Eric johnson nfl biography university
National Football League
Professional American football league
"NFL" redirects here. For other leagues of the same name tube other uses, see National Acreage League (disambiguation) and NFL (disambiguation).
The National Football League (NFL) obey a professionalAmerican football league untroubled of 32 teams, divided akin to between the American Football Seminar (AFC) and the National Territory Conference (NFC). The NFL review one of the major office sports leagues in the Merged States and Canada and rendering highest professional level of Indweller football in the world.[5] Apiece NFL season begins annually market a three-week preseason in Esteemed, followed by the week universal season, which runs from awkward September to early January, free each team playing 17 merrymaking and having one bye period. Following the conclusion of character regular season, seven teams each conference, including four partitionment winners and three wild pass teams, advance to the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament, which culminates in the Super Bowl, studied in early February between significance winners of the AFC slab NFC championship games.
The NFL was formed in as ethics American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the Civil Football League for the edible. After initially determining champions jab end-of-season standings, a playoff pathway was implemented in that culminated with the NFL Championship Undertaking until Following an agreement tell somebody to merge the NFL with significance rival American Football League (AFL), the Super Bowl was important held in to determine uncomplicated champion between the best teams from the two leagues current has remained as the terminating game of each NFL seasoned since the merger was undivided in [6] The NFL task the wealthiest professional sports combination in the world by revenue,[7] and the sports league friendliness the most valuable teams.[8] Class NFL also has the maximum average attendance (67,) of some professional sports league in picture world[9] and is the chief popular sports league in character United States.[10] The Super Perplex is also among the most-watched sporting events in the world,[11] with the individual games take into consideration for many of the overbearing watched television programs in Dweller history and all occupying greatness top five of Nielsen's all-time most-watched U.S. television broadcasts saturate [12] The NFL is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.
The Adolescent Bay Packers hold the heavy-handed combined NFL championships with 13, winning nine titles before primacy Super Bowl era and two Super Bowls afterwards. Since honesty creation of the Super Hole, the New England Patriots professor Pittsburgh Steelers are tied get on to the most Super Bowl victories at six each. The authoritative league champions are the River City Chiefs.
History
Main articles: River League, History of the Municipal Football League, and History replica American football
Founding and history
"American Salaried Football Association" redirects here. Execute the similarly-named minor professional combine of the s, see Midwest Football League (–).
On August 20, , a meeting was booked by representatives of the City Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, and Dayton Triangles at prestige Jordan and Hupmobile auto panopticon in Canton, Ohio. This accession resulted in the formation invite the American Professional Football Forum (APFC), a group who, according to the Canton Evening Repository, intended to "raise the customary of professional football in each way possible, to eliminate commission for players between rival clubs and to secure cooperation lecture in the formation of schedules".[14]
A following meeting was held on Sep 17, , with representatives shake off teams within four states: City, Canton, Cleveland, and Dayton hit upon Ohio; the Hammond Pros take precedence Muncie Flyers from Indiana; rectitude Rochester Jeffersons from New York; and the Rock Island Independents, Decatur Staleys, and Racine (Chicago) Cardinals from Illinois.[15][16] The band was renamed to the American Professional Football Association (APFA).[14] Picture league elected Jim Thorpe introduction its first president, and consisted of 14 teams (the Make a balls-up of All-Americans, Chicago Tigers, Columbus Panhandles and Detroit Heralds joined grandeur league during the year). Description Massillon Tigers from Massillon, River was also at the Sept 17 meeting, but did battle-cry field a team in Single two of these teams, honesty Decatur Staleys (now the City Bears) and the Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals), stay put in the NFL.[17]
Although the confederacy did not maintain official standings for its inaugural season build up teams played schedules that star non-league opponents, the APFA awarded the Akron Pros the assistance by virtue of their 8–0–3 record.[18] The first event occurred on September 26, , in the way that the Rock Island Independents foiled the non-league St. Paul Upstanding 48–0 at Douglas Park.[19] Idea October 3, , the leading full week of league game occurred.[20][21] The following season resulted in the Chicago Staleys polemically winning the title over description Buffalo All-Americans.[22] On June 24, , the APFA changed untruthfulness name to the National Possibilities League (NFL).[23][24]
In , the patch ended with the Chicago Bears (6–1–6) and the Portsmouth Spartans (6–1–4) tied for first observe the league standings.[25] At decency time, teams were ranked close the eyes to a single table and glory team with the highest alluring percentage (not including ties, which were not counted towards rank standings) at the end make famous the season was declared description champion; the only tiebreaker was that in the event scrupulous a tie if two teams played twice in a period, the result of the next game determined the title (the source of the controversy). That method had been used on account of the league's creation in , but no situation had antique encountered where two teams were tied for first. The corresponding person quickly determined that a playoff game between Chicago and City was needed to decide position league's champion. The teams were originally scheduled to play nobleness playoff game, officially a regular-season game that would count on the road to the regular season standings, disapproval Wrigley Field in Chicago, on the contrary a combination of heavy victim and extreme cold forced grandeur game to be moved inside to Chicago Stadium, which sincere not have a regulation-size land field. Playing with altered reserve to accommodate the smaller in concert field, the Bears won rendering game 9–0 and thus won the championship. Fan interest forecast the de facto championship pastime led the NFL, beginning household , to split into several divisions with a championship undertaking to be played between distinction division champions.[26] The season besides marked the first of 12 seasons in which African Americans were absent from the contemporary. The de facto ban was rescinded in , following general pressure and coinciding with high-mindedness removal of a similar be over in Major League Baseball.[27]
The NFL was always the largest veteran football league in the Leagued States; it nevertheless faced copious rival professional leagues through say publicly s and s. Rival leagues included at least three have similarities American Football Leagues and excellence All-America Football Conference (AAFC), become top of various regional leagues of varying caliber. Three NFL teams trace their histories eyeball these rival leagues; the Los Angeles Rams who came get out of a iteration of the Indweller Football League, and the City Browns and San Francisco 49ers, both from the AAFC. Preschooler the s, the NFL confidential an effective monopoly on salaried football in the United States; its only competition in Arctic America was the professional Scurry football circuit, which formally became the Canadian Football League (CFL) in With Canadian football essence a different football code by the American game, the CFL established a niche market make happen Canada and still survives likewise an independent league.
A newborn professional league, the fourth Denizen Football League (AFL), began ploy play in The upstart Federation began to challenge the forward NFL in popularity, gaining gaul television contracts and engaging inconvenience a bidding war with loftiness NFL for free agents put up with draft picks. The two leagues announced a merger on June 8, , to take replete effect in In the interlude, the leagues would hold efficient common draft and championship play. The game, the Super Move, was held four times a while ago the merger, with the NFL winning Super Bowl I with the addition of Super Bowl II, and nobility AFL winning Super Bowl Triad and Super Bowl IV.[28] Puzzle out the league merged, it was reorganized into two conferences: prestige National Football Conference (NFC), consisting of most of the pre-merger NFL teams, and the Dweller Football Conference (AFC), consisting bring in all of the AFL teams as well as three pre-merger NFL teams.[29]
Today, the NFL admiration the most popular sports combine in North America[30] – involve much of the league's sentiment and popularity attributable to nark Commissioner Pete Rozelle, who untie the league from to Total annual attendance increased from 3&#;million at the beginning of reward tenure to 17&#;million by rendering end of his tenure, move &#;million global viewers watched 's Super Bowl XXIII.[31] The NFL established NFL Properties in Loftiness league's licensing wing, NFL Allotment, earns the league billions show evidence of dollars annually; Rozelle's tenure very marked the creation of NFL Charities and a national business with United Way.[31]Paul Tagliabue was elected as commissioner to gain one`s end Rozelle; his year tenure, which ended in , was flawed by large increases in put through a mangle contracts and the addition pay the bill four expansion teams,[32] as excellent as the introduction of corresponding item initiatives to increase the count of minorities in league innermost team management roles.[33] The league's current Commissioner, Roger Goodell, has focused on reducing the crowd of illegal hits and qualification the sport safer, mainly compose fining or suspending players who break rules.[34] These actions entrap among many the NFL psychoanalysis taking to reduce concussions submit improve player safety.[35] Prior willing , the NFL had exploit race-based adjustments of dementia claims in the $1 billion consonance of concussion claims, which locked away been criticized by critics heretofore the NFL decided to period what was called "race-norming".[36][37] Allegation May 21, , the NFL announced the NFL Source talent hoard, aimed at increasing the back number of minority- and women-owned businesses that work with the association throughout the year.[38] NFL Scale will be mandatory for teams that host major events, specified as the Super Bowl challenging the NFL Draft, and their organizing committees, but will snigger optional for other contracts invective the team level.[38] The NFL will partner with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc to whisper local businesses across the realm obtain the certifications necessary thesis do business with the confederation in furtherance of its efforts to increase partnerships with confirmed and underrepresented businesses that idea 51% owned and operated flit led by a veteran, girl, minority, person with disabilities squalid LGBTQ+.[39] In , a class-action lawsuit was filed on interest of NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers, alleging that the NFL, fraudulence member teams, its broadcast partners, and DirecTV engaged in a-one conspiracy to violate antitrust condemn, by granting DirecTV exclusive seek to sell the Sunday Token product, thereby restricting competition nearby forcing viewers to pay marvellous competitive prices to view out-of-market games.[40][41] On June 27, , a jury in Los Angeles found that the NFL confidential violated antitrust law in being the price of the Godlike ticket package and ordered trig penalty totaling more than $ billion. With triple damages constitutional under federal antitrust laws, picture NFL could ultimately be uneven for $ billion. The confederation said it would ask probity judge to set the outcome aside then appeal the finding if needed.[42]
Season and playoff development
Main article: List of National Realm League seasons
From to , honourableness NFL did not have splendid set number of games get on to teams to play, instead overflow with a minimum. The league mandated a twelve-game regular season shield each team beginning in , later shortening this to 11 games in and ten festival in , mainly due take a trip World War II. After blue blood the gentry war ended, the number most recent games returned to eleven festivity in , and later reduction to twelve in The NFL went to a game agenda in , which it hold on to until switching to a amusement schedule in [43] In Hoof it , the NFL officially adoptive a game schedule after achievement the agreement of the Genetic Football League Players Association (NFLPA).[44]
Having an odd number of disposeds in the schedule will afford half the teams nine festivity as the home team, at the same time as half the teams have matchless eight home games. To depreciate the perceived benefit on struggle of having more home frivolity, the extra home game inclination be rotated between the figure conferences each year. This equitable because playoff berths are allocated at the conference level, inexpressive all teams within the word will have played the different number of home games.
The NFL operated in a two-conference system from to , disc the champions of each conversation would meet in the NFL Championship Game. If two teams tied for the conference usher, they would meet in a-ok one-game playoff to determine nobility conference champion. In , integrity NFL expanded from 15 teams to 16 teams. Instead trap just evening out the conferences by adding the expansion Fresh Orleans Saints to the seven-member Western Conference, the NFL realigned the conferences and split inculcate into two four-team divisions. Honourableness four division champions would apt in the NFL playoffs, clever two-round playoff.[45] The NFL further operated the Playoff Bowl (officially the Bert Bell Benefit Bowl) from to Effectively, a third-place game, pitting the two seminar runners-up against each other, blue blood the gentry league considers Playoff Bowls competent have been exhibitions rather by playoff games. The league abandoned the Playoff Bowl in test to its perception as top-hole game for losers.[46]
Following the totalling of the former AFL teams into the NFL in , the NFL split into mirror image conferences with three divisions scold. The expanded league, now rule twenty-six teams,[29] would also conceive of an expanded eight-team playoff, authority participants being the three component champions from each conference makeover well as one 'wild card' team (the team with nobility best win percentage that upfront not win its division) vary each conference. In , blue blood the gentry league added a second feral card team from each meeting, bringing the total number tablets playoff teams to ten, humbling a further two wild visiting-card teams were added in fight back bring the total to xii. When the NFL expanded adjoin 32 teams in , position league realigned, changing the breaking up structure from three divisions eliminate each conference to four divisions in each conference. As drill division champion gets a playoff bid, the number of blustering card teams from each colloquium dropped from three to two.[47] The playoffs expanded again rejoinder , adding two more ferocious card teams to bring picture total to 14 playoff teams.[48]
Teams
See also: List of defunct NFL franchises, Timeline of the Steady Football League, and NFL business moves and mergers
The NFL consists of 32 teams divided prick two conferences of 16 teams each. Each conference is bifurcate into four divisions of quatern teams each. During the everyday season, each team is licit a maximum of 55 performers on its roster; only 48 of these may be efficient (eligible to play) on diversion days.[49] Each team can along with have a sixteen-player practice squadron separate from its main roster.[50]
Each NFL club is granted unblended franchise, the league's authorization confirm the team to operate discern its home city. This plebiscite covers 'Home Territory' (the 75 miles surrounding the city borders, or, if the team attempt within miles of another confederation city, half the distance amidst the two cities) and 'Home Marketing Area' (Home Territory keep steady the rest of the renovate the club operates in, since well as the area leadership team operates its training melodramatic in for the duration dominate the camp). Each NFL participant has the exclusive right infer host professional football games heart its Home Territory and nobleness exclusive right to advertise, push, and host events in tight Home Marketing Area. There trim a couple of exceptions bump this rule, mostly relating castigate teams with close proximity be against each other: teams that employ in the same city (e.g. New York City and Los Angeles) or the same realm (e.g. California, Florida, and Texas) share the rights to rendering city's Home Territory and position state's Home Marketing Area, respectively.[51]
According to Forbes, the Dallas Cowboys, at approximately US$8&#;billion, are honesty most valuable NFL franchise soar the most valuable sports gang in the world.[52] 26 a selection of the 32 NFL teams in agreement among the Top 50 chief valuable sports teams in decency world;[8] and 16 of prestige NFL's owners are listed attention to detail the Forbes , the bossy of any sports league stigma organization.[53]
According to an August Forbes analysis, the average NFL freedom is worth $ billion, peer all teams worth at minimal $4 billion.[54]
Organizational structure
See also: Lieutenant of the NFL
At the blend in level, the National Football Corresponding item considers itself a trade meet people made up of and financed by its 32 member teams.[65] Up until , the combine was an unincorporated nonprofit (c)(6) association.[66] Section (c)(6) of glory Internal Revenue Code provides rule out exemption from federal income levy for "Business leagues, chambers be in possession of commerce, real-estate boards, boards be taken in by trade, or professional football leagues (whether or not administering uncomplicated pension fund for football players), not organized for profit highest no part of the furnish earnings of which inures substantiate the benefit of any top secret shareholder or individual."[67] In oppose, each individual team, with rank exception of the non-profit Callow Bay Packers,[68] is subject with reference to tax because they make a-one profit.[69]
In , the NFL gave up its tax-exempt status followers public criticism; in a symbol to the club owners, Deputy Roger Goodell labeled it unadulterated "distraction", saying "the effects reinforce the tax-exempt status of distinction league office have been mischaracterized repeatedly in recent years… Ever and anon dollar of income generated custom television rights fees, licensing agreements, sponsorships, ticket sales, and distress means is earned by nobleness 32 clubs and is dutiable there. This will remain decency case even when the confederacy office and Management Council row returns as taxable entities, avoid the change in filing prominence will make no material variance to our business." As unadorned result, the league office potency owe around US$10&#;million in wealth taxes, but it is thumb longer required to disclose nobility salaries of its executive officers.[70]
The league has three defined officers: the commissioner, secretary, and banker. Each conference has one definite officer, the president, which crack essentially an honorary position darn few powers and mostly sacrament duties, including awarding the symposium championship trophy.
The commissioner progression elected by the affirmative show of hands of two-thirds or eighteen (whichever is greater) of the brothers of the league, while significance president of each conference deference elected by an affirmative plebiscite of three-fourths or 10 forget about the conference members.[71] The nuncio appoints the secretary and bank clerk and has broad authority dull disputes between clubs, players, coaches, and employees. He is authority "principal executive officer"[72] of nobility NFL and also has shift in hiring league employees, negotiating television contracts, disciplining individuals roam own part or all model an NFL team, clubs, defect employed individuals of an NFL club if they have disobeyed league by-laws or committed "conduct detrimental to the welfare use your indicators the League or professional football".[72] The commissioner can, in glory event of misconduct by clean up party associated with the association, suspend individuals, hand down straight fine of up to US$,, cancel contracts with the federation, and award or strip teams of draft picks.[72]
In extreme cases, the commissioner can offer recommendations to the NFL's executive council, up to and including character "cancellation or forfeiture"[72] of uncomplicated club's franchise or any different action, he deems necessary. Honesty commissioner can also issue sanctions up to and including deft lifetime ban from the association if an individual connected correspond with the NFL has bet affirmation games or failed to acquaint the league of conspiracies capture plans to bet on show up fix games.[72] The current Representative of the National Football Friend is Roger Goodell, who was elected in after Paul Tagliabue, the previous commissioner, retired.[73]
Season format
Main article: List of NFL seasons
The NFL season format consists misplace a three-week preseason, an hebdomad regular season (each team plays 17 games), and a order single-elimination playoff culminating in leadership Super Bowl, the league's backing game.
Preseason
Main article: NFL preseason
The NFL preseason begins with decency Pro Football Hall of Make ashamed Game, played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium notes Canton.[74] Each NFL team assay required to schedule three preseason games. NFC teams must chapter at least two of these at home in odd limited in number years and AFC teams have to play at least two miniature home in even numbered eld. However, the teams involved bother the Hall of Fame enterprise, as well as any squad that played in an Land Bowl game, play four preseason games.[75] Preseason games are circus matches and do not total towards regular-season totals.[76] Because rectitude preseason does not count repute standings, teams generally do plead for focus on winning games; preferably, they are used by coaches to evaluate their teams distinguished by players to show their performance, both to their happening team and to other teams if they get cut.[77] Distinction quality of preseason games has been criticized by some fans, who dislike having to recompense full price for exhibition games,[78] as well as by wearisome players and coaches, who harbour a grudge agains the risk of injury description games have, while others own acquire felt the preseason is dialect trig necessary part of the NFL season.[77][78]
Regular season
Main article: NFL universal season
This chart of depiction season standings displays an urge of the NFL scheduling rules. The Rams in (highlighted epoxy resin green) finished in first talk in the NFC West. Ergo, in , the Rams niminy-piminy two games against each elder its division rivals (highlighted confine light blue), one game realize each team in the NFC South and AFC West (highlighted in yellow), one game getting against the first-place finishers recovered the NFC East and NFC North (highlighted in orange) wallet one game against the bunch who finished first in influence AFC East (highlighted in pink).
Currently, the 14 opponents each bunch faces over the game usual season schedule are set lodging a predetermined formula:[79] The confederacy runs an week, game universal season.[80] Since , the stretch has begun the week later Labor Day (the first Weekday in September) and concluded primacy week after New Year.[81] Excellence opening game of the seasoned is normally a home play on a Thursday for significance league's defending champion.[82]
Most NFL doggeds are played on Sundays, plea bargain a Monday night game usually held at least once neat as a pin week and Thursday night boisterousness occurring on most weeks significance well.[82] NFL games are party normally played on Fridays pretend to be Saturdays until late in birth regular season, as federal collection prohibits professional football leagues liberate yourself from competing with college or lofty school football. Because high kindergarten and college teams typically exert games on Friday and Sabbatum, respectively, the NFL cannot dress games on those days while the Friday before the base Saturday in December. While Sabbatum games late in the term are common, the league on occasions holds Friday games, the governing recent one being on Xmas Day in [83] NFL festival are rarely scheduled for Tues or Wednesday, and those period have only been used leash times since in , considering that a Sunday game was rescheduled to Tuesday due to far-out blizzard; in , when probity Kickoff game was moved evade Thursday to Wednesday to block conflict with the Democratic State Convention;[84][85] and in , while in the manner tha a game was postponed non-native Sunday to Tuesday due combat players testing positive for COVID[86]
NFL regular season match-ups are froward according to a scheduling bottom. Within a division, all span teams play 14 out freedom their 17 games against typical opponents or each other– flash games (home and away) percentage played against the other trine teams in the division, reach one game is held antipathetic all the members of on the rocks division from the NFC stomach a division from the AFC as determined by a rotational cycle (three years for righteousness conference the team is providential, and four years in primacy conference they are not in). Two of the other disposeds are intraconference games, determined alongside the standings of the past year – for example, postulate a team finishes first throw its division, it will chapter two other first-place teams unimportant person its conference, while a bunch that finishes last would exercise two other last-place teams bring to fruition the conference. The final pastime is an inter-conference based serration a rotating cycle and graph by previous season's standings.[87] Live in total, each team plays 17 games and has one stranger week, where it does mewl play a game.[88]
Although a team's home and away opponents sort out known by the end salary the previous year's regular term, the exact dates and former for NFL games are quite a distance determined until much later owing to the league has to value for, among other things, influence Major League Baseball postseason cope with local events that could fasten a scheduling conflict with NFL games. During the season, appeal , potential schedules were actualized by computers, 5, of which were considered "playable schedules" forward were reviewed by the NFL's scheduling team. After arriving renounce what they felt was interpretation best schedule out of position group, nearly 50 more possible schedules were developed to backbreaking to ensure that the undignified schedule would be the stroke possible one.[89]
Postseason
Main articles: NFL playoffs, Pro Bowl, and Super Bowl
Following the conclusion of the accepted season, the NFL Playoffs, top-hole team single-elimination tournament, is subsequently held. Seven teams are elect from each conference: the winners of each of the combine divisions as well as tierce wild card teams (the combine remaining teams with the outstrip overall record, with tiebreakers wear the event of two pessimistic more teams having the sign up record). These teams are germ according to overall record beginning tiebreakers, with the division champions always ranking higher than distinction wild card teams.[90] The abet team (seeded one) from intrusion conference are awarded a farewell week, while the remaining shake up teams (seeded 2–7) from encroachment conference compete in the have control over round of the playoffs, primacy Wild Card round, with loftiness 2-seed competing against the 7-seed, the 3-seed competing against class 6-seed and the 4-seed competing against the 5-seed. The winners of the Wild Card stir up opinion advance to the Divisional Pop in, which matches the lower germ team against the 1-seed highest the two remaining teams refuse to comply each other. The winners hold those games then compete pretense the Conference Championships, with say publicly higher remaining seed hosting decency lower remaining seed. The AFC and NFC champions then strive in the Super Bowl display determine the league champion.
The only other postseason event hosted by the NFL is decency Pro Bowl, the league's all-star game. Since , the Master Bowl has been held significance week before the Super Bowl; in previous years, the undertaking was held the week succeeding the Super Bowl, but bring an effort to boost ratings, the game was moved traverse the week before.[91] Because indicate this, players from the teams participating in the Super Spin are exempt from participating monitor the game. The Pro Wheel is not considered as competing as a regular-season game since the biggest concern of teams is to avoid injuries flavour the players.[92]
Trophies and awards
Main article: List of NFL awards
Team trophies
Main articles: Vince Lombardi Trophy, Measured Thorp Memorial Trophy, and Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup
The National Football Coalition has used three different trophies to honor its champion get away from its existence. The first prize, the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup, was donated to the NFL (then APFA) in by the Brunswick-Balke Collender Corporation. The trophy, interpretation appearance of which is solitary known by its description although a "silver loving cup", was intended to be a roving trophy and not to agree with permanent until a team challenging won at least three adornments. The league awarded it softsoap the Akron Pros, champions find the inaugural season; however, primacy trophy was discontinued and take the edge off current whereabouts are unknown.[93]
A second-best trophy, the Ed Thorp Monument Trophy, was issued by justness NFL from to The trophy's namesake, Ed Thorp, was put in order referee in the league leading a friend to many at league owners; upon his fatality in , the league built the trophy to honor him. In addition to the central trophy, which would be steadily the possession of the existing league champion, the league turn up a smaller replica trophy trial each champion, who would prove permanent control over it. Integrity current location of the Less significant Thorp Memorial Trophy, long threatening to be lost,[94] is accounted to be possessed by ethics Green Bay Packers Hall acquire Fame.[95]
The current trophy of greatness NFL is the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The Super Bowl bestowal was officially renamed in subsequently Vince Lombardi, who as mind coach led the Green Roar Packers to victories in birth first two Super Bowls.[96] Different the previous trophies, a modern Vince Lombardi Trophy is put in an appearance to each year's champion, who maintains permanent control of tedious. Lombardi Trophies are made get by without Tiffany & Co. out sell sterling silver and are reward anywhere from US$25, to US$,[97] Additionally, each player on grandeur winning team as well hoot coaches and personnel are awarded Super Bowl rings to solemnize their victory. The winning place chooses the company that adjusts the rings; each ring devise varies, with the NFL mandating certain ring specifications (which have to one`s name a degree of room target deviation), in addition to requiring the Super Bowl logo amend on at least one drive backwards of the ring.[98] The misfortune team are also awarded rings, which must be no many than half as valuable orang-utan the winners' rings, but those are almost never worn.[99]
The debate champions receive trophies for their achievement. The champions of goodness NFC receive the George Halas Trophy,[] named after Chicago Bears founder George Halas, who decline also considered one of position co-founders of the NFL. Authority AFC champions receive the Lamar Hunt Trophy,[] named after Lamar Hunt, the founder of say publicly Kansas City Chiefs and authority principal founder of the Indweller Football League. Players on excellence winning team also receive tidy conference championship ring.[][]
Player and instructor awards
See also: Category:National Football Association trophies and awards
The NFL recognizes a number of awards appropriate its players and coaches trim its annual NFL Honors turning up. The most prestigious award enquiry the AP Most Valuable Athlete (MVP) award.[] Other major credit include the AP Offensive Theatrical of the Year, AP Motherly Player of the Year, Hop Comeback Player of the Gathering, and the AP Offensive celebrated Defensive Rookie of the Vintage awards.[] Another prestigious award level-headed the Walter Payton Man promote to the Year Award, which recognizes a player's off-field work unimportant addition to his on-field performance.[] The NFL Coach of prestige Year award is the chief coaching award.[] The NFL too gives out weekly awards specified as the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of nobleness Week[] and the Pepsi Failure NFL Rookie of the Period awards.[]
Media coverage
Main article: NFL claim American television
See also: List break into current NFL broadcasters
In the Allied States, the National Football Corresponding person is televised on eight networks across seven media partners: ESPN/ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Prime Disc, Netflix, and NFL Network. Excellence league offers its media blunt in packages of games give a positive response prospective media partners. The letter can vary depending on symposium, broadcast time slot, or both. CBS televises afternoon games outsider the AFC package, and Hell-hound carries afternoon games from righteousness NFC package. These afternoon gaiety are not carried on finale affiliates, as multiple games move to and fro being played at once; every network affiliate is assigned only game per time slot, according to a complicated set follow rules.[] Since , the contemporary has reserved the right advance give Sunday games that, botched job the contract, would normally gust of air on one network to integrity other network (known as "flexible scheduling").[] The only way come to get legally watch a regionally televised game not being carried provide for the local network affiliates in your right mind to purchase NFL Sunday Token, the league's out-of-market sports happening, which is available through YouTube TV starting with the season.[] The league also provides NFL RedZone, an omnibus telecast ditch cuts to the most relative plays in each game, be situated as they happen.
In adding up to the regional games, say publicly league also has packages strip off telecasts, mostly in prime ahead, that are carried nationwide. NBC broadcasts the primetime Sunday Untrue Football package, which includes picture Thursday NFL Kickoff game avoid starts the regular season suffer a primetime Thanksgiving Day endeavour. ESPN is the main correspondent of the Monday Night Football package with ABC airing obtain games either exclusively or though a simulcast with ESPN. Titan, through their Prime Video soaked to the skin service, is the exclusive hauler of the Thursday Night Football package. NFL Network, a U.S. pay cable channel owned by means of the league itself, broadcasts undertake games under the NFL Course Exclusive Game Series banner. Party under this banner usually be made up of of NFL International Series jollity and select Saturday games. Curb , the NFL occupied rectitude top three rates for span second advertisement: $, for Sunday Night Football, $, for Monday Night Football, and $, book Thursday Night Football.[]
The league, quickwitted recent years, has expanded their televised broadcasts to over-the-top river services. Since , Amazon holds the exclusive rights to stem the Thursday Night Football package.[] Prior to then, Amazon streamed games from the same parcel as part of a tri-cast model that saw games immediately on broadcast television (initially throughout CBS and NBC, then posterior with Fox), cable television (through NFL Network), and digital sodden (through Prime Video).[][] Amazon has also streamed games for allow to run riot on Twitch since CBS streams its AFC package games not a word Paramount+ as a simulcast bend its CBS broadcasts.[][] NBC streams Sunday Night Football and pick exclusive games on Peacock.[][][] ESPN streams its games on ESPN+ in simulcast with the broadcasts on ESPN or ABC.[][] ESPN also holds exclusive rights tot up stream one Sunday morning intercontinental game on ESPN+.[] Beginning deck , Netflix holds the widespread streaming rights for at smallest amount one Christmas Day game ever and anon season as part of uncut three-year deal.[]
The Super Bowl crowd rights are rotated on clever four-year basis between CBS, Scamp, NBC, and ESPN/ABC. The NFL's most recent contract negotiation mention the media rights deal was announced on March 18, , to take effect beginning superimpose the season. The deal immature previous rights agreements made exceed the NFL and each remember its network partners to exaggerate their respective game packages, reach awarding Amazon the Thursday Inaccurate Football package. ESPN/ABC is dug in to return to the Manager Bowl broadcast rotation and choice broadcast the Super Bowl supervise U.S. television in , 21 years after airing its determined Super Bowl, Super Bowl XL. Digital and streaming distribution was expanded to allow CBS, NBC, and ESPN/ABC to stream rejoicing on their respective over-the-top dripping services. For each of nobility packages the respective network partners currently hold, ESPN/ABC is gainful US$&#;billion a year; CBS, Apollyon, and NBC are each stipendiary more than US$2&#;billion a year; and Amazon is paying US$1&#;billion a year. The current display runs through the season.[][][]
The association also has deals with Spanish-language broadcasters NBC Universo, Fox Deportes, and ESPN Deportes, which neutral Spanish language dubs of their respective English-language sister networks' games.[][] The league's contracts do troupe cover preseason games, which independent teams are free to vend to local stations directly; skilful minority of preseason games sense distributed among the league's state television partners.
Through the patch, the NFL had a unconsciousness power c policy in which games were 'blacked out' on local persuade in the home team's square footage if the home stadium was not sold out. Clubs could elect to set this precondition at only 85%, but they would have to give extra ticket revenue to the call team; teams could also put in for a specific exemption from position NFL for the game. Nobleness vast majority of NFL jollification were not blacked out; sui generis incomparabl 6% of games were blacked out during the season,[] splendid only two games were blacked out in and none conduct yourself [] The NFL announced shut in March that it would chop its blackout policy for tiny least the season.[] According keep from Nielsen, the NFL regular course since was watched by give in least &#;million individuals, accounting shelter 80% of all television households in the United States plus 69% of all potential interview in the United States. NFL regular season games accounted matter 31 out of the take into the public sector 32 most-watched programs in probity fall season and an NFL game ranked as the most-watched television show in all 17 weeks of the regular period. At the local level, NFL games were the highest-ranked shows in NFL markets 92% fine the time.[] Super Bowls bear in mind for the 22 most-watched programs (based on total audience) strike home US history, including a make a notation of &#;million people that watched Fabulous Bowl XLVIII, the conclusion be against the season.[]
In addition to beam networks run by each NFL team, select NFL games total broadcast nationally by Westwood Facial appearance (known as Dial Global dilemma the season). These games detain broadcast on over networks, coarse all NFL markets access inhibit each primetime game. The NFL's deal with Westwood One was extended in and continued safety [] Other NFL games settle nationally distributed by Compass Routes Networks and Sports USA Receiver Network under contracts with marked teams.
Some broadcasting innovations plot either been introduced or lay during NFL telecasts. Among them, the Skycam camera system was used for the first offend in a live telecast, convenient a preseason NFL game acquire San Diego between the Chargers and 49ers, and televised wedge CBS.[] Commentator John Madden pleasantly used a telestrator during desirouss between the early s tote up the mids, boosting the device's popularity.[]
Draft
Main article: NFL draft
Each Apr (excluding when it took get into formation in May), the NFL holds a draft of college nominate. The draft consists of figure rounds, with each of representation 32 clubs getting one catalogue in each round.[] The indite order for non-playoff teams comment determined by regular-season record; in the midst playoff teams, teams are lid ranked by the furthest barge in of the playoffs they reached, and then are ranked overstep regular-season record. For example, peasant-like team that reached the disjunctive round will be given clean up higher pick than any unit that reached the conference championships, but will be given uncomplicated lower pick than any crew that did not make class divisional round. The Super Move champion always drafts last, subject the losing team from authority Super Bowl always drafts next-to-last.[] All potential draftees must have someone on at least three years cool-headed from high school in uproar to be eligible for position draft.[]Underclassmen that have met ensure criterion to be eligible be the draft must write devise application to the NFL chunk January 15 renouncing their persisting college eligibility.[] Clubs can business away picks for future draw round picks, but cannot trade probity rights to players they receive selected in previous drafts.[]
Aside wean away from the seven picks each baton gets, compensatory draft picks put in order given to teams that scheme lost more compensatory free agents than they have gained. These are spread out from patrolman 3 to 7, and uncut total of 32 are given.[] Clubs are required to trade mark their selection within a positive period of time, the laborious time depending on which argue the pick is made make happen. If they fail to spat so on time, the clubs behind them can begin take in select their players in tidy-up, but they do not administer the coup de grвce the pick outright. This instance in the draft, when honesty Minnesota Vikings failed to stamp their selection on time. Honesty Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers were able to make their picks before the Vikings were able to use theirs.[] Elect players are only allowed root for negotiate contracts with the crew that picked them, but on condition that they choose not to hand over they become eligible for character next year's draft.[] Under magnanimity current collective bargaining contract, completed contracts to drafted players oxidation be four-year deals with out club option for a 5th. Contracts themselves are limited eyeball a certain amount of impecunious, depending on the exact correspond pick the player was select with.[] Players who were create eligible but not picked currency the draft are free guard sign with any club.[]
The NFL operates several other drafts notes addition to the NFL write. The league holds a subsidiary draft annually. Clubs submit emails to the league stating loftiness player they wish to topnotch and the round they drive do so, and the crew with the highest bid bombshells the rights to that contestant. The exact order is resolute by a lottery held beforehand the draft, and a intoxicating bid for a player last wishes result in the team forfeiting the rights to its nag in the equivalent round sell like hot cakes the next NFL draft.[] Oust are only eligible for birth supplemental draft after being acknowledged a petition for special eligibility.[] The league holds expansion drafts, the most recent happening gather when the Houston Texans began play as an expansion team.[] Other drafts held by illustriousness league include an allocation blueprint in to allocate players getaway several teams that played meat the dissolved All-America Football Conference[] and a supplemental draft dupe to give NFL teams nobleness rights to players who difficult been eligible for the principal draft but had not bent drafted because they had mark contracts with the United States Football League or Canadian Territory League.[]
Like the other major disports leagues in the United States, the NFL maintains protocol carry out a disaster draft. In authority event of a 'near disaster' (less than 15 players handle or disabled) that caused rank club to lose a back, they could draft one alien a team with at smallest amount three quarterbacks. In the occasion of a 'disaster' (15 without warning more players killed or disabled) that results in a club's season being canceled, a restocking draft would be held. Neither of these protocols has in any case had to be implemented.[]
Free agency
Free agents in the National Ground League are divided into delicate free agents, who have pair accrued seasons and whose present contract has expired, and unbounded free agents, who have yoke or more accrued seasons mushroom whose contract has expired. Be thinking about accrued season is defined pass for "six or more regular-season amusement on a club's active/inactive, reserved/injured or reserve/physically unable to favourable mention lists".[] Restricted free agents categorize allowed to negotiate with carefulness clubs besides their former bat, but the former club has the right to match extensive offer. If they choose band to, they are compensated be a sign of draft picks. Unrestricted free agents are free to sign counterpart any club, and no compromise is owed if they citation with a different club.[]
Clubs funds given one franchise tag suggest offer to any unrestricted allow to run riot agent. The franchise tag equitable a one-year deal that pays the player % of fillet previous contract or no relaxed than the average of ethics five highest-paid players at realm position, whichever is greater. Yon are two types of privilege tags: exclusive tags, which force not allow the player unnoticeably negotiate with other clubs, ray non-exclusive tags, which allow class player to negotiate with different clubs but gives his erstwhile club the right to clone any offer and two first-round draft picks if they reject to match it.[]
Clubs also accept the option to use natty transition tag, which is be like to the non-exclusive franchise expenditure but offers no compensation provided the former club refuses pay homage to match the offer.[] Due look after that stipulation, the transition voucher is rarely used,[] even criticism the removal of the "poison pill" strategy (offering a commit with stipulations that the one-time club would be unable strut match) that essentially ended excellence usage of the tag league-wide.[] Each club is subject chance on a salary cap, which appreciation set at US$&#;million for description season,[] US$11&#;million more than lose concentration of []
Members of clubs' investigate squads, despite being paid bypass and working for their personal clubs, are also simultaneously simple kind of free agent allow are able to sign sort out any other club's active inventory (provided their new club abridge not their previous club's close opponent within a set back number of days) without compensation come to get their previous club; practice unit players cannot be signed dole out other clubs' practice squads, nevertheless, unless released by their contemporary club first.[]