NFL Survivor Pool Rules Template

Need a set of survivor pool rules you can send to your group? Use this template as-is or customize it for your league.

The most important thing is to make the rules clear before players join. Once picks start, changing rules can create trust problems fast.

Each participant selects one NFL team to win its game each week. If the selected team wins, that entry advances to the next week.

If the selected team loses, that entry receives a strike or is eliminated, depending on league settings. Teams may only be used once during the season. The last remaining entry wins the pool.

All picks must be submitted before the weekly deadline. Commissioners can choose fixed weekly deadlines, such as Sunday at 1:00 PM ET, or rolling kickoff locks where each game locks at kickoff.

Late picks should not be accepted unless your rules clearly say otherwise. The cleaner rule is to decide the deadline format up front and apply it the same way for every entry.

Commissioners should decide before the season whether a tie counts as a win, a loss, or a push. Whatever you choose should apply to all participants for the full season.

Tie rules seem minor until one actually happens. Put the rule in writing before Week 1 so there is no argument later.

If your league allows multiple entries, each participant may have up to the number of entries set by the commissioner. Each entry should be treated independently with its own picks, standings position, and elimination status.

During designated double-pick weeks, each active entry must submit two different teams. Unless the commissioner states otherwise, both picks must win for the entry to survive the week.

If a participant fails to submit a pick before the deadline, choose one rule: automatic elimination, automatic strike, or a commissioner-assigned pick such as the highest remaining favorite. Pick one rule and apply it consistently.

The last remaining active entry is declared the winner. If multiple entries remain after the final week, the commissioner can declare co-winners or use a predetermined tiebreaker.

Want these rules enforced automatically? Create your pool on Survive Sunday and let the platform handle locks, standings, used teams, and elimination tracking.