Madden CFM Code of Conduct and League Rule’s Book

This is a live Code of Conduct and Rules document for playing within a Madden CFM League. This document serves as a starting point for anyone who would like a point of reference to improve running their league. This document will be updated as improvements are needed throughout time. This idea is a direct result of me playing in several Madden CFM Leagues and are not in any way thoughts or ideas from EA Sports.

Code of Conduct

As our community grows, it is imperative that we preserve the things that got us here; namely, keeping playing Madden a fun, welcoming, challenging, and fair place to play. This League’s Code of Conduct states our shared ideals with respect to conduct. It is an expression of our ideals, not a rulebook. It is a way to communicate our existing values to the entire community.

Be considerate.

All Madden players are not on the same level. Communicate in a way that helps the league move forward in a progressive manner. Try not to make assumptions about other people.

Be collaborative.

There are many ways to accomplish your goals. Share tips, tricks and techniques you have learned from other Madden Experience to make the league fun for any current and new members.

When we disagree, we consult others.

Contact a Commissioner if there is a conflict, concern or question that needs to be addressed. Do not contribute to toxic behavior.

When we are unsure, we ask for help.

Commissioners are here to help as well as play. Please be respectful that we are not all in the same timezone but make it a priority to stay up to date with all of the rules and to understand which Commissioner needs to be contacted for any type of concern.

Rules

Onboarding Process

• Must play a commissioner in a H2H game to ensure you can follow rules and to show that you know how to save your streams.
• Winning or Losing will not matter. The only thing that matters is being able to play by the rules.
• Commissioners or any current league member must pick and team with an overall rating than your team.
• After a successful try out the new user will receive an invite to the league’s chat app followed by an invite into the Madden League.

Offense

• QBs are not allowed to drop back more than 10 yards. Keep QB drop back realistic.
• Do not roll out of the pocket unless pressured.
• Designed roll-out plays are fair game.
• If you roll out while unpressured you must commit to running the ball with your QB or throwing the ball out of bounds.
• Can’t motion your players due to an audible more than once before a hike.
• All players must be set for one second before hiking the ball.
• Hiking the ball while a WR is in motion is only allowed if the WR is in between the tackles at the time of the hike.
• You are not allowed to hike a ball while a wide receiver is in motion unless the play is designed to behave as such.
• 2 Point Conversion Decision Making.

| LEAD BY  |           | TRAIL BY  |           |
| — — — —  | — — — — — | — — — — - | — — — — — |
| 1 point  | Go for 2  | 1 point   | Go for 2  |
| 2 points | Go for 1  | 2 points  | Go for 2  |
| 3 points | Go for 1  | 3 points  | Go for 1  |
| 4 points | Go for 2  | 4 points  | Decision  |
| 5 points | Go for 2  | 5 points  | Go for 2  |
| 6 points | Go for 1  | 6 points  | Go for 1  |
| 7 points | Go for 1  | 7 points  | Go for 1  |
| 8 points | Go for 1  | 8 points  | Go for 1  |
| 9 points | Go for 1  | 9 points  | Go for 2  |
| 10 points | Go for 1 | 10 points | Go for 1  |
| 11 points | Go for 1 | 11 points | Go for 2  |
| 12 points | Go for 2 | 12 points | Go for 2  |
| 13 points | Go for 1 | 13 points | Go for 1  |
| 14 points | Go for 1 | 14 points | Go for 1  |
| 15 points | Go for 2 | 15 points | Go for 1  |
| 16 points | Go for 1 | 16 points | Go for 2  |
| 17 points | Go for 1 | 17 points | Go for 1  |
| 18 points | Go for 1 | 18 points | Go for 1  |
| 19 points | Go for 2 | 19 points | Go for 2  |
| 20 points | Go for 1 | 20 points | Go for 1  |

• You can run a hurry-up offense if you are down by 21+ points in the 2nd or 4th quarter.
• You can run a hurry-up offense if you are down by 7+ points with 2 mins left in the 2nd or 4th quarter.
• On 4th and goal with less than 6 yards to score you can go for it at any time.
• You can go for it on 4th and 3 at any time.
• You can go for it if there’s only 2 mins left in the half.
• You can go for it in the 4th quarter if you are losing by 14+ points.
• Your pass/run ratio must fall within this pass/run range https://fftoday.com/stats/19_run_pass_ratios.html

Defense

• Default pre-snap adjustments are allowed (e.g.. Pinch, spread, show blitz, man aligned, base aligned, etc.).
• You can’t manually move multiple players around. Utilized default pre-snap adjustments to move multiple players.
• You can’t send a DL into coverage unless it’s designed that way in the original play (e.g. Fire-Zone Blitz) or your pre-snap adjustment designed the DL player to play coverage.
• Must send three pass rushers at all times.
• Can’t blitz on 4 plays in a row. Blitzes are considered as any blitz that shows up under Blitzes in the Concept section.
• Nano-Blitzing not allowed. Nano Blitzing generally is a creative overload blitz that generates immediate pressure on the QB and can sack a QB before he can do a 3 step drop.
• Fake Nano Blitzing is not allowed as it hacks the AI.
• Moving a blitzing defender 5 yards of the lines of scrimmage or outside the tackles is allowed.
• Can’t play man coverage more than 63% of the time on defense.
• Can’t play zone more than 75% of the time.
• https://sportsinfosolutionsblog.com/2020/04/17/evaluating-cb-needs-for-teams-that-use-man-zone-the-most/

Special Teams

• You can do an onside’s kick whenever the coaching suggestion recommends it, but most show proof this happened if you need to defend your reasoning.
• Onside kicks are allowed if you are down in the 4th quarter with 3 mins left.
• Kicking to the FB is never allowed.
• You can fake a punt with less than two minutes left in the half.
• You can fake a punt if you are down by 14+ points and there are less than 3 minutes left in the game.
• The receiving team on all punts can not manually send blockers into the backfield before the ball is hiked.

Game of The Week

• Will be determined by the Commissioners.

Offseason

• Free Agents can not be traded until they have been active for 6 regular season weeks.
• Any Free agent or Approved Trade Deal with an overall rating of 80 at the time of signing must stay with the team for the remainder of the season.

Free Agency

• You can only sign two Free Agents per week.
• If you sign anyone that’s 80 or above after week 6 you must keep them for the remainder of the season. They can not be traded.

Releasing Players

• You can not release any player from your team that has an overall rating of 90 during the regular seasons. You are allowed to release them during the off-season, pre-season, or playoffs.

Trading

• You can’t release a player you acquired from a trade deal and re-sign the same player later.
• A trading commissioner needs to review/approve each and every trade.
• No CPU trades or no direct trades with other users without a Trading Commissioner’s approval.
• Regardless of when you begin the season, you are allowed one trade for your first year.
• Each season completed grants you +1 trade deal you are able to exercise ( year 1 completed = 1 year 2 completed = 2 trades , year 3 = three trades etc). A completed season counts beginning from the time you entered the league until the end of the regular season.

Player Management

• All player jersey numbers must follow the NFL’s rules for allowed Jersey numbers https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-passes-rule-expanding-eligible-jersey-numbers#:~:text=The%20expanded%20jerseys%20will%20allow,will%20remain%20in%201%2D19.
• Contracts must be realistic:
  https://www.si.com/nfl/chiefs/gm-report/the-art-of-nfl-contracts-part-2-the-examples.
• Cannot re-negotiate contracts longer than 5 years.
• If your offensive/defensive package allows for it, you can have a player in a different position (e.g. SS at LB for 3–4 EVEN)
• If your depth chart allows for it you can have your player in a different position.
• You can not manually sub a Cornerback into a Safety position or Linebacker position
• Whenever possible, use a FB as your FB in your depth chart. Sign a Free Agent if needed.
• Whenever possible use a TE as a TE in your depth chart. Sign a Free Agent if needed.
• Cornerbacks are not allowed to be Safeties regardless of any previously mentioned rules.

Game Management

• Can’t chew the clock unless it’s the last two minutes of the first or second half.
• Chewing the clock is defined as hiking the ball with less than 11 seconds left on the clock.
• If someone is taking a knee with less than 1:30 seconds left in the 4th quarter you can not call a timeout if they are up by 8+ points.
• You can not intentionally go offsides to stop the clock in any scenario.
• Stats padding is when you intentionally gain too many stats with a particular player for the sole purpose of increasing their stat. This is typically a red flag of low skills, not utilizing your entire offense/defense or you are taking advantage of the AI/Glitch within the game.
• If you go over the allocated stat quota for any given player you must sub that player out for backup.
• The state quota is any given is any current single-game record.
• For INTs, sacks, and receptions the stat quota is the current NFL single-game record divided by two (divided by two due to the shorter quarter lengths in this league).
• Any commissioner can make an exception to these rules depending on the context of the game.

Losing A Game

• Tanking is never allowed. If you don’t want to play and build your team to be better every game then this isn’t the league for you.
• Admitting to tanking or being caught tanking will result in immediate booting of the league.
• Play your game to the very end. Conceding is not an option and is grounds for getting booted. Don’t waste everyone’s time.
• Dashboarding or quitting a game is not allowed and is grounds for immediate booting. You can bring your case up to a commissioner to raise any concerns you may have.

Committees

• All Trades must be approved by a Trade Committee Member.
• Personal bias towards one another with users can not affect any trade between league members and committee members.
• The Schedule Committee is responsible for making sure each opponent knows how to contact their opponent and advances happen on time.
• The Main Commissioner will approve any player jersey number, position change or ability upgrade requests.
• Nobody is allowed to modify a QB’s throwing animation.

Streaming

• All playoff games must be streamed. Any other game is optional.
• All streaming must be done on Twitch or Youtube.
• All links to streamed games must appear in the group chat/app.
• All streamed games (whether the game was completed or not) must be saved persistently to Twitch or Youtube for the duration of the season.
• The person with the strongest internet connection streams (https://www.speedtest.net/).
• It’s recommended to take pics of your score with the time visible with your phone in case the connection drops.
• Two dropped connections will result in a forced simulation game. Repeated behavior will result in a Commissioner intervention.

Harassment

• Don’t contribute to any toxic behavior within the league.

Forced Wins/Forced Simulations/CPU Play

• Must follow league rules when playing CPU.

Getting Booted

• Any user who has been inactive for 2 franchise weeks risk getting booted if they have not reached out to a Commissioner about their inactivity.
• Excessive rule breaking will result in getting booted from the league at the commissioner’s discretion.

Rewards

(Link Coming Soon)