In the NFL, the clock does not always fully stop when a player goes out of bounds; it depends on game time and how the player went out.

Quick scoop: basic rule

  • On most plays, when a ball carrier goes out of bounds, the clock stops only briefly so officials can spot the ball, then it starts again when the referee signals ready-for-play.
  • This is different from older rules (pre‑1990), when the clock stopped on every out‑of‑bounds play until the next snap.

When the clock truly stops

There are specific timing windows where going out of bounds keeps the clock stopped until the next snap:

  • After any change of possession (turnover, punt, etc.).
  • Inside the last 2 minutes of the first half.
  • Inside the last 5 minutes of the second half.

In these situations, the clock stays stopped and does not restart on the referee’s ready-for-play signal; it restarts on the snap.

Key exception: backward out of bounds

  • If the runner is contacted by a defender and goes out of bounds backward (losing forward progress), the clock can keep running even in those final minutes.
  • Officials judge whether the player’s forward progress was stopped in bounds; if so, they wind the clock even if the player ends up out of bounds.

Why fans get confused (and why it changed)

  • Many fans grew up hearing “out of bounds stops the clock,” which was true before a 1990 rule change aimed at speeding up games.
  • Today, the clock:
    • Always pauses briefly when a player goes out
    • Often restarts quickly on the ready-for-play signal
    • Only stays stopped in the special time windows and situations above

Handy mental shortcut

  • Early in halves: Out of bounds usually just pauses the clock briefly; it restarts when the ball is set and signaled ready.
  • Late in halves (last 2 of 1st, last 5 of 2nd): Out of bounds generally stops the clock until the snap, unless forward progress was ruled in bounds or the runner went backward out after contact.

Bottom line: in the NFL, going out of bounds sometimes truly stops the clock, but most of the game it only pauses it for the spot before it starts running again.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.