League Rules — Quick Reference

The short version. The League Constitution is the full rulebook and wins wherever the two differ — section numbers below point to it.

HFL is a realistic, social league for adults (21+), aimed at beginner-to-intermediate players.

Game settings

All-Pro · Simulation · 8-minute quarters · accelerated clock on, 18-second minimum play clock · injuries on · multi-meter kicking · offensive playcall limit 6 · passing slowdown off · progressive fatigue off · wear & tear on · superstar abilities and regression on · traits & abilities locked · trade difficulty Very Hard · salary cap never resets.

Regular-season roster moves: 4 per week (at 53/53, that's 2 acquisitions and 2 releases).

Advances and staying in touch (§2.1)

• The league advances Wednesday and Saturday at 11pm CST, unless it advanced in the previous 72 hours. After an early advance, the next one is 3 days later at 11pm CST. Playoffs and the offseason run on a 1–3 day schedule. There are never more than 4 days between advances.
• Finish every game and weekly task before the deadline, or it is simmed. User vs. CPU games must be played within 48 hours of the advance.
• Answer tags and messages within 24 hours unless you've posted time off.
• Being unresponsive for two games in a row, or playing fewer than 75% of your games in a season (preseason and CPU games count), can mean removal.

Scheduling (§2.2)

• Schedule only in your game thread. Post a reasonable availability window — several options or flexible blocks, not a single fixed time — as soon as possible. No window within 24 hours and you may be simmed.
• Agree a specific date and time within 24 hours, and use the schedule button within 24 hours of the advance.
• Play at the soonest workable time. Reschedules need both GMs to agree.
• If your opponent is 20+ minutes late, you may ask a commissioner in your game thread to let you play the CPU.

Playing your games (§2.3–2.7)

• Against another GM, play the whole game. Against the CPU, don't "play the moments" — you may sim the whole game if you tell a commissioner in your game thread within 24 hours.
• No quitting or restarting. More than one start without commissioner approval is a rule violation; deliberate quits or restarts mean removal. Allow up to 90 minutes.
• Severe lag early on: you may ask for a restart before halftime. A disconnect means replaying from the start — unless it's the 2nd half and both GMs agree the game was decided, when a commissioner can award the win. Injuries from a disconnected game still stand.
• Every rule applies against the CPU too.

How to play (§7)

• Play realistic football: at least 5 HB/FB rushes per half. No bugs, exploits, stat-padding or tanking.
• Leading by 17–24 in the 4th: chew clock on, short–medium passes only, give yourself up after the first down.
• Leading by 25+ at any time: chew clock on, run plays only (a backup QB may throw short on 3rd down), give yourself up after the first down.
• Kneel to end the game as soon as you can.
• Go for it on 4th down only in realistic situations, and not when leading by 15+.
• Hurry-up is allowed only in the final 2 minutes of the 2nd quarter, the final 3 minutes of the 4th, when trailing by 10+, when trailing in the 4th, or on 4th-and-3 or shorter — never when leading by 10+ (except before halftime) or leading in the 4th.
• A man in motion must stop before the snap. Whoever paused the game resumes it first.

Before kickoff (§6)

• Stream every game in full — preseason and CPU games included — to Twitch or YouTube. Post the link in league streams before you start, and keep it viewable for at least a week.
• On stream, show your weekly abilities loadout and your playbooks. Official NFL playbooks only, no custom ones.
• No matching dark or light uniforms; the home team picks first.

Your team and coach (§3, §4)

• Position changes: only the moves listed in §3.1, one per player per season (left/right swaps don't count). Announce every edit in player edits when you make it.
• You may edit positions, numbers and uniforms/accessories — not names, colleges, appearance, QB throwing style, traits or abilities.
• Safeties may not play SUBLB or be used as linebackers.
• Preseason weeks 1–4: no more than three free-agent signings per week.
• A custom head coach is required, with an original, semi-realistic name.
• The "Camp Counselor" ability is banned, abilities in a weekly loadout can't be duplicated, and real-life NFL head coaches can't be your coordinators.

Trades (§5)

• Every trade must be requested and approved before it's processed in-game — including trades with CPU teams and offers they send you. Only submit once both sides have agreed.
• Approval needs a majority of commissioners (at least 3 votes), and requests are decided within 24 hours.
• Process an approved trade in-game promptly, and announce it in trades completed. Trades processed without approval are reversed, and the GMs involved may be suspended or removed.
• Limits: 8 trades per season, no more than 2 with CPU teams, and no draft picks beyond the franchise's planned final season.

Community (§1)

Treat everyone with respect, keep it clean, and be a good sport win or lose. Avoid politics and religion. Don't use @everyone, @here or @GM without commissioner approval. Raise a concern once — in suggestions or a support ticket — rather than repeating it.

Questions

Open a support ticket, or ask a commissioner: Hypnotic, Jenn, ScubaSteve or MrPlanters.