Section 8: Safety Considerations
The Flag Football Code states plainly that "the most important aspect of the rules is to avoid any significant and impactful contact," and that the first supporting principle is to make the flags an easy target so a runner cannot rely on contact to protect them. Rule 9-1-1 operationalizes this by placing responsibility to avoid contact on both runners and defenders, and by penalizing "aiming" — targeting or initiating contact with an opponent — as its own foul.
Rule 1-3-3 (Illegal Equipment) removes the sport's principal contact-injury risks by banning helmets, shoulder pads, and any headwear, along with sharp-edged knee braces or other dangerous protectors, breakable glasses or frames, and exposed jewelry. Rule 1-3-1(d) does not make mouthpieces mandatory but states their use "is strongly recommended."
Rule 10-1-1 requires disqualification for any flagrant foul — one that endangers an opponent with serious injury or violates the sport's sportsmanship principle — and separately disqualifies any player or coach who commits two unsportsmanlike acts (Rule 9-2-1) in the same game. The Flag Football Code further states that "feigning an injury for any reason is unethical," underscoring that injured players must be given full protection under the rules.