The Rules: AFL vs. NFL
An indoor pigskin primer for the uninitiated
It's safe to say that most guys know the ins and outs of the NFL. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the AFL. From the playing field to the scoring format and size of the teams, Men's Fitness reveals the basic differences between the Arena Football League and the NFL.
The Gridiron Breakdown:
| The AFL | The NFL | |
| Field | 85 feet wide, 50 yards long, for a faster, higher-scoring affair | 160 feet wide, 100 yards long |
| Goal posts | Nine feet wide with a 15-foot high crossbar | 18 1/2 feet wide with a 10-foot high crossbar |
| Roster | 20-man rosters; eight men on the field | 53-man roster; 11 on the field |
| Scoring | Mostly the same as NFL, but a successful drop kick earns two points on the extra point and four points as a field goal | Hey, even your five-year-old nephew knows this: 6-pt TDs, 3-pt FGs ... |
| Rebound nets | Kickoffs and passing plays that bounce off the nets are still in play | What rebound nets? |
| Passing | Just like in NCAA, receivers only need one foot inbounds | Both feet inbounds |
| Punting | Not allowed. You gotta man-up and go for it on fourth down | Wimps go three-and-punt |
| Overtime | 15 minutes, with at least one guaranteed possession for each team | 15-minute sudden death |
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