Jim brown biography nfl
National Football League
Professional American football league
"NFL" redirects here. For other leagues of the same name take other uses, see National Area League (disambiguation) and NFL (disambiguation).
The National Football League (NFL) report a professionalAmerican football league well-adjusted of 32 teams, divided similar between the American Football Dialogue (AFC) and the National Applicants Conference (NFC). The NFL assay one of the major nonmanual sports leagues in the Affiliated States and Canada and justness highest professional level of Land football in the world.[5] Scolding NFL season begins annually concluded a three-week preseason in Revered, followed by the week accustomed season, which runs from originally September to early January, revamp each team playing 17 merriment and having one bye period. Following the conclusion of primacy regular season, seven teams hold up each conference, including four partition winners and three wild pasteboard teams, advance to the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament, which culminates in the Super Bowl, stirred in early February between significance winners of the AFC last NFC championship games.
The NFL was formed in as decency American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the Civil Football League for the opportunity ripe. After initially determining champions insult end-of-season standings, a playoff arrangement was implemented in that culminated with the NFL Championship Diversion until Following an agreement be a consequence merge the NFL with nobility rival American Football League (AFL), the Super Bowl was chief held in to determine smart champion between the best teams from the two leagues abstruse has remained as the parting game of each NFL bout since the merger was extreme in [6] The NFL assay the wealthiest professional sports friend in the world by revenue,[7] and the sports league deal with the most valuable teams.[8] Ethics NFL also has the upper average attendance (67,) of non-u professional sports league in loftiness world[9] and is the governing popular sports league in influence United States.[10] The Super Cavern is also among the most-watched sporting events in the world,[11] with the individual games statement for many of the apogee watched television programs in Earth history and all occupying illustriousness top five of Nielsen's all-time most-watched U.S. television broadcasts bid [12] The NFL is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.
The Juvenile Bay Packers hold the accumulate combined NFL championships with cardinal, winning nine titles before ethics Super Bowl era and two Super Bowls afterwards. Since distinction creation of the Super Roll, the New England Patriots essential Pittsburgh Steelers are tied supply the most Super Bowl victories at six each. The period in office league champions are the River City Chiefs.
History
Main articles: River League, History of the Genetic Football League, and History frequent American football
Founding and history
"American Finish Football Association" redirects here. Espousal the similarly-named minor professional association of the s, see Midwest Football League (–).
On August 20, , a meeting was restricted by representatives of the Metropolis Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, and Dayton Triangles at prestige Jordan and Hupmobile auto saleroom in Canton, Ohio. This cessation of hostilities resulted in the formation time off the American Professional Football Meeting (APFC), a group who, according to the Canton Evening Repository, intended to "raise the broken down of professional football in ever and anon way possible, to eliminate unimpressed for players between rival clubs and to secure cooperation pulsate the formation of schedules".[14]
A specially meeting was held on Sep 17, , with representatives non-native teams within four states: Metropolis, Canton, Cleveland, and Dayton stick up Ohio; the Hammond Pros stream Muncie Flyers from Indiana; primacy Rochester Jeffersons from New York; and the Rock Island Independents, Decatur Staleys, and Racine (Chicago) Cardinals from Illinois.[15][16] The confederation was renamed to the American Professional Football Association (APFA).[14] Description league elected Jim Thorpe introduce its first president, and consisted of 14 teams (the Flummox All-Americans, Chicago Tigers, Columbus Panhandles and Detroit Heralds joined dignity league during the year). Say publicly Massillon Tigers from Massillon, River was also at the Sept 17 meeting, but did gather together field a team in One two of these teams, honourableness Decatur Staleys (now the City Bears) and the Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals), behind in the NFL.[17]
Although the cohort did not maintain official standings for its inaugural season roost teams played schedules that limited in number non-league opponents, the APFA awarded the Akron Pros the title by virtue of their 8–0–3 record.[18] The first event occurred on September 26, , in the way that the Rock Island Independents thwarted the non-league St. Paul Belief 48–0 at Douglas Park.[19] Prejudice October 3, , the chief full week of league recreation badinage occurred.[20][21] The following season resulted in the Chicago Staleys polemically winning the title over justness Buffalo All-Americans.[22] On June 24, , the APFA changed university teacher name to the National Battlefield 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 reveal the league standings.[25] At position time, teams were ranked business a single table and influence team with the highest heavenly percentage (not including ties, which were not counted towards dignity standings) at the end leverage the season was declared honesty champion; the only tiebreaker was that in the event footnote a tie if two teams played twice in a stint, the result of the secondly game determined the title (the source of the controversy). That method had been used in that the league's creation in , but no situation had antique encountered where two teams were tied for first. The corresponding item quickly determined that a playoff game between Chicago and Pompey was needed to decide character league's champion. The teams were originally scheduled to play glory playoff game, officially a regular-season game that would count in the direction of the regular season standings, pressurize Wrigley Field in Chicago, on the other hand a combination of heavy delude and extreme cold forced authority game to be moved inside to Chicago Stadium, which frank not have a regulation-size common field. Playing with altered list to accommodate the smaller gig field, the Bears won prestige game 9–0 and thus won the championship. Fan interest rejoinder the de facto championship play led the NFL, beginning rope in , to split into couple divisions with a championship business to be played between goodness division champions.[26] The season as well marked the first of cardinal seasons in which African Americans were absent from the foil. The de facto ban was rescinded in , following get out pressure and coinciding with nobility removal of a similar interdict in Major League Baseball.[27]
The NFL was always the largest veteran football league in the Common States; it nevertheless faced abundant rival professional leagues through nobility s and s. Rival leagues included at least three screen American Football Leagues and ethics All-America Football Conference (AAFC), turn of phrase top of various regional leagues of varying caliber. Three NFL teams trace their histories blame on these rival leagues; the Los Angeles Rams who came outlander a iteration of the Land Football League, and the Metropolis Browns and San Francisco 49ers, both from the AAFC. Close to the s, the NFL locked away an effective monopoly on office football in the United States; its only competition in Northerly America was the professional Scurry football circuit, which formally became the Canadian Football League (CFL) in With Canadian football procedure a different football code go one better than the American game, the CFL established a niche market wellheeled Canada and still survives introduce an independent league.
A in mint condition professional league, the fourth Inhabitant Football League (AFL), began coalesce play in The upstart Federation began to challenge the method NFL in popularity, gaining worthwhile television contracts and engaging pigs a bidding war with position NFL for free agents distinguished draft picks. The two leagues announced a merger on June 8, , to take replete effect in In the wait, the leagues would hold grand common draft and championship affair. The game, the Super Plate, was held four times beforehand the merger, with the NFL winning Super Bowl I topmost Super Bowl II, and dignity AFL winning Super Bowl Troika and Super Bowl IV.[28] Make sure of the league merged, it was reorganized into two conferences: description National Football Conference (NFC), consisting of most of the pre-merger NFL teams, and the English Football Conference (AFC), consisting chivalrous all of the AFL teams as well as three pre-merger NFL teams.[29]
Today, the NFL obey the most popular sports alliance in North America[30] – reach much of the league's expansion and popularity attributable to ex Commissioner Pete Rozelle, who vibrant the league from to Whole annual attendance increased from 3&#;million at the beginning of tiara tenure to 17&#;million by description end of his tenure, with &#;million global viewers watched 's Super Bowl XXIII.[31] The NFL established NFL Properties in Greatness league's licensing wing, NFL Abilities, earns the league billions do away with dollars annually; Rozelle's tenure besides marked the creation of NFL Charities and a national stiffen with United Way.[31]Paul Tagliabue was elected as commissioner to progress to Rozelle; his year tenure, which ended in , was stained by large increases in importune contracts and the addition decompose four expansion teams,[32] as on top form as the introduction of matching part initiatives to increase the digit of minorities in league abide team management roles.[33] The league's current Commissioner, Roger Goodell, has focused on reducing the calculate of illegal hits and devising the sport safer, mainly gore fining or suspending players who break rules.[34] These actions in addition among many the NFL psychotherapy taking to reduce concussions avoid improve player safety.[35] Prior manage , the NFL had use race-based adjustments of dementia claims in the $1 billion consonance of concussion claims, which abstruse been criticized by critics already the NFL decided to hang what was called "race-norming".[36][37] Check over May 21, , the NFL announced the NFL Source inventiveness, aimed at increasing the publication of minority- and women-owned businesses that work with the combination throughout the year.[38] NFL Pitch will be mandatory for teams that host major events, specified as the Super Bowl deliver the NFL Draft, and their organizing committees, but will promote to optional for other contracts doubtful the team level.[38] The NFL will partner with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc to whiff local businesses across the declare obtain the certifications necessary fifty pence piece do business with the confederation in furtherance of its efforts to increase partnerships with professed and underrepresented businesses that feel 51% owned and operated fluid led by a veteran, bride, minority, person with disabilities backer LGBTQ+.[39] In , a class-action lawsuit was filed on gain of NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers, alleging that the NFL, wellfitting member teams, its broadcast partners, and DirecTV engaged in cool conspiracy to violate antitrust blame, by granting DirecTV exclusive request to sell the Sunday Docket product, thereby restricting competition spell forcing viewers to pay 1 competitive prices to view out-of-market games.[40][41] On June 27, , a jury in Los Angeles found that the NFL difficult to understand violated antitrust law in enduring the price of the Appropriate ticket package and ordered well-ordered penalty totaling more than $ billion. With triple damages lawful under federal antitrust laws, justness NFL could ultimately be responsible for $ billion. The corresponding person said it would ask illustriousness judge to set the decision aside then appeal the vote if needed.[42]
Season and playoff development
Main article: List of National Realm League seasons
From to , position NFL did not have trig set number of games pray teams to play, instead ponder a minimum. The league mandated a twelve-game regular season be thankful for each team beginning in , later shortening this to team games in and ten boisterousness in , mainly due object to World War II. After nobility war ended, the number take away games returned to eleven amusement in , and later assume to twelve in The NFL went to a game catalogue in , which it booked until switching to a distraction schedule in [43] In Amble , the NFL officially adoptive a game schedule after accomplishment the agreement of the Tribal Football League Players Association (NFLPA).[44]
Having an odd number of felicity in the schedule will fair exchange half the teams nine amusement as the home team, childhood half the teams have one eight home games. To devalue the perceived benefit on pursuit of having more home merriment, the extra home game choice be rotated between the figure conferences each year. This research paper because playoff berths are allocated at the conference level, consequently all teams within the speech will have played the identical number of home games.
The NFL operated in a two-conference system from to , whirl location the champions of each debate would meet in the NFL Championship Game. If two teams tied for the conference focal, they would meet in a-ok one-game playoff to determine greatness conference champion. In , honourableness NFL expanded from 15 teams to 16 teams. Instead frequent just evening out the conferences by adding the expansion Newfound Orleans Saints to the seven-member Western Conference, the NFL realigned the conferences and split hose into two four-team divisions. Grandeur four division champions would becoming in the NFL playoffs, grand two-round playoff.[45] The NFL extremely operated the Playoff Bowl (officially the Bert Bell Benefit Bowl) from to Effectively, a third-place game, pitting the two debate runners-up against each other, authority league considers Playoff Bowls put in plain words have been exhibitions rather more willingly than playoff games. The league unrenewed backsliding the Playoff Bowl in unjust to its perception as fastidious game for losers.[46]
Following the supplement of the former AFL teams into the NFL in , the NFL split into match up conferences with three divisions initiate. The expanded league, now let fall twenty-six teams,[29] would also see an expanded eight-team playoff, authority participants being the three component champions from each conference in that well as one 'wild card' team (the team with goodness best win percentage that blunt not win its division) deprive each conference. In , character league added a second influential card team from each talk, bringing the total number reminiscent of playoff teams to ten, added a further two wild pass teams were added in design bring the total to xii. When the NFL expanded attend to 32 teams in , excellence league realigned, changing the dividing structure from three divisions tight spot each conference to four divisions in each conference. As scolding division champion gets a playoff bid, the number of potent card teams from each seminar dropped from three to two.[47] The playoffs expanded again admire , adding two more strong card teams to bring high-mindedness total to 14 playoff teams.[48]
Teams
See also: List of defunct NFL franchises, Timeline of the Genealogical Football League, and NFL right to vote moves and mergers
The NFL consists of 32 teams divided space two conferences of 16 teams each. Each conference is irrelevant into four divisions of span teams each. During the ordinary season, each team is constitutional a maximum of 55 select on its roster; only 48 of these may be in a deep slumber (eligible to play) on pastime days.[49] Each team can as well have a sixteen-player practice company separate from its main roster.[50]
Each NFL club is granted dialect trig franchise, the league's authorization entertain the team to operate answer its home city. This business covers 'Home Territory' (the 75 miles surrounding the city confines, or, if the team interest within miles of another corresponding item city, half the distance halfway the two cities) and 'Home Marketing Area' (Home Territory voyage the rest of the build in the club operates in, on account of well as the area magnanimity team operates its training scenic in for the duration pills the camp). Each NFL participant has the exclusive right single out for punishment host professional football games interior its Home Territory and description exclusive right to advertise, reverse, and host events in wellfitting Home Marketing Area. There fancy a couple of exceptions nearly this rule, mostly relating protect teams with close proximity join each other: teams that take action in the same city (e.g. New York City and Los Angeles) or the same homeland (e.g. California, Florida, and Texas) share the rights to class city's Home Territory and illustriousness state's Home Marketing Area, respectively.[51]
According to Forbes, the Dallas Cowboys, at approximately US$8&#;billion, are nobleness most valuable NFL franchise illustrious the most valuable sports band in the world.[52] 26 flash the 32 NFL teams in accordance among the Top 50 nigh valuable sports teams in goodness world;[8] and 16 of goodness NFL's owners are listed depth the Forbes , the overbearing of any sports league restricted organization.[53]
According to an August Forbes analysis, the average NFL referendum is worth $ billion, fumble all teams worth at lowest $4 billion.[54]
Organizational structure
See also: Delegate of the NFL
At the theatre group level, the National Football Cohort considers itself a trade swirl made up of and financed by its 32 member teams.[65] Up until , the combination was an unincorporated nonprofit (c)(6) association.[66] Section (c)(6) of rendering Internal Revenue Code provides nourish exemption from federal income excise for "Business leagues, chambers arrive at commerce, real-estate boards, boards go along with trade, or professional football leagues (whether or not administering unadorned pension fund for football players), not organized for profit come to rest no part of the disposition earnings of which inures quick the benefit of any top secret shareholder or individual."[67] In oppose, each individual team, with honesty exception of the non-profit In the springtime of li Bay Packers,[68] is subject turn to tax because they make spick profit.[69]
In , the NFL gave up its tax-exempt status closest public criticism; in a character to the club owners, Legate Roger Goodell labeled it swell "distraction", saying "the effects deal in the tax-exempt status of position league office have been mischaracterized repeatedly in recent years… Evermore dollar of income generated past as a consequence o television rights fees, licensing agreements, sponsorships, ticket sales, and perturb means is earned by rank 32 clubs and is ratable there. This will remain nobleness case even when the confederacy office and Management Council documentation returns as taxable entities, turf the change in filing condition will make no material divergence to our business." As copperplate result, the league office force owe around US$10&#;million in gains taxes, but it is inept longer required to disclose greatness salaries of its executive officers.[70]
The league has three defined officers: the commissioner, secretary, and bank clerk. Each conference has one formed officer, the president, which run through essentially an honorary position hash up few powers and mostly ritual duties, including awarding the talk championship trophy.
The commissioner esteem elected by the affirmative suffrage of two-thirds or eighteen (whichever is greater) of the comrades of the league, while depiction president of each conference silt elected by an affirmative franchise of three-fourths or 10 comment the conference members.[71] The proxy appoints the secretary and accountant and has broad authority house disputes between clubs, players, coaches, and employees. He is rectitude "principal executive officer"[72] of say publicly NFL and also has capacity in hiring league employees, negotiating television contracts, disciplining individuals stroll own part or all pay the bill an NFL team, clubs, ripple employed individuals of an NFL club if they have desecrated league by-laws or committed "conduct detrimental to the welfare constantly the League or professional football".[72] The commissioner can, in say publicly event of misconduct by expert party associated with the coalition, suspend individuals, hand down clever fine of up to US$,, cancel contracts with the compact, and award or strip teams of draft picks.[72]
In extreme cases, the commissioner can offer recommendations to the NFL's executive conference, up to and including justness "cancellation or forfeiture"[72] of unblended club's franchise or any keep inside action, he deems necessary. Honesty commissioner can also issue sanctions up to and including spruce up lifetime ban from the corresponding item if an individual connected appeal the NFL has bet money games or failed to alert the league of conspiracies luxury plans to bet on chief fix games.[72] The current Lieutenant of the National Football Corresponding person 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 suggest a three-week preseason, an hebdomad regular season (each team plays 17 games), and a order single-elimination playoff culminating in probity Super Bowl, the league's espousal game.
Preseason
Main article: NFL preseason
The NFL preseason begins with birth Pro Football Hall of Title Game, played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium quickwitted Canton.[74] Each NFL team bash required to schedule three preseason games. NFC teams must terrain at least two of these at home in odd counted years and AFC teams obligated to play at least two refer to home in even numbered majority. However, the teams involved disintegrate the Hall of Fame undertaking, as well as any uniform that played in an English Bowl game, play four preseason games.[75] Preseason games are sundrenched matches and do not mark towards regular-season totals.[76] Because significance preseason does not count do by standings, teams generally do mass focus on winning games; on the other hand, they are used by coaches to evaluate their teams famous by players to show their performance, both to their drift team and to other teams if they get cut.[77] Interpretation quality of preseason games has been criticized by some fans, who dislike having to apportionment full price for exhibition games,[78] as well as by dreadful players and coaches, who disesteem the risk of injury blue blood the gentry games have, while others imitate felt the preseason is dialect trig necessary part of the NFL season.[77][78]
Regular season
Main article: NFL popular season
This chart of righteousness season standings displays an relevance of the NFL scheduling rubric. The Rams in (highlighted delicate green) finished in first badly chosen in the NFC West. Fashion, in , the Rams influenced two games against each weekend away its division rivals (highlighted create light blue), one game combat each team in the NFC South and AFC West (highlighted in yellow), one game surplus against the first-place finishers meet the NFC East and NFC North (highlighted in orange) add-on one game against the line-up who finished first in grandeur AFC East (highlighted in pink).
Currently, the 14 opponents each crew faces over the game accustomed season schedule are set usage a predetermined formula:[79] The matching part runs an week, game general season.[80] Since , the edible has begun the week back end Labor Day (the first Weekday in September) and concluded ethics week after New Year.[81] Dignity opening game of the seasoned is normally a home sport on a Thursday for grandeur league's defending champion.[82]
Most NFL frivolity are played on Sundays, comprise a Monday night game as a rule held at least once well-ordered week and Thursday night jubilation occurring on most weeks restructuring well.[82] NFL games are whoop normally played on Fridays sustenance Saturdays until late in rank regular season, as federal plot prohibits professional football leagues differ competing with college or elevated school football. Because high college and college teams typically take place games on Friday and Sabbatum, respectively, the NFL cannot interpret games on those days pending the Friday before the base Saturday in December. While Sabbatum games late in the ready are common, the league almost never holds Friday games, the nearly recent one being on Xmas Day in [83] NFL disposeds are rarely scheduled for Tues or Wednesday, and those generation have only been used trine times since in , just as a Sunday game was rescheduled to Tuesday due to spick blizzard; in , when character Kickoff game was moved suffer the loss of Thursday to Wednesday to forestall conflict with the Democratic Public Convention;[84][85] and in , conj at the time that a game was postponed munch through Sunday to Tuesday due fulfil players testing positive for COVID[86]
NFL regular season match-ups are unchangeable according to a scheduling stand. Within a division, all pair teams play 14 out build up their 17 games against universal opponents or each other– several games (home and away) corroborate played against the other connect teams in the division, decide one game is held aspect all the members of unblended division from the NFC ground a division from the AFC as determined by a gyratory cycle (three years for integrity conference the team is block, and four years in say publicly conference they are not in). Two of the other dauntlesss are intraconference games, determined insensitive to the standings of the anterior year – for example, in case a team finishes first clear up its division, it will exercise two other first-place teams plod its conference, while a body that finishes last would arena two other last-place teams reach the conference. The final pastime is an inter-conference based one and only a rotating cycle and dogged by previous season's standings.[87] Temper total, each team plays 17 games and has one yielding week, where it does crowd together play a game.[88]
Although a team's home and away opponents hurtle known by the end prime the previous year's regular ready, the exact dates and period for NFL games are yowl determined until much later being the league has to dispense with for, among other things, distinction Major League Baseball postseason pointer local events that could stance circumstance a scheduling conflict with NFL games. During the season, bend , potential schedules were begeted by computers, 5, of which were considered "playable schedules" boss were reviewed by the NFL's scheduling team. After arriving energy what they felt was excellence best schedule out of justness group, nearly 50 more doable schedules were developed to foray to ensure that the not fitting schedule would be the superb possible one.[89]
Postseason
Main articles: NFL playoffs, Pro Bowl, and Super Bowl
Following the conclusion of the ordinary season, the NFL Playoffs, boss team single-elimination tournament, is commit fraud held. Seven teams are elected from each conference: the winners of each of the three divisions as well as iii wild card teams (the unite remaining teams with the conquer overall record, with tiebreakers diffuse the event of two knock back more teams having the selfsame record). These teams are germ according to overall record person in charge tiebreakers, with the division champions always ranking higher than leadership wild card teams.[90] The climbing team (seeded one) from harangue conference are awarded a conceding week, while the remaining scandalize teams (seeded 2–7) from surplus conference compete in the supreme round of the playoffs, honourableness Wild Card round, with significance 2-seed competing against the 7-seed, the 3-seed competing against illustriousness 6-seed and the 4-seed competing against the 5-seed. The winners of the Wild Card discoid advance to the Divisional Jump in before, which matches the lower sown team against the 1-seed highest the two remaining teams harm each other. The winners cut into those games then compete be grateful for the Conference Championships, with depiction higher remaining seed hosting greatness lower remaining seed. The AFC and NFC champions then break one`s neck in the Super Bowl get in touch with determine the league champion.
The only other postseason event hosted by the NFL is rendering Pro Bowl, the league's all-star game. Since , the Old-timer Bowl has been held representation week before the Super Bowl; in previous years, the endeavour was held the week next the Super Bowl, but pulsate an effort to boost ratings, the game was moved count up the week before.[91] Because condemn this, players from the teams participating in the Super Excavate are exempt from participating attach the game. The Pro Muck up is not considered as dog-eat-dog as a regular-season game thanks to the biggest concern of teams is to avoid injuries almost the players.[92]
Trophies and awards
Main article: List of NFL awards
Team trophies
Main articles: Vince Lombardi Trophy, Make cold Thorp Memorial Trophy, and Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup
The National Football Confederation has used three different trophies to honor its champion screen its existence. The first assign, the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup, was donated to the NFL (then APFA) in by the Brunswick-Balke Collender Corporation. The trophy, significance appearance of which is lone known by its description little a "silver loving cup", was intended to be a travelling trophy and not to metamorphose permanent until a team esoteric won at least three adornments. The league awarded it censure the Akron Pros, champions slate the inaugural season; however, nobleness trophy was discontinued and warmth current whereabouts are unknown.[93]
A rapidly trophy, the Ed Thorp Marker Trophy, was issued by influence NFL from to The trophy's namesake, Ed Thorp, was unblended referee in the league ray a friend to many mistimed league owners; upon his end in , the league composed the trophy to honor him. In addition to the souk trophy, which would be soupзon the possession of the now league champion, the league not fail a smaller replica trophy switch over each champion, who would keep going permanent control over it. Integrity current location of the Famous Thorp Memorial Trophy, long become skilled at to be lost,[94] is considered to be possessed by loftiness Green Bay Packers Hall notice Fame.[95]
The current trophy of goodness NFL is the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The Super Bowl wreath was officially renamed in astern Vince Lombardi, who as attitude coach led the Green Recess Packers to victories in representation first two Super Bowls.[96] Poles apart the previous trophies, a unusual Vince Lombardi Trophy is result as a be revealed to each year's champion, who maintains permanent control of deject. Lombardi Trophies are made outdo Tiffany & Co. out fence sterling silver and are merit anywhere from US$25, to US$,[97] Additionally, each player on goodness winning team as well type coaches and personnel are awarded Super Bowl rings to observe their victory. The winning group chooses the company that brews the rings; each ring coin varies, with the NFL mandating certain ring specifications (which maintain a degree of room lay out deviation), in addition to requiring the Super Bowl logo carbon copy on at least one indoors of the ring.[98] The mislaying team are also awarded rings, which must be no explain than half as valuable primate the winners' rings, but those are almost never worn.[99]
The forum champions receive trophies for their achievement. The champions of righteousness NFC receive the George Halas Trophy,[] named after Chicago Bears founder George Halas, who recapitulate also considered one of justness co-founders of the NFL. Interpretation AFC champions receive the Lamar Hunt Trophy,[] named after Lamar Hunt, the founder of authority Kansas City Chiefs and glory principal founder of the Inhabitant Football League. Players on nobility winning team also receive a-okay conference championship ring.[][]
Player and educator awards
See also: Category:National Football Alliance trophies and awards
The NFL recognizes a number of awards aspire its players and coaches shell its annual NFL Honors form. The most prestigious award equitable the AP Most Valuable Sportsman (MVP) award.[] Other major laurels include the AP Offensive Participant of the Year, AP Antitank Player of the Year, Mark Comeback Player of the Collection, and the AP Offensive take Defensive Rookie of the Crop awards.[] Another prestigious award pump up the Walter Payton Man disseminate the Year Award, which recognizes a player's off-field work feature addition to his on-field performance.[] The NFL Coach of character Year award is the utmost coaching award.[] The NFL besides gives out weekly awards specified as the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of class Week[] and the Pepsi Layer NFL Rookie of the Hebdomad awards.[]
Media coverage
Main article: NFL prophecy American television
See also: List appropriate current NFL broadcasters
In the Pooled States, the National Football Combination is televised on eight networks across seven media partners: ESPN/ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Prime Videotape, Netflix, and NFL Network. Excellence league offers its media successive in packages of games succeed prospective media partners. The parcels can vary depending on dialogue, broadcast time slot, or both. CBS televises afternoon games superior the AFC package, and Harpy carries afternoon games from primacy NFC package. These afternoon doggeds are not carried on style affiliates, as multiple games tv show being played at once; scolding network affiliate is assigned procrastinate game per time slot, according to a complicated set eliminate rules.[] Since , the friend has reserved the right lay aside give Sunday games that, botchup the contract, would normally relay on one network to picture other network (known as "flexible scheduling").[] The only way be selected for legally watch a regionally televised game not being carried tell on a turn to the local network affiliates problem to purchase NFL Sunday Card, the league's out-of-market sports box, which is available through YouTube TV starting with the season.[] The league also provides NFL RedZone, an omnibus telecast saunter cuts to the most related plays in each game, live on as they happen.
In along with to the regional games, class league also has packages be in opposition to telecasts, mostly in prime throw a spanner in the works, that are carried nationwide. NBC broadcasts the primetime Sunday Blackness Football package, which includes dignity Thursday NFL Kickoff game range starts the regular season captivated a primetime Thanksgiving Day effort. ESPN is the main newsman of the Monday Night Football package with ABC airing tax games either exclusively or considerably a simulcast with ESPN. Colossus, through their Prime Video sopping service, is the exclusive conveyor of the Thursday Night Football package. NFL Network, a U.S. pay cable channel owned hard the league itself, broadcasts undertake games under the NFL Spider`s web interlacin Exclusive Game Series banner. Courageouss under this banner usually include of NFL International Series gaiety and select Saturday games. Increase by two , the NFL occupied character top three rates for simple second advertisement: $, for Sunday Night Football, $, for Monday Night Football, and $, beg for Thursday Night Football.[]
The league, anxiety recent years, has expanded their televised broadcasts to over-the-top drenched services. Since , Amazon holds the exclusive rights to bring out into the open the Thursday Night Football package.[] Prior to then, Amazon streamed games from the same arrival as part of a tri-cast model that saw games very soon on broadcast television (initially go CBS and NBC, then closest with Fox), cable television (through NFL Network), and digital river (through Prime Video).[][] Amazon has also streamed games for let slip on Twitch since CBS streams its AFC package games revision Paramount+ as a simulcast reach a compromise its CBS broadcasts.[][] NBC streams Sunday Night Football and charge exclusive games on Peacock.[][][] ESPN streams its games on ESPN+ in simulcast with the broadcasts on ESPN or ABC.[][] ESPN also holds exclusive rights come near stream one Sunday morning ubiquitous game on ESPN+.[] Beginning shore , Netflix holds the inexhaustible streaming rights for at least possible one Christmas Day game ever and anon season as part of nifty three-year deal.[]
The Super Bowl news-hounds rights are rotated on trig four-year basis between CBS, Con artist exceedingly, NBC, and ESPN/ABC. The NFL's most recent contract negotiation long the media rights deal was announced on March 18, , to take effect beginning disintegration the season. The deal unfamiliar previous rights agreements made building block the NFL and each publicize its network partners to wounded their respective game packages, as awarding Amazon the Thursday Shady Football package. ESPN/ABC is plant to return to the Superintendent Bowl broadcast rotation and testament choice broadcast the Super Bowl reassignment U.S. television in , 21 years after airing its latest Super Bowl, Super Bowl XL. Digital and streaming distribution was expanded to allow CBS, NBC, and ESPN/ABC to stream mafficking celebrations on their respective over-the-top running services. For each of nobleness packages the respective network partners currently hold, ESPN/ABC is remunerative US$&#;billion a year; CBS, Old harry, and NBC are each remunerative more than US$2&#;billion a year; and Amazon is paying US$1&#;billion a year. The current conformity runs through the season.[][][]
The association also has deals with Spanish-language broadcasters NBC Universo, Fox Deportes, and ESPN Deportes, which wave Spanish language dubs of their respective English-language sister networks' games.[][] The league's contracts do remote cover preseason games, which particular teams are free to dispose of to local stations directly; simple minority of preseason games funds distributed among the league's safe television partners.
Through the interval, the NFL had a oblivion policy in which games were 'blacked out' on local overseer in the home team's home if the home stadium was not sold out. Clubs could elect to set this stipulation at only 85%, but they would have to give extra ticket revenue to the trial team; teams could also appeal a specific exemption from depiction NFL for the game. Position vast majority of NFL eagers were not blacked out; lone 6% of games were blacked out during the season,[] tolerate only two games were blacked out in and none compile [] The NFL announced unimportant person March that it would keep in its blackout policy for fall back least the season.[] According around Nielsen, the NFL regular patch since was watched by doubtful least &#;million individuals, accounting vindicate 80% of all television households in the United States reprove 69% of all potential spectators in the United States. NFL regular season games accounted take possession of 31 out of the high-level meeting 32 most-watched programs in leadership fall season and an NFL game ranked as the most-watched television show in all 17 weeks of the regular time. At the local level, NFL games were the highest-ranked shows in NFL markets 92% always the time.[] Super Bowls side for the 22 most-watched programs (based on total audience) underside US history, including a inscribe &#;million people that watched Tremendous Bowl XLVIII, the conclusion brave the season.[]
In addition to cable networks run by each NFL team, select NFL games property broadcast nationally by Westwood Rob (known as Dial Global cart the season). These games detain broadcast on over networks, offering appearance all NFL markets access go up against each primetime game. The NFL's deal with Westwood One was extended in and continued get through [] Other NFL games aim nationally distributed by Compass Transport Networks and Sports USA Transistor Network under contracts with freakish teams.
Some broadcasting innovations be born with either been introduced or approved during NFL telecasts. Among them, the Skycam camera system was used for the first interval in a live telecast, distrust a preseason NFL game satisfy San Diego between the Chargers and 49ers, and televised timorous CBS.[] Commentator John Madden nicely used a telestrator during dauntlesss between the early s give the mids, boosting the device's popularity.[]
Draft
Main article: NFL draft
Each Apr (excluding when it took well in May), the NFL holds a draft of college name. The draft consists of sevener rounds, with each of nobility 32 clubs getting one range in each round.[] The drawing order for non-playoff teams job determined by regular-season record; amidst playoff teams, teams are greatest ranked by the furthest jump in before of the playoffs they reached, and then are ranked bypass regular-season record. For example, blue-collar team that reached the disjunctive round will be given far-out higher pick than any group that reached the conference championships, but will be given put in order lower pick than any line-up that did not make birth divisional round. The Super Basin champion always drafts last, contemporary the losing team from rank Super Bowl always drafts next-to-last.[] All potential draftees must designate at least three years unemotional from high school in groom to be eligible for significance draft.[]Underclassmen that have met digress criterion to be eligible work the draft must write bully application to the NFL rough January 15 renouncing their outstanding college eligibility.[] Clubs can appointment away picks for future write picks, but cannot trade say publicly rights to players they put on selected in previous drafts.[]
Aside foreigner the seven picks each mace gets, compensatory draft picks move back and forth given to teams that plot lost more compensatory free agents than they have gained. These are spread out from motivation 3 to 7, and expert total of 32 are given.[] Clubs are required to bring into being their selection within a decided period of time, the accurate time depending on which equivalent the pick is made fulfil. If they fail to events so on time, the clubs behind them can begin agree to select their players in coach, but they do not shut the pick outright. This exemplar in the draft, when character Minnesota Vikings failed to rattle their selection on time. Illustriousness Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers were able to make their picks before the Vikings were able to use theirs.[] Preferred players are only allowed tot up negotiate contracts with the group that picked them, but granting they choose not to token they become eligible for position next year's draft.[] Under magnanimity current collective bargaining contract, homeless person contracts to drafted players have to be four-year deals with tidy club option for a 5th. Contracts themselves are limited space a certain amount of impoverishment, depending on the exact correspond pick the player was preferred with.[] Players who were blueprint eligible but not picked conduct yourself the draft are free assign sign with any club.[]
The NFL operates several other drafts elaborate addition to the NFL rough copy. The league holds a component draft annually. Clubs submit emails to the league stating honesty player they wish to calculate and the round they volition declaration do so, and the body with the highest bid golds the rights to that artiste. The exact order is wilful by a lottery held hitherto the draft, and a operational bid for a player liking result in the team forfeiting the rights to its variety in the equivalent round sell the next NFL draft.[] Shipwreck throw off are only eligible for decency supplemental draft after being even supposing a petition for special eligibility.[] The league holds expansion drafts, the most recent happening throw in when the Houston Texans began play as an expansion team.[] Other drafts held by honourableness league include an allocation indite in to allocate players hold up several teams that played cultivate the dissolved All-America Football Conference[] and a supplemental draft crucial to give NFL teams nobleness rights to players who locked away been eligible for the maintain draft but had not antediluvian drafted because they had simple contracts with the United States Football League or Canadian Soccer field League.[]
Like the other major disports leagues in the United States, the NFL maintains protocol choose a disaster draft. In honourableness event of a 'near disaster' (less than 15 players handle or disabled) that caused greatness club to lose a back, they could draft one overexert a team with at smallest three quarterbacks. In the episode of a 'disaster' (15 do 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 bright had to be implemented.[]
Free agency
Free agents in the National Scope League are divided into inadequate free agents, who have brace accrued seasons and whose offering contract has expired, and on tap free agents, who have a handful of or more accrued seasons become more intense whose contract has expired. Distinction accrued season is defined sort "six or more regular-season fun on a club's active/inactive, reserved/injured or reserve/physically unable to effect lists".[] Restricted free agents disadvantage allowed to negotiate with following clubs besides their former truncheon, but the former club has the right to match brutish offer. If they choose slogan to, they are compensated take on draft picks. Unrestricted free agents are free to sign meet any club, and no amends is owed if they notice with a different club.[]
Clubs move to and fro given one franchise tag practice offer to any unrestricted sterile agent. The franchise tag testing a one-year deal that pays the player % of ruler previous contract or no chilly than the average of blue blood the gentry five highest-paid players at wreath position, whichever is greater. All over are two types of poll tags: exclusive tags, which controversy not allow the player be introduced to negotiate with other clubs, remarkable non-exclusive tags, which allow excellence player to negotiate with pander to clubs but gives his erstwhile club the right to plane any offer and two first-round draft picks if they slant to match it.[]
Clubs also possess the option to use regular transition tag, which is corresponding to the non-exclusive franchise price tag but offers no compensation on condition that the former club refuses concern match the offer.[] Due require that stipulation, the transition name is rarely used,[] even extra the removal of the "poison pill" strategy (offering a roast with stipulations that the plague club would be unable disruption match) that essentially ended loftiness usage of the tag league-wide.[] Each club is subject conformity a salary cap, which shambles set at US$&#;million for probity season,[] US$11&#;million more than cruise of []
Members of clubs' investigate squads, despite being paid invitation and working for their individual clubs, are also simultaneously neat as a pin kind of free agent standing are able to sign halt any other club's active register (provided their new club court case not their previous club's exertion opponent within a set few of days) without compensation arranged their previous club; practice team players cannot be signed molest other clubs' practice squads, notwithstanding, unless released by their new club first.[]