National Football League

The National Football League, commonly known as the NFL, is the premier professional American football league in the world. Headquartered in New York City, it serves as the highest level of competition for the sport. The league is composed of 32 professional teams. These teams are divided equally into two groups called conferences. The American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC) make up these two sides.

The NFL is a massive economic force and is the most popular sports league in the United States.

An NFL season follows a very specific and timed structure. It begins every August with a three-week preseason to prepare the players. This is followed by an 18-week regular season that runs from early September to early January. During this regular season, each team plays 17 games. Every team also receives one bye week, which is a scheduled week off to rest.

After the regular season ends, seven teams from each conference advance to the playoffs. These seven teams include the four division winners and three wild card teams. The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament, meaning a team must win to continue.

The entire season builds toward a massive event called the Super Bowl. This championship game is played in early February. It features the winners of the AFC championship game and the NFC championship game. The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events on the planet. By 2015, individual Super Bowl games occupied the top five spots in Nielsen's all-time most-watched U.S. television broadcasts. This event represents the highest achievement for any player in the league.

The history of the NFL began over a century ago in Ohio. On August 20, 1920, representatives from teams like the Akron Pros and Canton Bulldogs met in an auto showroom. This meeting formed the American Professional Football Conference (APFC). They wanted to raise the standards of the sport and stop rival clubs from bidding against each other for players. A second meeting in September 1920 changed the name to the American Professional Football Association (APFA). Jim Thorpe was elected as the first president. In 1922, the organization officially renamed itself the National Football League.

Over time, the league changed how it decided its champion. Originally, the league used end-of-season standings to name a winner. In 1932, a tie between the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans forced a playoff. Because of heavy snow and extreme cold, the game moved from Wrigley Field to Chicago Stadium. This indoor game used altered rules because the stadium field was not a regulation size. The Bears won 9–0, and the excitement led the NFL to implement a formal playoff system in 1933. This system eventually led to the creation of the Super Bowl following a merger with the American Football League (AFL). The merger was completed in 1970.

The NFL is a leader in global sports revenue and popularity. It is the wealthiest professional sports league in the world by revenue. It also holds the record for the highest average attendance at 67,591 fans per game. The Green Bay Packers hold the record for the most total championships with thirteen titles. Since the Super Bowl era began, the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for the most victories with six each. The Seattle Seahawks are the reigning Super Bowl champions.

Modern leadership focuses on the growth and safety of the game. Former commissioner Pete Rozelle saw annual attendance grow from 3 million to 17 million. Current commissioner Roger Goodell has focused on player safety. He works to reduce concussions by fining or suspending players for illegal hits. The league also works on diversity through initiatives like NFL Source. Launched in 2024, this program helps minority- and women-owned businesses work with the league. These efforts aim to increase partnerships with businesses led by veterans, women, and people with disabilities.