NFL News, Insights, Stats, and Match Previews
Stay informed with the latest NFL news, insights, and interviews all in one place! SportsBoom offers a complete guide to the NFL's history, fundamentals, and regulations. We also deliver detailed NFL match previews and exclusive interviews with players and insiders, giving fans deeper context behind every game.
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The Basics of American Football
The Football Field and Its Markings
The field, including the end zones, is a rectangle measuring 360 feet long by 160 feet wide, with two rows of hash marks near the center at 1-yard intervals. Goal Lines are established in the field 10 yards from and parallel to each end line.
The area bounded by goal lines and sidelines is known as the Field of Play. The areas bounded by goal lines, end lines, and sidelines are known as the End Zones.
The Ball and Equipment
The Ball is a “Wilson,” hand-selected, bearing the signature of the Commissioner of the League, Roger Goodell. It is made up of an inflated (12½ to 13½ pounds) urethane bladder enclosed in a pebble-grained, leather case.
All players are required to wear helmets, face protectors, jerseys, numerals, pants, shoulder pads, thigh pads, knee pads, game socks, and leg coverings and shoes.
Rules and Game Structure
The rules of the NFL Game address various aspects of the game, including the field, ball, game timing, and player conduct, among others. An NFL game is divided into four quarters, each lasting 15 minutes. Each NFL team has a 53-man active roster during the regular season, but only 11 players from each team are playing on the field at any one time.
Teams can score in several ways, which include: Touchdowns, Field Goals, Extra Points, Two-Point conversions, and safeties.
NFL Teams, Conferences & Rivalries
The NFL is composed of 32 teams that are divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC).
Each Conference is further divided into four divisions, each comprising four teams, usually named after the cardinal points of the compass, i.e., North, East, South, and West.
Classic Rivalries
- Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers – The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers have been fierce rivals since 1921, when the Packers beat the Bears 20-0, making it one of the oldest rivalries in professional football, as they are drawn in the same conference and division.
- Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – Although a young rivalry, both teams are known for fielding tough, hard-hitting defensive squads, giving their games an extra element of physical magnitude. They are the sole teams in the AFC North to have claimed Super Bowl victories
- Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders – The Commanders and Cowboys rivalry is one of the best in the NFL. The two franchises have won 32 combined division titles and eight combined Super Bowls.
A Brief History of the NFL
The Early Days and Formation
The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The inaugural season was a struggle for the APFA, with games receiving little attention from the fans and press.
The Early Years of Pro Football witnessed APFA games averaging crowds of 4,241. A playoff system was implemented in 1933 that culminated with the NFL Championship Game until 1966.
The Super Bowl Era
The Super Bowl was held four times before the NFL and NFL merger, with the NFL winning Super Bowl I in 1967 and Super Bowl II in 1968, and the AFL winning Super Bowl III in 1969 and Super Bowl IV in 1970.
After the completion of the merger in 1970, two conferences, the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC), were established in a reorganization
Modern Powerhouses
The NFL has had its fair share of dominant teams. The Kansas City Chiefs boast multiple Super Bowl wins and are the epitome of a modern dynasty. The New England Patriots were the benchmark of NFL dominance, winning six Super Bowls.
Other notable modern powerhouses include the Dallas Cowboys 1990’s “America’s Team” and the San Francisco 49ers' 1980s-early 90s team.
Legendary NFL Players
The NFL boasts several iconic players, with the most renowned described below.
- Tom Brady: He is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time and the GOAT NFL player. Brady played 23 seasons in the league and is a seven-time Super Bowl Champion, a three-time league MVP, as well as a five-time Super Bowl MVP.
- Peyton Manning: Nicknamed “the Sheriff”, Manning won two Super Bowl titles, five league MVPS, and one Super Bowl MVP in his 18 seasons in the league.
- Jerry Rice: He is one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, who played 20 seasons in the NFL, accumulating three Super Bowl championships and a Super Bowl MVP. Rice is the career leader in most major statistical categories for wide receivers.
- Joe Montana: “Joe Cool”, Montana played 16 seasons, amassing four Super Bowl titles, two league MVPS, and three Super Bowl MVPS.
- Jim Brown: Brown was a Pro Bowl invitee every season he was in the league and was recognized as the AP NFL Most Valuable Player three times. He led the league in rushing yards in eight out of his nine seasons.
The Future of the NFL
The Future of the NFL couldn’t be more promising, as the league has taken steps to make it a global sport by developing international initiatives that encompass grassroots efforts, an international player pathway program, and rapid expansion.
The following markers define this future:
- New Generation of Talent – The new generation of NFL talent is defined by versatile, athletic quarterbacks and hybrid skill players who thrive on improvisation, forcing a league-wide shift toward more creative and less positionally rigid offensive schemes.
- Analytics, Safety & Technology – The NFL uses advanced analytics, technology like AI and computer vision, and vast data collection to proactively enhance player safety, predict injuries, and refine the game.
- Global Growth – The NFL has worked to expand its international fanbase. That expansion has continued during the 2025 season, as there have been seven international games. On the other hand, grassroots development has seen rapid expansion across various continents, thus increasing the talent pool available to franchises.