Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I’m looking for a resource that lists the penalty rules for the NFL and changes made by year. Anyone have a suggestion for the most complete and credible resource?

PFRA member 65 Toss Power Trap is the best resource I've found.

Thanks, Bryan. I've checked out the Football Zebras site and I've made some inquiries.

Just to copy my answer to what you also posed in the Football Zebras forum, in case anyone was looking for the same information:

The resources I have used are from unpublished material as well as various margin notes, so it's not something I can point to an online resource, nor can I just publish it in its raw form.

Many of the Wikipedia articles for each season have a source link for that year's rules changes, and the more recent ones of course would have online references. I have found the information in the rules change section to be pretty comprehensive, of course doing some source checking as well.

I don't believe there has ever been a book written which documents the penalty changes over the years, or even the rule changes, and how rules and penalties have evolved, but I think it would make a great book topic.

Rupert Patrick wrote:I don't believe there has ever been a book written which documents the penalty changes over the years, or even the rule changes, and how rules and penalties have evolved, but I think it would make a great book topic.

There is such a book for college football, David M. Nelson's Anatomy of a Game. Since NFL and NCAA rules diverged in 1932 (I think?), it's much help for pro football.

But I agree, a book that documented the changes would be a great addition to the literature, especially if it analyzed the changes that were wrought on the field by the rules changes.

Thanks, everyone. This helps.