With the recent dust-up over Spygate, more attention is being focused on what is and isn’t allowed in the NFL. And let’s face it, American football can already be a confusing sport to follow, what with it’s myriad of well-known rules and regulations. Not to mention the fact that at least once a season, some poor team gets screwed by a seldom-cited section of the NFL rulebook (think the Oakland/New England “Tuck Game”).

In an effort to shed light on some of the league’s more arcane infractions, I bring you illustrated, genuine examples of some penalties you might never see called in your lifetime, but can nonetheless win bar bets by knowing.

Ouch!

The illegal horse-collar tackle is well-known by football fans, but slightly less well-known is the ol’ “righty tighty, lefty loosey” tackle.

Blow man, blow!

During the height of the Zamfir pan flute craze in the 1980s, the NFL was forced to enact this penalty to avoid copycat touchdown celebrations.

Fresh!

Whether it’s getting fresh in the locker room on the gridiron, this kind of behavior is simply unacceptable. And you thought female football reporters had it tough.

That's gotta hurt!

Gotta draw the line on football-related violence somewhere I guess. Decapitation is as good a place to start as any.

Boo!

Yeah, I think this whole “protecting the QB” thing has gone too far myself.

Oh no you di'int!

Not only is this illegal, it’s ridiculously out of date. Who uses “talk to the hand” anymore?

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