2021 ERF Season

The 2021 ERF season is the 35th season of the Easy Roblox Fusion (ERF). This is the first to feature a 17-game regular season schedule as the league expanded the season from 16 games. The regular season started on September 9, 2021, with defending Super Bowl XXX champion Cincianti beating New England in the ERF Kickoff Game. The regular season is scheduled to end on January 9, 2022. The playoffs are scheduled to start on January 15 and will conclude with Super Bowl XXI, the league's championship game, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.

Rule changes
The following rule changes were approved at the ERF Owner's Meeting on April 21:


 * The jersey numbering system was modified as follows:
 * Running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers can wear 1-49 and 80-89
 * Defensive backs can wear 1-49
 * Linebackers can wear 1-59 and 90-99
 * The following remain unchanged: offensive linemen (50-79); defensive linemen (50-79, 90–99); and quarterbacks, punters, and kickers (1–19).
 * Per the league's existing rules, any player who changes his number this season must buy out the inventory of his existing jersey before the change can be made. A player who intends to change his number for the 2022 season can do so without cost.
 * Overtime in preseason games has been eliminated. This is the first season since 1973 in which overtime is not used in the preseason.
 * All accepted penalties by either team during consecutive extra point or two-point conversion attempts are to be enforced.
 * The penalty for a second forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage and for a pass thrown after the ball returns behind the line will now include a loss of down.
 * During kickoffs, the receiving team may have no more than nine players in the "set-up zone" (the area between 10 and 25 yards from the kickoff spot).
 * An expansion of the booth-to-official communication on replays, allowing replay officials to advise on "specific, objective aspects of a play when clear and obvious video evidence is present and/or to address game administration issues."

COVID-19 protocols
The league introduced COVID-19 protocols intended to encourage vaccination among players, coaches, and staff. On July 22, the NFL warned that if teams have COVID-19 outbreaks among its unvaccinated players and a game cannot be rescheduled within the 18-week regular season schedule, the team responsible for the outbreak will be charged with a loss by forfeit. They will also be responsible for financial compensation to the other team, as normally players on both teams are not paid for canceled games. On July 24, it was reported that the league will fine players $14,650 for each violation of COVID-19 protocol if they are unvaccinated.

On July 23, the league announced the following temporary rules for the 2020 season would remain in place for 2021, allowing roster flexibility due to uncertainty regarding the pandemic.


 * A player on injured reserve can return after missing three games, instead of the normal eight.
 * Teams can return an unlimited number of players from injured reserve throughout the year, instead of the normal limit of three.
 * Practice squads can include up to 16 players for each team, up from 12.
 * After 4:00 p.m. ET on the Tuesday of a game week, a team can designate up to four practice squad players as "protected," meaning they are not allowed to sign with another team until after their current team plays its next game.
 * Up to two practice squad players can be elevated to the active roster each game week without removing any current players, 4:00 p.m. ET the day before a game.

On August 30, the league and the Easy Roblox Fusion Player Association (ERFPA) agreed to COVID testing protocols for the season. Fully vaccinated players are tested at least once per week and can opt for additional testing. As was the case in 2020, unvaccinated players are tested every day during the regular season and postseason except game days.

Preseason
Training camps were held from late July through August.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game was played on August 5, as Detriot defeated Houston 17-9. The two teams were previously scheduled to play the 2020 game before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Corresponding with the expansion of the regular season to 17 games, the preseason was reduced to three games per team. NFC teams each hosted two preseason games and AFC teams each hosted one. There was a league-wide bye week the weekend of September 4–5, between the final preseason game and the start of the regular season.