Two-minute warning

The origins are from the early years in the National Football League (NFL) when the official game time was kept by a member of the officiating crew, with the stadium clock being unofficial. Its purpose was a checkpoint to ensure that the teams knew how much time remained in the game. In the early 1960s the upstart American Football League (AFL) made the stadium clock the official game time, a change followed later in the decade by the NFL, shortly before its merger with the AFL. By then, television was an important factor in professional football, so the two-minute warning was retained as a commercial break and to serve as "tension building" time, and thus has become an important part of the game's flow.^[3]

The NCAA adopted the two-minute warning rule for college football in 2024, but referred to the rule as the two-minute timeout, insisting that college football broadcasters refer to it as a timeout and not a warning, despite it functioning the same as a two minute warning. A representative for the NCAA stated that the "warning" term was outdated—because stadiums have kept the official game clock for decades, teams do not need to be warned about the game clock anymore— and that the NCAA opted for what it considered to be a more accurate phrasing.^[4] The NCAA's decision was criticized by fans and several media members, with a representative of the Big Ten stating that the conference would be in favor of using the "two-minute warning" term because "it is consistent with terminology currently in use and familiar to our fan base."^[5][6]

In addition to those practical purposes, gradually, some rules have evolved that are unique to the final two minutes of each half and overtime. There are no special events at the end of the first and third quarters, aside from the teams changing directions ("swapping end zones"), so there is normally not a two-minute warning during those quarters. Two-minute warnings in each quarter have been implemented in some exhibition games, such as the Pro Bowl during 2014–2016 and 2019–2022,^{[citation needed]} and in some editions of the Senior Bowl.^[7]

The following situations (below) result in a 10-second game clock runoff if the team in possession of the ball is trailing, or the game is tied during that possession. If 10 or fewer seconds remain in the half/overtime/game, the runoff effectively ends the period/game. The offense can call a timeout to avoid the runoff. The defense can decline the 10-second runoff while accepting the distance penalty.

• Excessive timeouts due to injuries (see below)
• Instant replay overturns a call on the field and the correct ruling would not stop the game clock
• One of the following six fouls is committed by the offense. Following the runoff, the game clock will resume again once the ball is set.
  • False start (only if the clock was already running when the foul was committed)
  • Intentional grounding
  • Illegal forward pass beyond the line of scrimmage
  • Throwing a backward pass out of bounds
  • Spiking or throwing the ball away after a down (unless after a touchdown)
  • Any other intentional act that causes the clock to stop

Starting with the 2017 NFL season (and later in the 2024 NCAA football season), any review reversals with the clock running inside the two-minute warning will incur a 10-second runoff, which can be avoided if either team uses a timeout.^{[8][9][10][11]}

If a player is injured and his team has timeouts remaining in that half/overtime, the timeout is automatically charged to that team to allow the injured player to be removed from the field. If a team is out of timeouts, they are allowed an otherwise-excessive "fourth timeout" (or third if overtime). However, to minimize the feigning of injuries to save game clock time, any subsequent injuries after the fourth timeout result in a five-yard penalty. Besides the excessive timeout, there is a 10-second runoff (if it was an offensive player that was injured and the clock was not stopped as a result of the play) or the play clock is reset to 40 seconds (if it was a defensive player).^[12]

Exceptions to the above include if the other team called a timeout immediately after the previous play; the injury was caused by a foul by an opponent; or the previous play resulted in a change of possession, a successful field goal, or was a conversion attempt.^[12]

• Within the two-minute warning period (of either half/overtime), instant replay reviews can only take place if the replay assistant, who sits in the press box and monitors the network broadcast of the game, determines that a play needs review. Coaches may not use a coach's challenge.
• Within the two-minute warning period (of either half/overtime), if a player fumbles the ball, any player on his team can recover the ball, but only the fumbler can advance it beyond the spot of the fumble. If any other player from the same team recovers the fumble downfield, the ball is spotted back at the point where it was initially fumbled. This rule also applies to the offense or punting team on fourth down at any point in the game, but applies to all downs after the two-minute warning. This rule was added for the 1979 season as a response to the September 1978 "Holy Roller" play.

The period of time between the two-minute warning and the end of the half is known as the two-minute drill. During this time, clock management becomes a more important aspect of the game, since by proper manipulation of the game clock, a team can, if trailing, prolong the game long enough to secure a score, or if in the lead, hasten the half's end before the opponent can score.

If the leading team has the ball on first down with less than two minutes to go in the game and the opposing team has no timeouts remaining, the quarterback can usually end the game by taking a knee thrice consecutively without risking injuries or turnovers. This is because at the end of each play, the offensive team can take up to 40 seconds to start running the next play.

The CFL has a three-minute warning.^[3] Indoor American football leagues historically used a one-minute warning once a minute remained in the half/overtime. Before 2024, no comparable rule existed at the high school or college levels; at the high school level, the officials are instructed to inform each sideline when three minutes remain in a half, but the rule does not stop the game clock. In April 2024, the NCAA Football Playing Rules Oversight Committee approved the addition of the two-minute warning, effective with that season.^[13] The 2022 version of the USFL used the two-minute warning, and stopped the game clock after first downs during that period. After the USFL merged with the 2020s version of the XFL, creating the current United Football League, the UFL adopted this USFL rule.