Play clock
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A play clock (also called a delay-of-game timer) is a timer designed to increase the pace (and subsequently, the score) in American football and Canadian football, similar to what a shot clock does in basketball. The offensive team must snap the ball before the time expires, or else they will be assessed a 5-yard delay of game (American football) or time count violation (Canadian football as "delay of game" is a different offense) penalty. If a visible clock is not available (or not functioning), game officials on the field will use a stopwatch or other similar device to enforce the rule.
In Canadian football, the offensive team must run a play within 20 seconds of the referee whistling the play in; in American football, teams have 25 seconds – except in the National Football League where teams have 40 seconds from the end of the previous play.
Also in the Canadian Football League, a time count violation penalty is enforced differently at certain points of the game. If the time count violation occurs in before the three-minute mark of a half, the penalty is five yards and the down is repeated. In the final three minutes, the penalty is a loss of down on first and second down or 10 yards, with the down repeated, on third down.[1] (Scroll down to "Article 4".)
In the strategy of clock management, a team can slow the pace of a game by taking the maximum amount of time allotted between plays. A team wishing to do so would wait to snap the ball until there is one second left on the play clock.
All-American delay-of-game timer
Daktronics delay-of-game timer
