Delay of game Delay of game is an action in a sports game in which a player or team deliberately stalls the game , usually with the intention of using the delay to its advantage . In some sports , the delay of game is considered an infraction if it is longer than that permitted according to the game ' s rules , in which case a penalty can be issued . Some sports that have a delay of game penalty are American football , Canadian football , ice hockey and association football . ' Gridiron ' football . American . In American football , an offensive team is penalized five yards for delay of game if it fails to put the ball in play by either snap or free kick before the play clock expires . This time limit varies by league , and is often 25 seconds from the time the referee signals the ball ready for play . In the National Football League , it can also be 40 seconds from the end of the previous down , depending on the circumstances at the time . Also , the defensive team can be given the same penalty if they fail to quickly yield the ball to officials after a play has ended , prevent a player on the offense from getting up after the play , or kicking the ball . Canadian . In Canadian football , the term " delay of game " is used for a different type of foul . On kickoffs , it can be called against the kicking team for failure to put the ball in play within 20 seconds of the referee ' s signal . At other times in the game , it can be called against the defensive team for interference with the placement of the ball after it is declared in play by the referee . In both cases , the penalty is 10 yards from the previous spot . The foul known as " delay of game " in American football is called " time count " in Canada . It is generally identical to the American foul , with two important exceptions . First , Canadian football only allows the offensive team 20 seconds from the referee ' s signal to put the ball in play , as opposed to the longer periods allowed in the American code . Second , the penalty , which is identical to that in the American code during most of the game , including convert attempts at any time , is dramatically different after the Canadian code ' s three - minute warning near the end of each half . After the three - minute warning , the base penalty becomes loss of down on first or second down , instead of the regular 5 yards . On third down ( the final down that the offensive side has to gain a first down ) , the penalty becomes 10 yards with the down repeated . The referee also has the right to give possession to the defensive team if he deems repeated time count violations on third down to be deliberate . Soccer . Any player who the referee adjuges to be delaying the restart of the game to gain an unfair advantage is cautioned and may be shown a yellow card . Common strategies include delaying the taking of a goal kick or free kick , or taking excessive time to leave or enter the field of play during a substitution . Ice hockey . A player who intentionally shoots the puck over the glass and out of play is charged with a minor penalty ( two minutes ) . Also , in leagues utilizing the trapezoid behind the net , if the goaltender plays the puck in the outside corners of the area he is charged with a delay of game . Bowling . In the Professional Bowlers Association tour events , a 25 second shot clock is used for televised events . The clock starts when the bowler picks up his ball on the first ball of a frame , or when it exits the automatic ball return on all other balls . If the bowler fails to release the ball before the clock expires , he is warned on the first offense and charged with a minor penalty ( $ 50 fine ) on subsequent offenses in the same tournament . Baseball . MLB rules require that , when the bases are unoccupied , a pitcher pitch the ball within 12 seconds of receiving it . Failure to do this can result in an automatic ball being added to the ball / strike count . This rule , however , is virtually ignored completely . In 2010 , the Southeastern Conference began enforcing a 20 - second pitch clock when the bases are empty , and the rule was adopted by the NCAA in 2011 . A warning is given for the first violation , and subsequent violations by a pitcher result in an automatic ball . If the batter causes the 20 - second violation , an automatic strike is assessed . The clock will be visible . Quiz Bowl . In Quiz Bowl , a player buzzing in on a tossup question must say their answer within a short time , usually five seconds . Taking longer than five seconds is called stalling and typically is treated as if the player gave the wrong answer . This usually implies that the team will be negged ( five points taken from the score in NAQT format ) and the other team has the opportunity to answer the question while the stalling team is locked out .