>>> League Rules

Click on the rule heading below to advance to the set of rules that you wish to review...


FRANCHISE SETTINGS

FS.1 GAME SETTINGS

FS.2 SLIDER SETTINGS

FS.3 JERSEY SELECTION

FS.4 TEAM SELECTION

FS.5 COACH SELECTION

FS.6 WEEKLY ADVANCE SCHEDULE

FS.7 SEASON SIMULATIONS

FS.8 SALARY CAP

FS.9 TEAM FUNDS

FS.10 Stadium Building and Team Relocation


ROSTER

R.1 DEPTH CHART CHANGES

R.2 POSITION CHANGES & SUBSTITUTIONS

R.3 ROSTER REQUIREMENTS

R.4 RELEASES & RE-SIGNINGS


OFFENSE

O.1 OFFENSIVE PLAYCALLING

O.2 AUDIBLES

O.3 HURRY-UP OFFENSE

O.4 MOTION

O.5 PLAY-ACTION PASS

O.6 QB MOVEMENT

O.7 READ OPTION OFFENSE (Effective Beginning 2015 Season)

O.8 TWO QB OFFENSE

O.9 SLOT RECEIVERS

O.10 MANUAL CATCH

O.11 DISTRIBUTE THE BALL

O.12 GOAL LINE FORMATION

O.13 RUNNING OUT THE CLOCK

O.14 4TH DOWN RULE

O.15 RUNNING UP THE SCORE


DEFENSE

D.1 DEFENSIVE PLAYCALLING

D.2 FORMATION LIMITATIONS

D.3 PERSONNEL SELECTION

D.4 AUDIBLES & ADJUSTMENTS

D.5 BLITZING

D.6 PLAYER MOVEMENT

D.7 POSITIONAL BOUNDARIES


SPECIAL TEAMS

ST.1 ONSIDE KICKS

ST.2 FAKE PUNT & FAKE FIELD GOAL

ST.3 PLAYER MOVEMENT


WEEKLY GAMEPLAY

WG.1 GAME SCHEDULING

WG.2 PAUSING

WG.3 DISCONNECTS

WG.4 REPLAY PARAMETERS

WG.5 GAME SIMULATIONS

WG.6 QUITTING

WG.7 RESTARTS


LEAGUE REQUIREMENTS

L.1 EXPECTATIONS

L.2 FORUM & SOCIAL ACTIVITY REQUIREMENT

L.3 INACTIVITY

L.4 ETIQUETTE

L.5 CODE OF CONDUCT


TRADES

T.1 TRADE RESTRICTIONS

T.2 TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT FORMAT

T.3 TRADE EVALUATION

T.4 TRADE DEADLINES

T.5 DRAFT DAY TRADES

T.6 PLAYER OVERALL RATINGS

T.7 TRADE PROTECTION

T.8 TRADE BLOCKS


RE-SIGNINGS

RS.1 RE-SIGNINGS


FREE AGENCY

FA.1 PRE-SEASON AND WEEK 1 WAIVER SYSTEM

FA.2 REGULAR SEASON FREE AGENCY (BEGINNING WEEK 2)

FA.3 OFF-SEASON FREE AGENT BIDDING CONTRACT TERMS

FA.4 FREE AGENT PROTECTION

FA.5 OFF-SEASON FREE AGENCY

FA.6 RESTRICTED FREE AGENCY


ROOKIE DRAFT

RD.1 DRAFT PARAMETERS

RD.2 DRAFT SETTINGS

RD.3 DRAFT BOARD

RD.4 DRAFT DAY TRADES

RD.5 ROOKIE SIGNINGS

RD.6 ROOKIE TRADE AND RELEASE

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

FRANCHISE SETTINGS

FS.1 GAME SETTINGS

• Owners only Online Franchise
• Weekly progression
• Pre-existing injuries OFF
• All Madden
• 7 minute quarters
• Accelerated Clock OFF
• Injuries and Fatigue ON
• Game speed SLOW
• Team or formation specific playbooks only; legends and customized playbooks are not allowed.

FS.2 SLIDER SETTINGS

QB Accuracy: 50
Pass Blocking: 47
WR Catching: 52
Run Blocking: 48
Fumbles: 50
Pass Def Reaction Time: 55
Interceptions: 40
Pass Coverage: 52
Rush Defense Tackling: 50
FG Power: 40
FG Accuracy: 40
Punt Power: 50
Punt Accuracy: 50
Kickoff Power: 50
Injuries: 52
Fatigue: 50
Min Player Speed Threshold: 50
Offside: 55
False Start: 55
Holding: 54
Face Mask: 52
Defensive Pass Interference: 55
Offensive Pass Interference: 55
KR/PR Interference: 55
Clipping: 0
Intentional Grounding: 55
Roughing Passer: 52
Roughing Kicker: 55

FS.3 JERSEY SELECTION

The home team elects the shade of jerseys used, light or dark. Throwbacks and alternate jerseys may be used by either team at any time during the regular season as long as the away team's jersey selection is the opposite shade of the home team's jersey selection (light vs. dark or vise versa). Throwbacks and alternate jerseys are NOT allowed during playoff games.

​

FS.4 TEAM SELECTION

When the game is released, teams will be selected by each owner through a draft in which the selection order is determined by a random lottery. Owners may NOT swap or trade their position up or down in the team draft. Owners will manage the same team throughout the entire franchise for every season. Post team draft, owners may swap teams prior to the activation of the franchise, but teams may not be traded for additional compensation such as money, players, or picks. Team swapping is NOT allowed once the franchise has been activated - even if a team becomes vacant. You are required to build your franchise and live with those decisions for the entire life of the franchise.

FS.5 COACH/OWNER SELECTION

All users will be expected to create their team owner in their own name and use that same owner throughout the duration of the Madden cycle. Owners are responsible for managing the financial aspects of running a team, such as ticket sales, concessions, and merchandise revenue.

FS.6 WEEKLY ADVANCE SCHEDULE

The league will advance every THREE days (72 hours) from the opening of the current franchise week at midnight EST, OR upon completion of all games for the current franchise week; whichever transpires first. The league staff reserves the right to grant minor extensions if extenuating circumstances are presented.

​

FS.7 SEASON SIMULATIONS

The connected franchise results will be simulated every other season. For example; we will play season 2013, simulate season 2014, play season 2015, simulate season 2016, play season 2017; and so on. During a simulated season, ALL regular season AND post season game results will be simulated and the outcomes will be determined by the CPU. There will be no practice sessions allowed during the simulated seasons. Owners will be expected to complete their off-season and regular season franchise tasks during the simulated seasons including re-signings, releases, free agency, rookie draft, rookie signings, trading, and player/coach XP distribution.

FS.8 SALARY CAP

The salary cap will be determined by the online Franchise. Teams MUST comply with the salary cap for the year which applies and remain under the cap at all times. Each individual owner is responsible for managing their team salaries to remain under the cap while maintaining the minimum roster requirements.

FS.9 TEAM FUNDS

Each individual owner is responsible for managing their own team funds. Team funds are generated through merchandise revenue, ticket sales, and game day concessions. Team funds are used to pay players' signing bonuses, hire staff, and upgrade stadiums.

FS.10 Stadium Building and Team Relocation

One of the exciting new features of the Madden 25 Online Connected Franchise is the addition of owner mode and the ability to build a new stadium, or even relocate your team to a whole new city. There has been much discussion about what teams can and will be able to move and what the league parameters would be as far as allowing teams to build new stadiums or relocate. I am pleased to announce the QSF league parameters for stadium upgrades and rebuilds, and team relocation.

Upgrades to a teams existing stadium are at each owner's discretion, and there are no league limitations or restrictions.

The requirements for rebuilding and relocating are as follows:

Stadium Rebuilding

To be eligible to apply for a stadium rebuilding permit from league management, your existing stadium must meet the following criteria:

• 
  
  
  • Existing stadium must be at least 15 years old at the time of application
  • Existing stadium must have an overall rating of 30 or lower at the time of application
  • Stadium happiness level must be "Fair" or "OK" (If you have a happiness rating of "Good" or "High" you are not eligible to rebuild)

If your current stadium meets all of the listed criteria, you are eligible to submit a request to rebuild your stadium in your current city with QSF management.

To request an approval permit from league management to build a new stadium, just reply to the thread <coming soon> and complete the Stadium Rebuild Application.

Please keep in mind that a screenshot of your current stadium rating may be required, and league management reserves the right to approve or deny any application at our discretion.

Team Relocation

To be eligible to apply for a team relocation permit from league management, your existing stadium must meet the following criteria:

• 
  
  
  • Existing stadium must be at least 20 years old at the time of application
    • *AND*
  • Existing stadium must have an overall rating of 20 or lower at the time of application

*OR*​

​

• 
  
  
  • Existing stadium must be at least 15 years old at the time of application
    • *AND*
  • Existing stadium must have an overall rating of 10 or lower at the time of application

*ALSO*​

​

• 
  
  
  • With either set of criteria; your stadium happiness level must be "Fair" or "OK" (If you have a happiness rating of "Good" or "High" you are not eligible to relocate)

If your current stadium meets either of the listed sets of criteria, you are eligible to submit a request to relocate your your team to a new city with QSF management.

To request an approval permit from league management to relocate your team, just reply to the thread <coming soon> and complete the Team Relocation Application.

Please keep in mind that a screenshot of your current stadium rating may be required, and league management reserves the right to approve or deny any application at our discretion.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The reason we have decided to restrict these features beyond even the in game mechanic is an attempt to keep these features as realistic as possible. We will be taking into account real life factors when determining whether an application to rebuild/relocate will be approved or denied.

A WORD OF WARNING: If any owner initiates a stadium rebuild or team relocation within the franchise, before going through the application process and receiving approval from league management, that owner may be subject to immediate and permanent dismissal from Quality Simulation Football.
WITH THAT BEING SAID; PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN VIEWING THE IN GAME MECHANIC FOR REBUILD/RELOCATION!!!

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

ROSTER

R.1 DEPTH CHART CHANGES

Each owner is responsible for setting their team’s depth chart within the franchise BEFORE each game. Depth chart changes are NOT permitted before the opening kickoff. However, depth chart changes are allowed during the game if:

• If a player is struggling.
• If a player is injured OR to prevent injury.
• If the game is a blowout.

R.2 POSITION CHANGES & SUBSTITUTIONS

DEPTH CHART:

The following is a list of position that are considered interchangeable for purposes of the depth chart:

• FB > HB = FB can play HB at any time
• FB > TE = FB can play TE at any time
• OL > OL = all positions on the offensive line are interchangeable
• DL > DL = all positions on the defensive line are interchangeable
• LB = all linebacker positions are interchangeable
• S = Both safety positions interchangeable

Beyond the 6 positions listed above; players will NOT be permitted to play out of position via the depth chart. So for instance, if you want to move a DE to OLB, you need to wait for the off-season and put a request in at that time.

Players may be designated to play at ONE position of your choice; both rookies and veterans alike. The only exception are players/positions who are listed as interchangeable on the depth chart rule above, they may play any of the interchangeable position(s).

Owners may edit players to change them from left to right side at any point without the need for approval (ex. LT to RT, RE to LE, etc.).

Madden allows you to change personnel in different formations from the play selection screen. If you utilize the switching personnel feature PLEASE DO SO WITH CAUTION.

Switching personnel in the play calling screen and/or calling audibles that put personnel out of position and into any unacceptable situations is prohibited.


OFF-SEASON PLAYER EDITING (TO CHANGE A PLAYERS "NATURAL POSITION":

You may change a player’s "natural" position during the in game off-season only (pending approval). ALL position changes must be announced in the Team Management forum. League management will approve or deny the position change based on the player’s size and skill set.

FREE AGENTS ACQUIRED DURING THE PRE-SEASON, REGULAR SEASON, OR POST-SEASON MAY NOT CHANGE THEIR NATURAL POSITION UNTIL THE FOLLOWING OFF-SEASON. THEY ARE RESTRICTED TO PLAYING THEIR NATURAL POSITION (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LEFT/RIGHT SWAPS & ALLOWABLE DEPTH CHART SUBSTITUTIONS).

ROOKIES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE THEIR NATURAL POSITION UNTIL THEIR FIRST OFF-SEASON (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LEFT/RIGHT SWAPS & ALLOWABLE DEPTH CHART SUBSTITUTIONS)

The following is a list of possible position changes that would have to be done by the individual owner during the offseason (pending management approval):

• QB > HB, FB, WR, TE
• HB > FB, WR
• FB > HB, TE
• WR > NONE
• TE > FB, WR
• O-LINE > ALL O-LINE INTERCHANGEABLE (No Permission Necessary)
• DE > DT, LOLB, ROLB (No Permission Necessary for switch to DT)
• DT > LE, RE (No Permission Necessary)
• OLB > MLB, RE, LE (No Permission Necessary for switch to MLB)
• MLB > LOLB, ROLB (No Permission Necessary)
• CB / FS / SS > ALL INTERCHANGEABLE
• P / K > INTERCHANGEABLE

Please keep in mind that some position changes cannot be undone (ex. if you move a HB to WR, he can never return to the HB role).

R.3 ROSTER REQUIREMENTS

Minimum players allowed = 48; Maximum players allowed = 53
The position requirements that follow are the MINIMUM requirements of natural players at each designated position:

OFFENSE

QB = 3
HB = 3
FB = 1
WR = 4
TE = 2
LT, LG, C, RG, RT = 1 at each position; 9 total O-linemen

DEFENSE

LE, RE, DT = 1 at each position; 7 total D-linemen
LOLB, MLB, ROLB = 1 at each position; 6 total linebackers
CB = 4
FS = 1
SS = 1

SPECIAL TEAMS

K = 1
P = 1

R.4 RELEASES & RE-SIGNINGS

Teams may release players at any point throughout the season. In order to prevent teams from manipulating the cap system, a "no tag-backs" rule has been established. Teams may NOT release a player during the pre-season or regular season and then immediately re-sign the player they just released to a one year free agent deal. It is a loophole which allows teams to sign the player at a fraction of what the his original contract was.

Once a player is released from his contract during the pre-season, regular season, or post-season, he cannot be signed to a free agent contract by the team that released him until the following off-season free agency phase commences, if the player maintains free agent status. If signing a free agent is an issue of need, the team can sign a different player at the position to replace the player that was released. If the team wanted to keep the player that they had released, the team shouldn't have released the player in the first place.

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

OFFENSE

O.1 OFFENSIVE PLAYCALLING

Coaches in the NFL mix up their play calling, however, when a coach sees that a team is weak in an area, they exploit it. This is legal, however, with some exceptions. Do not call the same play or pattern over and over again. If a team can't stop the run or pass, you may exploit them with a heavy dose of either one by using a number of different plays. If you've called the same play twice in a game, it's time to think twice about calling it again. QUICK SNAPPING IS PROHIBITED! ALLOW THE DEFENSE TO SET! An exception to this would be if the play clock is about to hit zero. Otherwise, a 3-4 second count would be sufficient.

O.2 AUDIBLES

Calling audibles at the line of scrimmage is commonplace in every level of football. The new audible system built into M25 appears to fix the issues with calling an audible to a different formation, but calling an audible that causes players to play out of position (ie. WR @ TE) are strictly prohibited.

When calling an audible, the offense MUST allow the defense time to adjust and be set for at LEAST a second or two before snapping the ball.

O.3 HURRY-UP OFFENSE

Hurry-up offense may only be used in the final two minutes of each half following the two-minute warning. The exception to the rule would be if a team is down by 21 or greater at any point of the game; or it may be used at any point in the fourth quarter when a team is losing (not tied). Hurry-up offense is prohibited when the clock is stopped, i.e. possessions out of bounds, incomplete passes, or penalties. When using the hurry up offense, please allow your opponent to set their defense before snapping the ball. If a player is put in motion, he must be set before the ball is snapped - even if the play clock is about to expire. Purposely trying to cause off-sides penalties or taking advantage of defensive AI is not allowed.

O.4 MOTION

ONLY ONE PLAYER MOTION IS ALLOWED ONCE THE OFFENSE IS SET. The player put in motion must re-set before snapping the ball. If you decide to motion a player and he is not able to re-set before the play clock expires, you MUST call a timeout or take a delay of game penalty.

O.5 PLAY-ACTION PASS

Play-action should only be used in warranted running situations. Your team MUST require 10 yards or less to attain a first down or a touchdown in order to call play-action on 3rd down.

O.6 QB MOVEMENT

Rolling out with the QB following the snap MUST be by play design (QB roll out, play action roll out, option, or screen). Dropping back or rolling out to avoid a sack is warranted if defensive pressure is there. However, there has to be pursuit by the defense in order for it to be considered a legitimate QB scramble. There is no limitation on running straight ahead through the pocket with the QB. You cannot intentionally drop your QB back 10+ yards and/or you cannot SPRINT with the QB to the sidelines immediately following the snap just to get receivers open. If you're found doing this against any owner you'll be warned, then removed. Highlight video evidence must be produced in order for a complaint regarding excessive QB movement to be considered.

O.7 READ OPTION OFFENSE (Effective Beginning 2015 Season)

The use of the read option should be limited to being executed by a "mobile" style quarterback. Regardless of the QBs attributes, if he is not designated as a "mobile" style on his player card, he should not be running read option plays. This includes both straight hand-offs, that appear to be an option, as well as true option runs. This is not to say that a non-mobile QB cannot use the pistol offense, or any similar formation, that is commonly used in the Read Option. There is no limitation to formations that any QB can use, the limitation is exclusively on the use of read option runs.

O.8 TWO QB OFFENSE

The use of a two QB offense is very limited in the NFL and should NOT be utilized heavily in your game plan. The occasional substitution of a running QB in the wildcat, read option, or some other formation is acceptable as a trick/change of pace type play.

O.9 SLOT RECEIVERS

The use of #1 and #2 receivers at the slot position is allowed if a playbook formation puts the receiver in the slot by default. Otherwise #1 and #2 WRs should be playing primarily on the outside of your formations.

O.10 MANUAL CATCH

Owners may manually control a WR to make a possession catch. However, manually controlling the WR during the play and pulling them off of their route to gain an advantage over the defense OR to manual "rocket catch" is prohibited.

O.11 DISTRIBUTE THE BALL

WR's should be the main target for passing plays. HB's should be CHECKDOWN receivers and not primary targets. HB receptions should not get out of hand or be a primary aspect of an offensive gameplan. Your 3rd, 4th, and 5th WR should not be a primary target.

The use of TEs should not be excessive. There is nothing wrong with TEs playing a big role in your offense, but all teams should be targeting their primary receiver(s) at least an equal (if not a majority) of the time. That's not to say that there won't be games here and there where you take what the defense gives you, but that should be the exception and not the norm.

Majority of passes should be thrown to your two outside WRs with few exceptions.

O.12 GOAL LINE FORMATION

The goal line formation may be used at any time if the offense is within 10 yards or less of either end zone. It may also be used in situations involving one yard or less to attain a first down.

O.13 RUNNING OUT THE CLOCK

Since we are not playing 15 minute quarters, we have to be cautious of excessively running clock. "Killing the clock" is only permitted with under 3:00 of each half. Excessively running the clock at any other time could result in a forfeit, a replay, or other action. "Killing the clock" would mean running the play clock down excessively under 15 seconds every play. We all know there are certain situations that are unavoidable, but when the game clock is running between plays, please try to have your plays called within a reasonable time.

O.14 4TH DOWN RULE

We encourage straight play in this league, however, we do not want to limit players to the point where they cannot play aggressively. With that in mind, teams my go for it on fourth down:

• Past the 50 yard line with 2 yards or less to attain the first down.

• If the deficit is two touchdowns (14 points) or more in the second half, teams may attempt fourth down regardless of field position or distance to attain the first down.

• If it is the 4th quarter and a team is losing by any amount of points, NOT TIED, they may attempt a 4th down conversion regardless of field position or distance to attain the first down.

O.15 RUNNING UP THE SCORE

Running up the score is not allowed in this league or any other TSO league. If you are ahead in the 4th quarter by 21 points or more with four 4 minutes remaining you should be running the ball. With two 2 minutes left: you must either run the ball or you must QB kneel if you can run out the clock remaining and your opponent is out of timeouts. Any unnecessary scoring or stat padding will not be tolerated. Use your best judgment. Show sportsmanship by respecting your opponent.

There are things you should do when on the positive end of a blow-out. Removing your starters, punting, running the ball and chewing the clock should be staples of your gameplan. Starters should not be scoring when up by four scores. Late scoring will NOT be tolerated. There should be no reason for the winning team's offense to score in the closing minutes of the game if it is a blow-out.

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

DEFENSE

D.1 DEFENSIVE PLAYCALLING

Teams should mix up their defensive formations, coverages, and blitzes based on their defensive scheme and the opponent’s offensive gameplan. Please call realistic defensive plays for the proper situation. Use a 3, 4, or 5 DL set to stop the run and a 3 or 4 DL set to play the pass. Sitting in Cover 3 or DE Contain all game, for example, is prohibited. The only exception to this goes along with offenses becoming one dimensional. If your opponent is forced to become one dimensional due to the score, you will be permitted to do so on defense.

D.2 FORMATION LIMITATIONS

On defense, the 4-6 formation and the use of the "crowd the line" audible bringing "eight in the box" are strictly prohibited on third or fourth down if the yardage to attain the first down is 10 yards or greater. On first and second down, the 2-5-4 and 2-3-6 formations are limited to 3wr and 4wr sets, but may be used in any situation on third or fourth down. The 1-5-5 formation is strictly prohibited. PLEASE DO NOT USE THE 1-5-5 FORMATION.

D.3 PERSONNEL SELECTION

Defensive personnel selection should be based on what offensive personnel are selected in the huddle. In addition, personnel selection should be based on time remaining, the down, and the yardage required for the offense to attain the first down and/or the distance to the goalline. We do not have a "match up" rule per say. However, the rule of thumb is that the defensive formation selected can only have up to one cornerback greater than that of the receivers in the offensive formation unless it is an obvious passing down (third or fourth down and 10 yards or greater).

D.4 AUDIBLES & ADJUSTMENTS

When making adjustments on the field pre-snap, be sure that you are not making the exact same adjustments on every play. Constant press coverage, constant line stunts, shifting the DL and linebackers in the same manner every play and the like falls under the category of not mixing up play calling, and is frowned upon. In addition, moving anyone other than the player you will control is prohibited. If you find yourself in a situation where your guys move as you are switching to the player you intend to control, audible to your original play by pressing X+LT (360) or []+L2 (PS3).

D.5 BLITZING

There are exploits and AI deficiencies that can be taken advantage of in Madden - even when employing defensive schemes that are often seen in the NFL. There are teams in the NFL that rely on their speed on defense sometimes using blitz schemes all game. Although it is not illegal to blitz all game, playing Madden is not entirely the same as playing in the NFL. Showing blitz should be used VERY sparingly, but can be an option to mix it up.

D.6 PLAYER MOVEMENT

Manual player movement of ONE defender pre-snap is allowed. The AI is able to account for our manual player movement. Therefore, you may manually move a defensive back as long as he remains within his "positional boundaries." You must remain in control of that defensive player until the ball is snapped on offense. All manually controlled defensive players must remain within their "positional boundaries" until the ball is snapped.

Manually controlled players should also mix up their strategies during the game. A defensive tackle will NOT swim all game as the offensive lineman would make necessary adjustments to counter that. Unfortunately, the AI does not think that well so mix up your attack.

NFL teams also shift players around in order to get a better blitz angle. However, there are a lot of "glitch blitzes" that prevent us from allowing teams to move players around on defense other than Madden shifts or manually controlled defensive backs. At no point should shifts be made to take advantage of the D-line spacing or to allow a DB to encroach the line unpenalized in order to reach the quarterback unabated.

D.7 POSITIONAL BOUNDARIES

“Positional boundaries” are defined as follows:

• D-line - No movement other than defensive line shifts (pinch, spread, left, right). ALL DEFENSIVE LINEMAN MUST BE VISIBLE AND ON THE LINE AT THE SNAP OF THE BALL. Spreading the D-line and audibling or manually controlling the DE's to crash out around the OT's is not allowed. Manually audibling and/or manually controlling a DE/DT to drop into zone coverage is also prohibited unless the play called from the huddle is a zone blitz calling for the DE/DT to drop into coverage.

• LB - One shuffle laterally, either direction, and/or a Linebacker shift (pinch, spread, left, right). NO MOVEMENT TOWARDS OR AWAY FROM THE LOS.

• CB -No individual movement allowed. Press and cushion coverage allowed.

• FS/SS - Lateral, forward, and backward movement allowed; ONE STEP ONLY FORWARD/BACKWARD. You may NOT move up to the linebackers' depth.

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

SPECIAL TEAMS

ST.1 ONSIDE KICKS

Onside kicks are permitted by the losing team at any time in the 4th quarter only.

ST.2 FAKE PUNT & FAKE FIELD GOAL

Fake punts and fake field goals may be attempted only when the situation falls within the 4th down rule requirements. If you are allowed to go for it on 4th down in that situation, you can also fake the punt or the field goal. Faking a punt or field goal is part of the game and provides "the element of surprise," but please be realistic. These tactics are utilized in the NFL on a limited basis. Teams are allowed TWO (2) fake punts and TWO (2) fake kickoffs each season including the playoffs. The use and success rate of each will be tracked in the forum. Any team that violates the season allowance will be required to bench one starter on defense and offense chosen by the league staff.

ST.3 PLAYER MOVEMENT

Player movement before the snap is strictly prohibited. More specifically, manually moving a defender back for an additional blocker on PUNT RETURNS both before AND after the snap is prohibited. Manually moving a defender before the snap on PUNT BLOCK or FG BLOCK attempts is prohibited.

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

WEEKLY GAMEPLAY

WG.1 GAME SCHEDULING

Use of the Game Scheduling forum is mandatory. The weekly advances will occur every three days (72 hours) at midnight EST with the exception of holiday weeks. If you are unable to schedule your game with an opponent prior to the scheduled deadline, communicate it in the scheduling forum and notify a league management. If you know you are going to be on vacation, please set your team to “auto-pilot” so that your opponent may play the CPU. Owners whose games are un-played without a valid reason(s) will be subject to removal. League activity is not an option, it is required by both playing games and staying up to speed on the forums.

ANY OWNERS FOUND TO NOT BE USING THE FORUMS TO SCHEDULE GAMES MAY BE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE, UP TO AND INCLUDING DISMISSAL FROM THE QSF.

WG.2 PAUSING

Madden allows a limited number of pauses during the game, so please keep that in mind. If it's ever necessary to pause the game, please provide a quick explanation to your opponent if you’re not utilizing your headset at that time. Pausing the game to show poor sportsmanship will not be tolerated. Please do not start a game if you know something will interfere with your playing time.

WG.3 DISCONNECTS

Games will disconnect from time to time for various reasons (and usually have nothing to do with either user's setup). We expect all owners to have a reliable, high-speed ISP. If you are having any type of Internet trouble, please do not start the game until the problem is resolved. If it becomes a continual issue that isn’t resolved, you will be removed.

If a disconnect occurs as a result of the EA servers and both users are still online and connected to the EA servers, DO NOT quit and count the game stats. If both owners are disconnected from each other, but still connected to the game, they must POWER OFF their PS3 only. DO NOT quit and count the game stats unless the game was in the second half and if BOTH owners agree that the game was already in hand. If it is undetermined which owner is still connected OR if it is undetermined whether or not the game was already decided; both owners must POWER OFF their PS3 to avoid counting the result. Refer to WG.4 REPLAY PARAMETERS for those disconnect instances where the result is undetermined.

WG.4 REPLAY PARAMETERS

If a disconnect occurs at any point in the game, the winning team may elect to replay the game in its entrety. Otherwise, the following parameters should be followed unless instructed otherwise by the league staff:

1st Half disconnect: Replay game in its entirety with the score being recorded and added to the replayed game. For example, if Joe is beating Bob 10-7 in the second quarter with 2:00 to go and has possession at the time of the disconnect. One full game will be replayed and the previous score of 10-7 will be added to the ending score of the replayed game. If Joe would have got the first possession of the second half in the disconnected game, he can choose to give the first possession of the replayed game to Bob even though he had the ball before the disconnect, in order to get the second half possession.

1st half disconnect with under 2 minutes remaining: This situation can be considered 1 half of play. If any team had the ball within FG range (25 yards or closer), that team will be awarded 3 points to the disconnect score. One full half will be played with the appropriate team receiving the kickoff on reconnection.

2nd Half Disconnect: Disconnects with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game: Replay one quarter and the leading team will take a time out when 2:00 minutes are remaining in the quarter to simulate the 2 min warning.

For game stats purposes, the reconnection can be played in its entirety. However, the game is over as per the situation according to the disconnection rules. Meaning you are not to play 6 quarters for one final score, the game is over after the 2nd half is played if in fact a full 1st half has been played already. IF A GAME IS BEING REPLAYED DUE TO A DISCONNECT, BOTH OWNERS MUST QUIT THE REPLAYED GAME BEFORE THE FINAL SECONDS EXPIRE. THIS IS REQUIRED SO THAT THE WINNING OWNER MAY SUPER-SIM THE WIN FOR HIMSELF. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO QUIT THE REPLAYED GAME IF THE APPROPRIATE TEAM IS ALREADY GOING TO RECEIVE THE WIN AS THE FINAL RESULT OF THE REPLAYED GAME.

WG.5 GAME SIMULATIONS

Although game simulations are rare, they can occur. If an owner has made a full effort either through the forum or via documented YIM contact to communicate with their opponent with no response, inform the staff. If there is no contact after the staff member has issued a warning, the CPU will be appointed as the opponent. At that point, the staff will make a determination on the status of the unresponsive owner. If any circumstances prevent an owner from playing a game on time (illness, vacation, etc.) it must be communicated in the Vacation / Out of Town section of the forum or in the appropriate game scheduling thread. If the staff determines that both parties were at fault, the game will be determined by a CPU simulated win. Once games are simulated, they cannot be "reset" or "replayed" as the EA servers do not allow us to change game results that are final.

WG.6 QUITTING

Please do not start a game if there’s a chance you will not be able to finish it. In the case of an emergency situation where you are forced to leave the game, an agreement should be made between both players as to whether the game will be replayed from the start or simulated in the opposing teams favor. If an owner quits during any league game, tournament game, or any other type of league or TSO sponsored game because they are losing, frustrated, or angry with their opponent; they will be subject to immediate dismissal from the league and TSO. Any fees or donations that were paid will not be refunded if an owner is removed for quitting games.

WG.7 RESTARTS

There will be NO restarts for user vs. CPU games. In the unlikely event that you experience a problem/emergency during your game against a CPU opponent, notify your commissioner immediately. Failure to instantly notify your commissioner will result in a sim. If restarts against the CPU become a trend you will be dismissed from the franchise.

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

LEAGUE REQUIREMENTS

L.1 EXPECTATIONS

• The winner of each REGULAR SEASON DIVISIONAL contest and each POST-SEASON PLAYOFF contest is REQUIRED to post a game recap. The loser may follow with any comments and/or pleasantries thereafter. We don’t require a novel - just two or three paragraphs about how the game played out and who your player of the game was (accompanied by the usual "good game" pleasantries). Other owners are also free to discuss as it pertains to them. Highlight videos are welcomed and considered game recaps.

• A game recap is expected to be more than just a rehash of game stats that anyone can pull up in the franchise. Tell a story, give us an idea of what happened during the game.

• ALL members are expected to participate any time an official league discussion or poll is presented, you're expected to jump in and post your opinion.

• Use the designated scheduling thread in the Game Scheduling forum to schedule your game with opponents each week.

L.2 FORUM & SOCIAL ACTIVITY REQUIREMENT

The members of Quality Simulation Football and the TSO community are who make this organization successful. Social interaction between the coaches in the forums is an integral step toward building the strongest league possible and ultimately enhances the enjoyment of the league for all involved. You could be the straightest gamer in the world, who shows up for each and every game on-time, and if you're ignoring the forums, you're not pulling your weight. So if you're not a big forum goer, or don't like discussing your games, this isn't the league for you.

L.3 INACTIVITY

Inactivity WILL NOT be tolerated. If an owner fails to comply with announced deadlines pertaining to the league such as quotas for games played or failure to respond to league-wide broadcast messages that require a reply; the lack of performance is grounds for immediate dismissal. This includes insufficient log-ins to your forum account and inadequate actions towards posts pertaining to getting games played before the appropriate deadlines. This also includes failure to provide required game recaps.

L.4 ETIQUETTE

RESPECT ONE ANOTHER AT ALL TIMES. Do not make it a habit of complaining about a person’s gameplay without first asking yourself, “why am I mad?” If the answer is because you could not stop their offense or they caught you off guard on defense, then hit the practice field and move on. If there is a rule infraction or dispute during a game, pause the game and communicate the concern with your opponent. If you are unable to resolve the problem with one another, get an available member of league management involved. At no point should either owner involved in a dispute take the matter into their own hands, disrespect their opponent via messenger, or berate their opponent publicly in the forum. League management reserves the right to remove any owner that violates the code of conduct as it has been outlined here.

A good rule of thumb for any hot heads (you know who you are ):

Allow yourself a cooling off period before communicating with your opponent following a hard fought game. Send him a simple "GG", and then talk about any potential issues at a later time. You may find that those "issues" weren't as bad as first though, once you have cooled off and reflected on it.

L.5 CODE OF CONDUCT

TSO plays an integral part in the development of NCAA, Madden, and potentially other genres in the future. ALL Quality Simulation Football league members, present and future alike, are required to recognize and respect that TSO is the governing body of all leagues within the community. YOUR voice is important. Just as you did by completing your TSO application, each league member is required to confirm publicly that they will respect and contribute to the TSO community. Any deviation from that will result in the immediate dismissal from Quality Simulation Football and the TSO community.

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

TRADES

T.1 TRADE RESTRICTIONS

We are a NOT fantasy league and this is not the NBA or MLB. Trading in the NFL is RARE, especially involving "big name" players. With that being said, this is a game and putting together trades to help build our team is a big part of the fun for most of us. In the interest of maintaining roster integrity, while still allowing owners to build their team as they see fit, we have implemented the following trade restrictions:

BLOCKBUSTER TRADES - Teams are allowed ONE "BLOCKBUSTER" trade per season which involves the exchange of any player(s) rated 90ovr or greater. ALL teams involved in the "BLOCKBUSTER" trade will be credited with their "BLOCKBUSTER" trade for the season regardless of whether or not they are receiving a player rated 90ovr or greater in the exchange.

• Teams are limited to 2 off-season trades and 1 in-season trade each season (these are inclusive of any BLOCKBUSTER trade used)
• 3 Teams MAX may be involved in a single trade
• FOUR players total per trade between 2 teams ( 1 for 1; 1 for 2; 2 for 1; 2 for 2; 3 for 1; 1 for 3 )
• SIX players total per trade between 3 teams
• THREE PLAYERS MAX to or from any one team in any trade
• DRAFT PICKS are no longer restricted in trades and don't count toward the player limit
• UNLIMITED picks may be accumulated via trade; however, future draft picks are limited to the current and the next season's draft
• NO cumulative cap penalty limit (but this will be a consideration in the approval process)
• Off-season trades can only be used prior to the start of the regular season
• In-season trades can be used at any time during the SEASON (subject to trade deadline)

For trade limit purposes, the following definitions apply...

"SEASON" begins with the off-season retirements & re-signings phase and ends with the conclusion of the Superbowl.

"OFF-SEASON" begins with the conclusion of the Superbowl and ends with the conclusion of the pre-season.

"REGULAR SEASON" is the commencement of week 1 and the conclusion of week 8 (regular season trade deadline).

T.2 TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT FORMAT

An example of the trade announcement format is posted as follows and it must be used for a trade to be accounted for:

TEAM 1
Player A - position - Overall rating, age; or draft pick
Player B - position - Overall rating, age; or draft pick

TEAM 2
Player A - position - Overall rating, age; or draft pick
Player B - position - Overall rating, age; or draft pick
​

T.3 TRADE EVALUATION

All agreed upon trades must be posted in the Team Management forum for approval by league management. All owners involved in a trade must post in the trade thread to indicate that they agree to the trade as posted. Once all owners have agreed to the trade in the trade thread, league management will evaluate the trade for approval. A trade must receive approval from league management BEFORE being processed in the online franchise.

Please keep in mind that this is NOT a fantasy league. The league staff reserves the right to deny any trade at our discretion.

T.4 TRADE DEADLINES

All trades must be requested by the scheduled weekly deadline for the transaction to be effective on the next week's roster. The regular season trade deadline is the conclusion of week EIGHT. No trades of any kind are allowed after week nine commences. Trading will resume upon conclusion of the QSF Super Bowl.

T.5 DRAFT DAY TRADES

There will be a deadline for draft day trades involving players to be completed BEFORE the draft. Trades made DURING the draft are limited to draft pick only trades and must be completed by the teams involved within the online Franchise. Draft day trades MUST be posted in the Team Management forum. There is no limit on the number of draft picks that a team may accumulate via trade. The draft will NOT be paused to allow additional time for teams to complete a draft day trade.

T.6 PLAYER OVERALL RATINGS

For trade value purposes, a player's overall rating is based on what the player's overall rating is at the player's most suitable position scheme. The player's overall rating on the team that is receiving the player in a trade is the receiving team's risk or reward.

TO CLARIFY, AND NOT LEAVE IT OPEN FOR MISINTERPRETATION. A PLAYERS MOST SUITABLE SCHEME, FOR PURPOSES OF THIS RULE, IS THE PLAYER'S STATED PREFERRED SCHEME ON THEIR PLAYER CARD.

T.7 TRADE PROTECTION

A player that has been received in a trade may not be traded again until the following off-season. For trade protection purposes, the definition of "SEASON" begins with the off-season re-signings phase and ends with the conclusion of the Super Bowl. Teams may release players received via trade at any time.

A player in his rookie season may not be traded, regardless of whether he was drafted or signed as a rookie free agent.

A player signed as a free agent (either in off season free agency or in season signing) is not eligible to be traded until the following off-season.

To sum it all up; no player may be traded while they are in their first season with their current team.

T.8 TRADE BLOCKS

Teams may update their trade block in the online franchise or post the information in the the Team Management forum.

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

RE-SIGNINGS

RS.1 RE-SIGNINGS

THERE ARE NO PLAYER LIMITATIONS REGARDING YOUR RE-SIGNINGS.

The salary cap will be determined by the online Franchise. Teams MUST comply with the salary cap for the year that applies and remain under the cap at all times. Each individual owner is responsible for managing their team salaries to remain under the cap while maintaining the minimum roster requirements.

​

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

FREE AGENCY

FA.1 PRE-SEASON AND WEEK 1 WAIVER SYSTEM

Waivers will be used to claim free agents during the:

• Pre-season and week 1 (all four pre-season weeks and week 1 will be combined into one waiver phase)

​

Following the league deadline for teams to cut rosters to the 53 man limit, waivers will be used to claim free agents during the pre-season. The waiver order is determined by the results of the previous season in reverse standings order.
Teams will be required to submit a form to claim free agent claims during the waivers period. The form will be available in the Team Management forum.

Only ONE form submission is allowed per team. The results of the form are private and will not be available for public display until AFTER the applicable waiver claim deadline. Do NOT post the name(s) of the player(s) your team is claiming in the forum. A confirmation message will display when a waiver claim form has been successfully submitted.

Teams may submit claims for an unlimited number of free agents. Teams must list their claims in order of priority. If a team elects to make separate claims for multiple free agents, the team will be assigned each free agent that is rightfully claimed through the waiver order even if the separate claims are for the same position.

Teams are allowed to provide an UNLIMITED number of alternate free agent names of the SAME position IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE within the same claim. The reasoning behind this is to allow the team to sign a free agent at the designated position if their first, second, or third (and so on) target is claimed by a different team via waiver order.

If a team provides alternate free agent names with each claim (for the same position only), the team will claim the free agent option that is highest on the team’s preference list through the process of elimination based on the waiver order. Once a free agent from a team’s preference list has been designated to be claimed, all alternate free agent names associated with the claim will be eliminated from their list of options.

Free agent claims will be awarded based on priority AND waiver order as follows...

Example 1: FA assigned based on waiver order.

Scenario: The Chiefs and Jaguars each submit waiver claims for free agent WR Randy Moss.

Waiver Order

1. Chiefs
2. Jaguars
3. Raiders​

The Chiefs list WR Randy Moss as their #1 priority on their waiver form.

The Jaguars list WR Randy Moss as their #1 priority on their waiver form.

RESULT: The Chiefs would be awarded the rights to Moss as both teams had Moss listed as their #1 priority, but the Chiefs are higher than the Jaguars on the waiver order.

Example 2: FA assigned based on priority over waiver order.

Scenario: The Chiefs and Jaguars each submit waiver claims for free agent WR Randy Moss.

Waiver Order

1. Chiefs
2. Jaguars
3. Raiders​

The Chiefs list HB Beanie Wells as their #1 priority on their waiver form and Moss as their #2 priority with WR Brandon Lloyd as an alternate #2 priority in their claim for Moss.

The Jaguars claim WR Randy Moss as their #1 priority.

RESULT: The Jaguars would be awarded the rights to Moss as they had Moss listed higher on their priority list (#1 priority) compared to the Chiefs (#2 priority).

Example 3: FA assigned based on alternate FA's listed.

Scenario: The Chiefs, Jaguars, and Raiders each submit waiver claims for free agent WR Randy Moss.

Waiver Order

1. Chiefs
2. Jaguars
3. Raiders​

The Chiefs claim WR Randy Moss as their #1 priority on their waiver form.

The Jaguars claim WR Randy Moss as their #1 priority on their waiver form with WR Brandon Lloyd as an alternate in their claim for Moss.

The Raiders claim WR Randy Moss as their #1 priority on their waiver form with WR Brandon Lloyd as their first alternate and WR Steve Smith as their second alternate in their claim for Moss.

RESULT: The Chiefs would be awarded the rights to Moss based solely on waiver order. The Jaguars would be awarded the rights to WR Brandon Lloyd based on alternate claim as their #1 priority and they are higher on the waiver order than the Raiders. The Raiders would be awarded the rights to Smith as they had Smith listed as their #1 priority and second alternate after Lloyd.​

Once a free agent has been claimed via waivers, the free agent MUST be signed. If a team needs to create roster space or cap space to sign the free agent, they will be forced to do so in order to sign the claimed free agent. The player may be released at any time during the regular season. Free agency will be first come, first served at the opening of week 1 of the regular season.


<<<< CLICK HERE TO VIEW SAMPLE WAIVER CLAIM

FA.2 REGULAR SEASON FREE AGENCY (BEGINNING WEEK 2)

Other than cap space and roster limits, there is no restriction to the number of free agents that a team may sign during the regular season (beginning in week 2).

In order to prevent teams from manipulating the cap system, a "no tag-backs" rule has been established. Teams may NOT release a player during the pre-season or regular season and then re-sign the player they just released to a one year free agent deal. It is a loophole which allows teams to sign the player at a fraction of what the his original contract was. Re-structuring contracts may only be performed during a contract year or when the player has requested to re-negotiate his current contract.

Once a player is released from his contract during the pre-season or the regular season, he cannot be signed to a free agent contract by the team that released him until the following off-season free agency phase commences if the player maintains free agent status. If signing a free agent is an issue of need, the team can sign a different player at the position to replace the player that was released. If the team wanted to keep the player that they had released, the team shouldn't have released the player in the first place.

FA.3 OFF-SEASON FREE AGENT BIDDING CONTRACT TERMS

There is no restrictions to the amount of salary or bonus offered to any player(s). Keep in mind that all bonus money comes out of available team funds immediately after the contract is accepted ALL AT ONCE. Contract length on all offers are limited to the length of contract that player is seeking (or less). YOU MAY NOT OFFER ANY PLAYER IN FREE AGENT BIDDING A LONGER CONTRACT THAN THEY ARE SEEKING

FA.4 FREE AGENT PROTECTION

Newly acquired free agents may NOT be traded until they have completed the current season with the team that they have signed a contract with. For free agent protection purposes, the definition of "SEASON" begins with the off-season retirements phase and ends with the conclusion of the Super Bowl. Teams may release players signed via free agency back to free agency at any time.

FA.5 OFF-SEASON FREE AGENCY

A free agency period will be held before the draft. Bidding will be determined by the online Franchise. Teams are only limited to what their cap space and team funds allow, as well as the length the player(s) is seeking or less).

FA.6 RESTRICTED FREE AGENCY

There are no restricted free agents with the online Franchise. The league will NOT be holding a restricted free agency period of its own.

< BACK TO TOP >​

< BACK TO TOP >​

ROOKIE DRAFT

RD.1 DRAFT PARAMETERS

The rookie draft will be held LIVE within the online franchise every off-season including simulated seasons. The draft will be scheduld for a pre-determined date and time that is convenient for the majority of the league owners AND coincides with the current league schedule. We cannot cater to every owner's schedule; and therefore, we reserve the right to schedule the rookie draft for a date/time which an owner or owners may not be present. There is no limit to the number of draft picks that a team may have for the draft.

RD.2 DRAFT SETTINGS

Teams will have 60 seconds with each pick to make their selection. The LIVE draft will not be paused for any draft day trades. The LIVE draft will not be paused to allow a team more time to make their selection if the rookie they were prospecting was selected with the previous team's draft pick. The LIVE draft will not be paused if an owner is not present when their pick is "on the clock" in the draft order. The league staff reserves the right to pause the LIVE draft at any time in warranted situations that are not intended for self-gain.

RD.3 DRAFT BOARD

Owners are not required to be present for the rookie draft. If an owner is unable to attend the LIVE draft, or if they choose not to attend the LIVE draft, or if they choose to leave the LIVE draft at any time; it is the OWNER'S responsibility to establish their team's draft board within the online franchise. The CPU will make the draft selections for all owners who are not present at the time that their draft pick is "on the clock." The league staff will NOT be making draft selections for owners who are absent during the LIVE draft; nor will the league staff manage absentee draft boards.

RD.4 DRAFT DAY TRADES

Draft day trades are allowed if they fall within the T.4 TRADE RESTRICTIONS. There is no limit on the number of draft picks that a team may accumulate via trade. Draft day trades must be completed by the teams involved within the online CCM. Draft day trades MUST be posted in the Team Management forum. The draft will NOT be paused to allow additional time for teams to complete a draft day trade.

RD.5 ROOKIE SIGNINGS

All drafted rookies are signed to their respective teams. The contract amounts are pre-determined within the online franchise.

RD.6 ROOKIE TRADE OR RELEASE

Newly acquired rookies may not be traded until one season has been completed with their respective team. Rookies may be released to free agency at any time.

< BACK TO TOP >​

Updated Trade Rules

Updated to add number of trades allowed.

Updated R.2 POSITION CHANGES & SUBSTITUTIONS

Added FS.10 Stadium Building and Team Relocation to include rebuilding & relocation parameters.

Updated FA.1 PRE-SEASON AND WEEKS 1 & 2 WAIVER SYSTEM to include waiver system. Updated FA.2 REGULAR SEASON FREE AGENCY (BEGINNING WEEK 3).

Updated Free Agency Bidding

UPDATED POSITION CHANGES & SUBSTITUTIONS

UPDATED FOR CLARIFICATION.

Updated TRADE RULES

Draft picks are no longer counted in the piece limit for trades involving players. The piece limit only applies to players.

Updated Roster Requirements to require 3 QBs because of the apparent QB injury glitch.