Is there intentional grounding in flag football?
No. Throwing it away is just an incomplete pass.
Flag football has no intentional grounding. A quarterback about to lose a flag can throw the ball into the ground or out of bounds, and it’s simply an incomplete pass. The next down starts from the previous line of scrimmage.
The throw has to come from behind the line, though. Any forward pass thrown from past the line of scrimmage is an illegal forward pass.
IFAF Flag Football Rules 2023, R 7-2-3, R 7-3-2
Not a foul from behind the line: an incomplete pass (signal S10). Thrown from past the line: illegal forward pass, 5 yards from where it was thrown, plus loss of down (signal S35).
NFL FLAG and local leagues can differ. Check the rulebook your league plays.
Watch this play in the free flag football rules quiz.
Send this to whoever you’re arguing with
Think you know the rules?
Watch animated plays and make the call in the free rules quiz. Refs: print every penalty on a pocket card.