Today's Tidbit... A CFL-NFL Penalty Comparison for Victoria Day

It's Victoria Day in Canada tomorrow, a federal holiday and the unofficial start of summer. Besides having the day off work for most Canadians, they can watch the opening game of the CFL preseason, with the Calgary Stampeders visiting the British Columbia Lions at 4 Eastern time. Those south of the "imaginary line" can stream the game on CFL+ for free.

Since Canadians have the day off and Americans are penalized by having to work on Monday, it is a good day to compare how CFL penalties compare to those of the NFL, particularly the CFL's new safety-related penalties for 2025.

Overall, conduct penalized in the CFL corresponds to penalized behavior below the 49th parallel; even the referee's penalty signals are much the same, but there are differences in terminology and concept. (The 2025 CFL rule book is not yet available to the public. However, 3DownNation summarized the 2025 changes here, and the 2024 CFL rule book is here.)

First, the CFL has extended the definition of defenseless receiver by banning hits at or below the knees when a player is in the act of catching a pass. However, the penalty does not apply if the receiver jumped into the air. NFL rules focus on hits to a defenseless receiver's head and neck, the defender launching at the receiver, and striking with the helmet.

The U.S. and Canada differ in the spelling of some words, but not on the spelling of “typo.” (2024 CFL Rule Book)

Second, the NFL ejects players from games for flagrant rule violations such as:

• hitting defenseless receivers, holders, and kickers, and using the helmet as a weapon

• deliberately contacting an official

• punching or kicking an opponent

• taunting and verbal abuse

The CFL has similar standards that fall under its concept of rough play. The 2025 version adds low blocks on kicks and all blows to the head as automatic ejections.

Third, an interesting difference between the leagues is that the CFL has 25-yard penalties. American football eliminated 25-yard penalties before WWII due to concern that officials were reluctant to call them, and reducing the penalty yardage increased how often they were called. Still, the CFL includes 25-yard walkoffs for Major Penalties, which include:

• Illegal Deployment of Designated Quarterback

• Illegal Deployment of Designated Import

• Spitting

• Rough Play

• Objectionable Conduct - Physical Abuse of Official

The CFL's illegal deployment penalties are conceptually similar to those in American football back when substituted players could not return to the game until the start of the next quarter or half. CFL teams must designate their two or three quarterbacks before each game and cannot have more than two in a game at a time. Likewise, each team can dress up to 19 American players, not including quarterbacks, and one American who has played in the CFL for several years. Four Americans must be designated before each game who can play special teams only or enter the game for scrimmage plays by substituting for another American.

The CFL’s unnecessary roughness covers actions during the normal course of play, such as late hits or hitting an out-of-bounds player. Rough play includes kicking opponents or striking them with the hand, arm, knee, or helmet in an excessively rough manner.

Spitting and physical abuse of an official are self-explanatory, though neither is called often.

A referee signal seldom seen in these parts. (2024 CFL Rule Book)

Fourth, football officials have enforced "half the distance" on penalties committed near the goal line since the late 1890s, but an interesting CFL rule change for 2025 is that Major Penalties are no longer subject to the half-the-distance clause. The full penalty will be enforced, up to spotting the ball on the 1-yard line. It is an interesting concept since it enforces the maximum yardage for Major Penalties, or nearly so. We could apply the same approach to a subset of penalties south of the border.

(Brown, Timothy P., Queen Victoria with Leather Helmet, 2025, AI-generated image created using Sora)

So, here's to the official start of the football season for those who celebrate. And, Happy Victoria Day, aka May long weekend, to Canada.

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