▁committed ▁by ▁their ▁players . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁mis con ception ▁that ▁the ▁term ▁" pen alty " ▁is ▁used ▁to ▁refer ▁both ▁to ▁an ▁inf raction ▁and ▁the ▁pen al ▁consequence ▁of ▁that ▁inf raction . ▁A ▁f oul ▁is ▁a ▁rule ▁inf raction ▁( e . g . ▁off ensive ▁holding ) ▁for ▁which ▁a ▁penalty ▁( e . g . ▁move ▁back ▁ 1 0 ▁yards ) ▁is ▁ass essed . ▁ ▁Sign aling ▁and ▁announ cing ▁pen alt ies ▁Official s ▁initially ▁signal ▁fou ls ▁by ▁toss ing ▁a ▁bright ly ▁colored ▁flag ▁( yellow ▁in ▁American ▁football , ▁orange ▁in ▁Canadian ▁football ) ▁onto ▁the ▁field ▁toward ▁or ▁at ▁the ▁spot ▁of ▁the ▁f oul . ▁Because ▁of ▁this , ▁broad c aster s ▁and ▁fans ▁often ▁use ▁the ▁terms ▁" flag " ▁or ▁" flag ▁on ▁the ▁play " ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁fou ls ▁during ▁the ▁game . ▁ ▁During ▁a ▁play , ▁multiple ▁officials ▁may ▁flag ▁the ▁same ▁f oul , ▁and ▁multiple ▁flags ▁may ▁be ▁thrown ▁for ▁separate ▁fou ls ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁play . ▁If ▁applicable , ▁the ▁same ▁official ▁can ▁signal ▁additional ▁fou ls ▁on ▁a ▁given ▁play ▁by ▁throwing ▁a ▁bean bag ▁or ▁their ▁cap . ▁When ▁officials ▁throw ▁a ▁flag ▁during ▁a ▁down , ▁play ▁does ▁not ▁stop ▁until ▁the ▁ball ▁becomes ▁dead ▁under ▁normal ▁conditions , ▁as ▁if ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁fou ls . ▁ ▁Once ▁the ▁ball ▁is ▁dead , ▁or ▁immediately ▁when ▁a ▁f oul ▁is