
The Targeting Rule states that players are prohibited from hitting another player with the crown of their helmet. In the NFL, which first instituted the rule back in 2008, there are some exceptions to this rule. Any incidental or inadvertent contact with an opponent's facemask or helmet is allowed.
What is the targeting rule in the NFL?
That's what the targeting rule is all about forbidding "forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent." What is the targeting rule in college football?
What is a targeting tackle in football?
"'Targeting' means that a player takes aim at an opponent for purposes of attacking with forcible contact that goes beyond making a legal tackle or a legal block or playing the ball. Some indicators of targeting include but are not limited to: Launch.
What are the indicators of targeting in sports?
Although these are not all the indicators of targeting, here are some defined by the NCAA rulebook: Launch — a player leaving his feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make forcible contact in the head or neck area
How do you judge targeting in football?
Here's the official guidance for judging targeting in the NCAA rule book: "'Targeting' means that a player takes aim at an opponent for purposes of attacking with forcible contact that goes beyond making a legal tackle or a legal block or playing the ball. Some indicators of targeting include but are not limited to:

How long are you ejected for targeting?
15 yardsIf the refs determine a player committed a targeting foul, that player is ejected from the game, and the opposing team gets 15 yards. If a player is disqualified for a targeting penalty in the first half, he's out for the rest of the game.
How long is a player out for targeting in college football?
At issue for critics is not only the subjective nature of the targeting call itself but the result. At worst, a team gets a 15-yard penalty and the offending player is ejected after the penalty is confirmed by replay. The player misses the remainder of the game if the penalty occurs in the first half.
Do college players have to leave the field after targeting?
Do college players ejected for targeting have to leave the field? When the targeting rule was first implemented in 2013, college players were required to head to the locker room after being ejected for targeting. In 2020, the NCAA amended the rule to permit players to remain in the team area.
How many games do you miss for targeting?
Those who commit a third targeting foul in a single season are suspended one game.
What is the targeting rule?
That's what the targeting rule is all about forbidding "forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent."
What is the name of the movement that a player leaves their feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust?
Launch. A player leaving their feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make forcible contact in the head or neck area.
What is the targeting rule?
That’s what the targeting rule is all about forbidding “forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent.”
What is the name of the movement that a player leaves their feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust?
Launch. A player leaving their feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make forcible contact in the head or neck area.
What does it mean to target a player?
Note 1: “Targeting” means that a player takes aim at an opponent for purposes of attacking with forcible contact that goes beyond making a legal tackle or a legal block or playing the ball. Some indicators of targeting include but are not limited to:
What is considered a targeting violation in college football?
The violations that are considered targeting in college football fall under the unnecessary roughness umbrella in the NFL. Things like a hit out of bounds or a late hit on a sliding quarterback would draw an unnecessary roughness penalty, but wouldn’t be an example of a targeting penalty that results in an ejection.
What kind of helmet-to-helmet contact is illegal?
Helmets collide on every play in football, especially on the offensive and defensive lines. Even making a tackle often results in a completely legal collision of helmets because ball carriers often lean forward or duck their head before impact.
What is the difference between a 15 yard penalty and a 15 yard penalty?
The biggest difference is that targeting in college football results in an automatic ejection and 15-yard penalty, while unnecessary roughness is just a 15-yard penalty in the NFL. In March 2017, the NFL added a provision that allowed for immediate ejections for dangerous helmet-to-helmet hits — mirroring college football’s targeting rule — ...
What is the law against hitting a defenseless player in the head or neck area?
Lowering the head before attacking by initiating forcible contact with the crown of the helmet. The gist is that hitting a defenseless player in the head or neck area is illegal.
What is the purpose of a launch in chess?
Launch — a player leaving his feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make forcible contact in the head or neck area. A crouch followed by an upward and forward thrust to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area, even though one or both feet are still on the ground.
How many yards does a helmet penalty go?
Hitting any of those players in the head or neck area with a helmet will result in a 15-yard penalty.
What is the Targeting Rule?
The Targeting Rule states that players are prohibited from hitting another player with the crown of their helmet.
Examples of Targeting
The rule explanation alone can be a little confusing, so let's take a look at some examples of plays that would lead to Targeting fouls.
Penalties for Targeting
While most youth football leagues follow what college football does (with some exceptions), penalties for Targeting are slightly different at the NFL and collegiate levels.
Conclusion
The Targeting rule is one of the most serious penalties in all of football.
