS rules book | See NFHS rules book | See NFHS rules book | See NFHS rules booknfhs-book |
| iFlag 8v8 Screen Coed | 8v8 | 1 yd off the line and 1 yd outside the center | Any number | not specified | not specifiediflag |
| Sun Bowl 8v8 | 8v8 | Defensive line 1 yd off the ball; 4 yd if head up on the center | Any number | not specified | not specifiedsunbowl8v8 |
| LYFA 8-on-8 (youth) | 8v8 | Linemen at the line; others 5 yd back | Any number | not specified | not specifiedlyfa8v8 |
Sort any column to compare. The 6v6 rules and 8v8 rules pages show how the rush shapes those games, and flag football rules by league puts every other rule side by side.
What is the rush line in flag football?
The rush line is an imaginary line on the defense's side, a set distance from the line of scrimmage. A defender who wants to rush must be on or behind it when the ball is snapped.
NFL FLAG and USA Football set it 7 yards back, marked by the official or a special marker. IFAF counts any defender with every part of the body more than 7 yards off. FNL sets it at 10 yards and says the rusher's whole body must be on or behind the line.
Leaving early costs the defense. In NFL FLAG a rusher who leaves the rush line before the snap and crosses the line of scrimmage before a handoff, pitch, lateral or pass is an illegal rush: 5 yards and a first down.
How many players can rush in flag football?
Up to 2 in NFL FLAG and USA Football, any number in FNL, IFAF and most 8v8 rule sets, and none in Under the Lights 6v6 or RISE through 6th grade until the quarterback hands off or fakes.
NFL FLAG and USA Football rushers identify themselves by raising a hand before the snap, and NFL FLAG bars a delayed rush. USA Football calls them blitzers. IFAF lets any defender lined up more than 7 yards off rush; up to 2 may raise a hand as blitzers, which gives them right of way.
When can the rest of the defense cross the line?
Once the quarterback gives up the ball by handoff, pitch, lateral or pass, in most rulebooks; some also count a fake handoff. Until then, defenders who are not rushing stay on their side of the line.
The table above lists the trigger in each rulebook. RISE and Under the Lights call theirs the deception rule: a handoff, a fake handoff or a backward pass lets the defense cross. The NFL FLAG rules page walks through the rest of that rulebook's rush section.
Do young players face a rush?
Often not. NFL FLAG bars the rush in regular season league play for 8U, 7U, 6U and 1st to 3rd grade, and RISE through 6th grade and Under the Lights 6v6 allow none until a handoff or fake.
USA Football recommends dropping pass blitzers for teams still learning, so the passer gets the full 7 seconds. In NFL FLAG tournament play, 8U and older may rush from the 7-yard line at the snap. RISE 7th and 8th grade allows 1 declared rush per possession from 3 yards, and not from the 5-yard line in.
Lopsided games can end the rush too: FNL bars it for a team leading by 20 or more, and RISE 7th and 8th grade for a team ahead by 30 or more.
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Can the offense get in a rusher's way?
Not on purpose in youth rulebooks. NFL FLAG and USA Football give the rusher a clear path to the quarterback, and FNL says offensive players cannot purposely block or pick a rusher.
Adult 8v8 rule sets differ: iFlag 8v8 Screen Coed and the Sun Bowl allow screen blocking in the rusher's path behind the line.
Every play in the Flag50 playbook is built without blocking: the center always runs a route, and no player blocks.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a blitzer in flag football?
In USA Football and IFAF rules, a blitzer is a defender lined up more than 7 yards from the line of scrimmage who raises a hand before the snap, which gives a clear path to the quarterback. NFL FLAG calls the same player a rusher.
Is contact with the passer allowed when rushing in flag football?
No. USA Football allows no contact with the quarterback in any way, and NFL FLAG calls contact roughing the passer unless the official rules it incidental. Both let a rusher attempt to block a pass. FNL penalizes a defender who jumps to block a pass and lands on the passer or hits the passer's arm.
Do you have to raise your hand to rush in flag football?
In NFL FLAG and USA Football rules, yes. In IFAF rules it is optional and only gives up to 2 blitzers right of way. RISE rushers declare to the official. The FNL and 8v8 rules on this page do not mention a hand signal.
Sources
- NFL FLAG Official Playing Rules (PDF), cover revised 03.24.2025, linked as the 2026 Rulebook on nflflag.com. Checked .
- USA Football, USA Flag 5s Rulebook (PDF), v2026.2. Checked .
- USA Football, USA Flag 7s Rulebook (PDF), v2026.2. Checked .
- IFAF, International Flag Football Rules 2023 (PDF), 2023 edition, in effect from May 1, 2023; the current flag edition on the IFAF rules page. Checked .
- i9 Sports, Flag Football Basic Rules, January 27, 2022; the full i9 Sports rulebook requires an account login. Checked .
- Friday Night Lights (FNL) Official Rules (PDF), updated 7/2/2026. Checked .
- RISE Flag Football, Youth Flag Rules (PDF), 2025 file; no date printed in the document. Checked .
- Under the Lights, Rules of the Game, 6v6 (PDF), updated 4-01-21, the newest Under the Lights flag rules we could open. Checked .
- Under the Lights, 7v7 Official Rules and Game Policies (PDF), updated 3-20-2026. Checked .
- NFHS, 2026-27 Flag Football Rules Book (NFHS store listing), 2026-27; sold by the NFHS, not posted free. Checked .
- iFlag (formerly USA Flag), flag football rules, including the adult 8v8 Screen Coed and 8v8 Contact rules, rulebook for the 2023/2024 tournament season with revisions through Rev D, 10/25/25. Checked .
- Sun Bowl Flag Football Tournament, 8 v 8 Rules (PDF), 2024 tournament rules, based on SWFFL league rules. Checked .
- LYFA, Ultimate Flag Football 8-on-8 Flag, Official 2025 Rules (PDF), board approved and amended February 28, 2025. Checked .