NFL Rules for Beginners: Simple Guide from Easiest to Hardest

Football looks crazy complicated.

All those players. The constant stopping. The weird names for things.

I get it. Everyone feels lost at first.

But here’s the truth: NFL rules for beginners aren’t that hard. You just need someone to explain them in plain English. No fancy terms. No confusing jargon.

This guide ranks the rules of football for beginners from easiest to hardest. Start at the top. Work your way down. Each rule builds on the last one.

Some people grab an NFL rules for beginners PDF and try to memorize everything at once. That’s backwards. Learn the easy stuff first. The hard stuff makes more sense later.

Contents

1 NFL Rules for Beginners

NFL Rules for Beginners

Let’s start with the simplest rule: the field itself.

Rule #1: The Field (Easiest to Understand)

The field is just a big rectangle with lines on it.

That’s it.

Field Layout Table

Part	Size	What It Does
Length	100 yards	Main playing area
Width	53.3 yards	Sideline to sideline
End Zones	10 yards each	Where points happen
Goal Posts	18.5 feet wide	For kicking
Yard Lines	Every 5 yards	Track progress

The white lines:

They’re numbered. Start at 0, go to 50, then back to 0. The 50-yard line sits in the middle.

End zones:

The painted areas are at each end. Get the ball there, and you score.

Goal posts:

The big yellow posts. Kick the ball through them for points.

Did you know? The field is exactly 1.32 acres in total size, including the end zones.

Rule #2: The Players (Still Pretty Easy)

Each team puts 11 players on the field. Always 11. Never more. Nevertheless.

One team has the ball (offense). The other team tries to stop them (defense).

Basics of Football Positions

Here’s your quick guide to the basics of football positions:

Offense (has the ball):

Position	How Many	What They Do
Quarterback	1	Throws the ball
Running Back	1-2	Runs with the ball
Wide Receiver	2-4	Catches passes
Tight End	1-2	Blocks and catches
Offensive Line	5	Protects everyone

Defense (stops the ball):

Position	How Many	What They Do
Defensive Line	3-4	Rushes the QB
Linebacker	3-4	Tackles runners
Cornerback	2	Covers receivers
Safety	2	Defends deep passes

You don’t need to memorize every position. Just know that 11 guys try to score and 11 guys try to stop them.

Did you know? NFL rosters have 53 total players, but only 46 can dress for each game.

Rule #3: The Run Play (Getting Simple)

Running is the most basic way to move the ball.

How it works:

Quarterback gets the ball. Hands it to a running back. Running back runs forward until someone tackles him.

That’s a run play.

When teams run:

Need just a few yards
Want to control the clock
Weather is bad
Already winning

Average run: About 4 yards.

Good run: 7-10 yards.

Great run: 15+ yards.

Running is safe. You can’t throw an interception when running. The ball rarely gets fumbled.

Did you know? The average NFL team runs the ball about 27 times per game.

Rule #4: The Pass Play (Little Harder)

Passing is riskier but gets you more yards faster.

How it works:

QB drops back. Receivers run routes. QB throws the ball. Receiver tries to catch it.

Three things can happen:

Receiver catches it (complete pass)
Ball hits the ground (incomplete pass)
Defender catches it (interception – bad!)

When teams pass:

Need lots of yards
Playing from behind
Third down situations
Two-minute drill

Average pass: About 7 yards.

Good pass: 12-15 yards.

Great pass: 25+ yards.

Did you know? Top QBs complete about 65-68% of their passes.

Rule #5: The Downs System (This Gets Tricky)

Here’s where NFL rules for beginners start getting complicated.

The basic rule:

You get 4 tries (downs) to move the ball 10 yards forward.

If you succeed: Get 4 new tries from your new spot.

If you fail: Other team gets the ball.

Yardage Rules Table

Down	Typical Yardage	What Usually Happens
1st Down	10 to go	Run or safe pass
2nd Down	3-7 to go	Mix of both
3rd Down	Any	Critical conversion attempt
4th Down	Any	Punt or field goal

Example:

Your team starts at their 20-yard line. They need to reach the 30-yard line (10 yards away).

First play: Run for 3 yards. Now it’s 2nd down and 7 yards to go.

Second play: Pass for 8 yards. You made it past the 30! First down. Reset to 1st and 10.

The yellow line on TV:

That’s the first-down marker. It’s not real. Computers add it for viewers.

Did you know? NFL teams convert about 40% of third-down attempts on average.

Rule #6: Scoring (Very Important)

Points win games. Here are all the ways to score.

Complete Scoring Table

Score Type	Points	How It Happens
Touchdown	6	Ball crosses goal line into end zone
Extra Point	1	Kick after touchdown
Two-Point Try	2	Run/pass after touchdown
Field Goal	3	Kick through posts
Safety	2	Tackle in own end zone

Touchdown (6 points):

Get the ball into the end zone. Run it in. Catch it there. Doesn’t matter how. Six points.

Extra point (1 point):

After a touchdown, kick the ball through the posts. Almost automatic. Adds one point.

Two-point conversion (2 points):

Instead of kicking, try running or passing into the end zone again. Harder but worth double.

Field goal (3 points):

Kick the ball through the posts from anywhere on the field. Usually done on 4th down when you can’t score a touchdown.

Safety (2 points):

Rare. Tackle the offense in their own end zone. Defense gets 2 points AND the ball back.

Did you know? The average NFL game has a combined score of about 47 points.

Rule #7: Turnovers (Game Changers)

Turnovers flip games. They’re huge momentum swings.

Fumble:

Ball carrier drops the ball. Anyone can grab it. Whoever recovers it gets possession.

Interception:

Defender catches a pass meant for the offense. Defense becomes offense instantly. Can run it back for a touchdown.

Why turnovers matter:

Teams that win the turnover battle win about 75% of their games.

Did you know? The ball gets turned over about 2.4 times per game on average.

Rule #8: Special Teams (Kicks and Punts)

Special teams handle kicking plays.

Kickoff:

Starts the game and each half. One team kicks. The other catches and runs back.

Punt:

When you can’t make a first down on 4th down, kick it away. Gives the other team the ball farther back.

Field goal:

Try to kick it through the posts for 3 points.

Extra point:

Kick after touchdowns for 1 point.

Did you know? The longest field goal in NFL history is 66 yards by Justin Tucker.

Rule #9: NFL Clock Rules Under 2 Minutes (Advanced Stuff)

The final two minutes of each half have special clock rules.

This is where games get intense.

Clock Stops vs Clock Runs

Event	Clock Stops?	Why
Incomplete pass	Yes	Saves time
Out of bounds	Yes	Stops clock
First down	Yes (briefly)	Under 2 min only
Tackled in bounds	No	Burns time
Timeout	Yes	Teams get 3 per half
Two-minute warning	Yes	Automatic timeout

Two-minute warning:

At exactly 2:00 left in each half, the clock automatically stops. Free timeout for both teams.

Under two minutes:

Clock stops after first downs briefly. Teams use timeouts strategically. Every second matters.

When you’re winning:

Keep the ball in bounds. Let the clock run. Don’t throw incomplete passes.

When you’re losing:

Get out of bounds. Throw incomplete passes to stop the clock. Save timeouts.

Did you know? Teams score on about 35% of two-minute drill possessions.

How to Watch and Understand Football?

Now you know the rules. Here’s how to actually watch a game.

What to look for:

Down and distance (shown on screen)
Yellow first-down line (computer generated)
Score and time remaining
Which team has momentum

Follow this simple pattern:

Check what down it is
See how many yards they need
Watch if they run or pass
See if they got the first down

Don’t worry about:

Player names at first
Complex formations
Every penalty
Advanced stats

Best tip:

Watch with someone who knows football. Ask questions during commercials.

Did you know? The average NFL game lasts 3 hours 12 minutes, but actual playing time is only 11 minutes.

NFL Rules for Players

Players have rules too. Quick version:

Equipment requirements:

Must wear helmet at all times during play
Shoulder pads required
Mouthguard mandatory
Proper cleats only

Behavior rules:

No taunting opponents
No removing helmet on field
No excessive celebrations
Stay in team area when not playing

Safety rules:

Can’t hit defenseless players
Can’t lead with a helmet
No hitting below the waist on the QB
No horse-collar tackles

Penalties for breaking rules:

5 yards for minor infractions
10 yards for holding
15 yards for major penalties
Ejection for targeting or fighting

Did you know? NFL players can be fined thousands of dollars for uniform violations.

Simple Summary: You’re Ready to Watch

Football isn’t as complicated as it looks.

Here’s everything in one paragraph:

Each team gets 11 players on the field. Offense tries to move the ball 10 yards in 4 tries. If they succeed, they get 4 new tries. Keep doing this until you score a touchdown (6 points). Defense tries to stop them. Games last 60 minutes split into 4 quarters.

That’s it. Everything else is just details.

These NFL rules for beginners cover about 90% of what happens in a game. The other 10% you’ll learn by watching.

Pick a team. Watch a game this weekend. You’ll understand way more than you think.

Welcome to football. It’s way more fun when you know what’s happening.

References and Sources

Note: All sources accessed December 2024. NFL rules are subject to change annually.

Additional Resources:

NFL YouTube Official Channel – Video tutorials and highlights
NFL Fantasy Football Guide – Learn players and positions
NFL Game Pass – Watch full games to learn

Disclaimer: This article provides simplified explanations of NFL rules for beginners. For official rule interpretations and detailed regulations, always refer to the official NFL Rulebook at operations.nfl.com.