Equipment questions involve protection, fair competition and appearance. To understand a ruling, identify the item, the problem with it and whether the player has already been instructed to correct it.
This page uses the 2026 Official Playing Rules of the National Football League, Rule 5, Section 4. All rulings below have that scope. References such as 5-4-3 mean Rule 5, Section 4, Article 3. Sources were checked on 20 September 2026.
For college, high-school, youth, Canadian or flag football, consult that competition's adopted code. This is an explanation for following NFL games, not an equipment approval checklist for another league.
Under NFL 2026 Rule 5-4-3, players need a helmet with attached facemask and fastened chinstrap, shoulder pads, thigh pads, knee pads, jersey, pants, leg coverings and shoes. Pads must be covered; pants cover the knees. Punters and placekickers may omit thigh and knee pads.
Rule 5-4-3 also lets punters and placekickers leave the kicking foot bare when preparing for and performing kicking plays. Rule 5-4-5 recommends hip pads, subject to team policy. Mouthguards are not on Rule 5-4-3's mandatory list. Required equipment and recommended protection are different categories.
NFL 2026 Rule 5-4-3, Item 1 permits clear visors; tint needs medical documentation and league approval. The NFL's uniform inspection explanation describes the practical reason: medical personnel may need to see an injured player's eyes without removing the helmet.
Example: a tinted visor visible on television is not enough evidence of a violation. An approved medical exception may explain it.
For NFL 2026, jerseys must stay tucked in; tear-away jerseys and modified kicking shoes are prohibited. The home club chooses white or team-colored jerseys, with visitors normally wearing the opposite. Rule 5-4-2 also allows two non-white uniforms with the Commissioner's contrast approval.
The NFL's inspection guidance explains that wearing another manufacturer's equipment and displaying its branding are separate matters: nonpartner marks may need covering or removal. See Rules 5-4-3 and 5-4-7 for the applicable uniform and commercial-identification requirements.
NFL 2026 Rule 5-4-4 permits tackified gloves if they neither transfer adhesive to the ball nor impair handling. Applied adhesive or slippery substances are prohibited. Hard braces and exposed jewelry require specified protective covering; injury protection must be reported to the Umpire before the game.
NFL 2026 Section 5-4's penalty provisions require removal for safety or competitive violations. Other in-game violations generally receive a correction instruction for the next possession change. Illegal return costs five yards from the succeeding spot and removal through one down until corrected; repeat violation means disqualification.
The NFL's inspection account describes checks beginning during warm-ups and continuing during the game. Inspectors communicate problems to players and teams, giving them an opportunity to comply. League fines can follow failures to comply.
Common misunderstanding: seeing an inspector speak to a player does not establish that the team has lost yards. An instruction to fix the uniform and a penalty for returning illegally are different events.
Checked on 20 September 2026. The inspection article includes historical material; the 2026 rulebook controls the rulings here. Later league rulings may supplement this edition.