Early in my officiating career, I heard a veteran official describe an aggressive player who was on the edge of earning an unsportsmanlike conduct flag. He said he sent the player off and told the head coach the player had “a head injury.”
Multiple rules authorize an official to direct a player to leave the field:
Required player equipment is missing or worn improperly and is not directly attributable to a foul by an opponent, or a player is wearing otherwise legal equipment in an illegal manner (1-5-5, 3-5-10e)
A player is injured; is exhibiting signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion; or is bleeding (3-5-10a through 3-5-10c)
The helmet comes completely off during the down or subsequent dead-ball action related to the down without being directly attributable to a foul by an opponent (3-5-10d)
The player wears insignia which engenders ill will (9-5-1a PENALTY). The player can re-enter as soon as he removes the insignia.
The player is guilty of a flagrant unsportsmanlike foul (9-5-1,2)
The player is guilty of a second unsportsmanlike foul (9-5-1,2 PENALTY)
The player is guilty of a flagrant personal foul (9-4-1 through 9-4-8 PENALTY)
In other cases, an official can exercise preventative officiating and keep a player from entering the game if he is not authorized to do so. For example, #65 runs onto the field and his teammate also wears #65 (7-2-5c). Or #65 is replaced by a substitute and he attempts to immediately re-enter (4-7-3).
In all other cases, the officiating crew cannot dictate who is on the field. The official cannot escort the player to the sideline and tell him to take a few plays off to calm down. It is not preemptive officiating to remove a player because he’s close to earning an unsportsmanlike conduct flag.
If a player is becoming extremely agitated but has not earned an unsportsmanlike conduct flag, the wing official should notify the head coach as soon as possible and relay the officiating crew’s concern. The coach may choose to keep the player in the game. If the player then commits a personal foul or unsportsmanlike conduct foul, the coach can decide how he wants to proceed. It’s always the coach’s call…
…until it isn’t, and only when the rules book dictates the removal.
Quiz
Read the quiz stem and then choose the best answer(s). (Choose all that apply.)
A55 is replaced by A66. Before the ball is next snapped, which events would allow A55 to re-enter and legally participate?
- A penalty is accepted
- A dead-ball foul occurs
- There is a charged time-out
- The period ends
Review Rule 4-7-3