CFL Announces 2007 Rules Changes

The Canadian Football League (CFL) announced today a summary of rule changes approved by the Board of Governors, effective for the upcoming 2007 season.

After being discussed by the Rules Committee at the CFL Congress this past February, eight rule changes and a rule interpretation were approved by the Board of Governors on a teleconference call yesterday afternoon.  

The 2007 rule changes approved are aligned with the CFL’s commitment and dedication to the protection of its players and quality of its on-field product.

“Each year the CFL Rules Committee and the Board of Governors evaluates and discusses rules in an effort to continually improve the Canadian game,” said Gene Dunn, Chair of the CFL’s Board of Governors and Interim Commissioner. “The rule changes implemented this season are intended to promote the safety of our players, while at the same time ensuring our game continues to develop and prosper as an entertaining product.”

The Rules Committee is comprised of representation from each member club, a CFLPA representative, a CFL on-field official and the CFL’s Director of Officiating, George Black.

The 2007 rule changes include the following:

1. Rule 4, Section 2, Article 2 - Illegal Movement

Recommended change – adding clause:

“This shall include a “snap down” into a two or three point stance by an offensive lineman.”

This rule will penalize offensive linemen 5 yards for abrupt snap down into 2 or 3 point stance.

Rationale for change –To eliminate a tactic by offensive linemen, solely designed to draw the defence offside.

2. Rule 5, Section 4 – Kick from Scrimmage

Recommended change – add as Article 3, and renumber articles that follow:

“Kick from Scrimmage Going Out of Bounds in Flight”

On a kick from scrimmage going out of bounds in flight between the 20-yard lines, the receiving team will have the option of taking possession at the point the ball went out of bounds in flight, or having a 10-yard penalty applied against the kicking team at the point of the last scrimmage, with the down repeated.

Rationale for change – Forces kicking team on punts and field goal attempts to land the ball in the field of play.

3. Rule 7, Section 2, Article 3 – Unnecessary Roughness

Recommended change - add sentence to (a) to read:

“Any player in possession of the ball, who falls to the ground without contact and is not attempting to advance the ball, may only be touched down and may not be contacted in any other manner.”

Rationale for change – Player Safety – Players on the ground are in an extremely vulnerable position and should be protected from excessive contact.

4. Rule 1, Section 7, Article 4 – Time in

Recommended change – add text in bold as follows:

“After a time out for any reason, time shall start again on the signal of the referee for any of the following reasons:

0.      When it is snapped after team A commits an offensive foul prior to the snap, inside their own 25 yd line.”

Rationale for change – Eliminate situation where teams deliberately take two consecutive pre-snap fouls in order to run time off the clock.

5. Rule 7, Section 2, Article 3 – Unnecessary Roughness

Recommended change – add clause to read:

“Tackling an opponent by grabbing the inside collar of the side or back of the shoulders”

Rationale for change – Player Safety - Eliminating the dangerous “horse collar” tackle.

6. Rule 7, Section 2, Article 3 (h) – Unnecessary Roughness

Recommended change - add specific wording:

“Contacting an opponent above the shoulders in an unnecessarily rough manner, including the long snapper on kicks from scrimmage, and convert attempts”

Rationale for change – Player Safety – Protection for long snappers who are in a vulnerable position when snapping the ball.

7. Rule 7, Section 2, Article 4 – Roughing the Passer

Recommended change – Re-word clause (c):

“All rushing defenders must make every attempt to avoid hitting a passer at or below the knees, either if their path to the passer was unrestricted, or if they are coming off a blocker”

Rationale for change – Player Safety – Defensive players must avoid contact at or below the passer’s knees.

8. Rule 7. Section 2, Article 4 – Roughing the Passer

Recommended change – add clause to read:

“Contacting the passer if either the initial source of contact, or primary source of contact, is the defender’s helmet”

Rationale for change – Player Safety – Defensive players may not lead with the head or use the head as the primary contact point to hit a passer. Ducking the head and launching at a passer is not acceptable.

Recommended Interpretation Changes for 2007

1. Blocking on Kick returns

The illegal blocking rule states that player can not contact an opponent from behind.

Recommended change

To interpret a player having four sides and it is only illegal to contact the player in the back.

Rationale for change - Creates more legal blocks on the side of the defensive player.