Mottafied Football League Rules
Beginning the League
The league begins with 24 organizations in 1966. Each player will choose and organization from the NFL/AFL in 1966. Owners will play with the actual team roster for each team from 1966. Each organization has been reorganized based on geography, and teams have intermixed into 2 conferences and 3 divisions of 4 teams each. Expansion will not happen in the league until we reach the 1978 season, and the schedule moves to 16 games. At that point, expansion will occur, and 4 teams will be added to the league. Organization names cannot be changed, and will remain named after NFL organizations throughout the history of MotFL.
Scheduling
Schedules will be 14 games long. 6 games will be home and home with your division rivals. 4 games will be played against two of the four teams from the other divisions in your conference. These four games switch each year, so that you will play against every team in your conference every two seasons. 4 games will be played against a division from the other conference. This will rotate each season, so every team will play every other team in the other conference once every three years.
Playoffs
- 6 teams from each league will make the playoffs.
- The division winner from each division will make the playoffs, HOWEVER, playoff seeding will be based on overall record, not divisional championship.
- The top two records in each conference will receive a bye for round one.
- The next two best records will host first round playoff games against seeds 5 and 6.
- Playoffs will proceed from in a bracket from there.
TieBreakers
- Head to Head Record: All teams must have played one another for this tie-breaker to take effect.
- Divisional Record: Tied teams must be in the same division for this to take effect.
- Conference Record
- Strength of Victory Ranking
- Higher Opponents Records Ranking
- Power Ranking in Action PC.
Rosters and Cuts
Teams will have 45 man rosters during the season. At the end of the season, teams will be required to cut down to 35 players maximum. Teams can cut down below 35, but may not be above 35. Specialized cut rules will include touches on the ball from offensive players. As simplified as possible, for 14 game seasons, specialized cut rules will be as follows:
- Teams may not have more than 520 passing attempts on their team after cuts.
- Teams may not have more than 475 rushing attempts on their team after cuts.
- Teams may not have more than 300 receptions on their teams after cuts.
- There are no backup rules for teams with cuts. Backup requirements will be enforced within the draft, but not with cuts.
League Rules ContinueD
Drafts
All drafts will be 10 rounds in length. Draft picks will tradable up to 3 years in advance (During 1966 season, draft picks from 67, 68, and 69 will be eligible to be dealt). ALL TEAMS must have a backup on the roster for each position on the team to prepare for injuries. During a season, may add players to replace injured players for a 45 man roster, but may never have more than 45 non-injured players on their squad, and their draft day roster must have 45 players. Every team is required to have one backup at each position for a standard lineup (1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1TE, 2OT, 2OG, 1OC, 2DE, 1DT with 2ILB, 2DT with 1ILB, 2OLB, 2CB, 2S). To be very clear here, if an organization has only 2 DT’s, it must have 3 ILB in order to guarantee 3-4 defense backups. If 3 DT’s are on the squad, at least 2 ILBs must be on the roster to guarantee 4-3 defense backups. Obviously, players who play multiple positions or generic positions (LB, DB) count as fillers in these spots. Each organization must have special team requirements filled as well. Kickers, Punters, Long Snappers (when/if it becomes applicable), and Return Men must be available in each organization. When these requirements are not met, organizations will be required to drop players and fill holes through a post draft free agent selection process. Once all 24 organizations have met these guidelines, the season will begin.
Draft Lottery
For the first four seasons of MotFL, there will be no lottery. The league will begin with haves and have nots beyond any owners control. The worst teams will draft first down to #24. This will be the case for the 1967, 68, 69, and 70 drafts. Beginning in 1971, a lottery system will begin to take place which will continue throughout the history of the league. All non-playoff teams will be in the lottery, with weighted ability to obtain one of the first six selections in the draft. Essentially there are 100 “lottery balls” to be drawn from.
The top six spots in each draft will be auctioned off. The final six teams who are not drawn will be placed into draft slots 7 through 12 of round 1. Rounds 2 through 10 will be strictly based on worst record. The lottery will take place through an online zoom meeting with selections being made by random drawings using an excel spreadsheet to see which teams win the drawing for each of the top six spots. Owners are allowed to watch the drawing if they choose or are interested.
Trades
Trades will not be considered final until (1) A trade is proposed on the trade site https://mikmot2.com/motfltrades (2) Trade is confirmed by other team. (3) Commish processes the trade in the league.
IF A TRADE IN THE LEAGUE APPEARS TO BE EXTREMELY UNFAIR, the commisioner reserves the right to refuse to process the trade to ensure league fairness. In order to accomplish this, the commisioner reserves the right to use whatever means necessary, including empaneling league members to help him see all possible reasons for fairness in the deal. The job of the commish is to make sure the league stays fair and fun for all league members to enjoy themselves. All trade will be processed that do no risk the fairness of the league.
IF A LEAGUE MEMBER IS GUIDING TWO FRANCHISES IN OUR LEAGUE, those two teams may not trade with one another. This includes three way trades with another team in order to facilitate a trade to their other team.
League Members
Commisioner of this league is Mike Motta
Assistant Commissioner is Randy Sivigny