View source for National Football League

{{short description|Professional American football league}}
{{Redirect|NFL|other leagues of the same name and other uses|National Football League (disambiguation)|and|NFL (disambiguation)}}
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{{Use American English|date=October 2018}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title           = National Football League
| last_season     = 2025 NFL season
| logo            = National Football League logo.svg
| logo_size       = 175
| caption         = 
| formerly        = American Professional Football Conference (1920)<br />American Professional Football Association<br />(1920–1921)
| sport           = American football
| founded         = {{start date and age|1920|9|17|p=yes}}<br />[[Canton, Ohio]], U.S.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Battista |first=Judy |author-link=Judy Battista |date=September 16, 2020 |title=Remembering the NFL's humble origins on its 100th birthday |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/remembering-the-nfl-s-humble-origins-on-its-100th-birthday |access-date=March 4, 2022 |work=NFL.com |publisher=NFL Enterprises}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NFL founded in Canton|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2005/01/news-nfl-founded-in-canton/|publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame|website=ProFootballHOF.com|date=January 1, 2005|access-date=March 4, 2022}}</ref>
| commissioner    = [[Roger Goodell]]
| headquarters    = [[345 Park Avenue]]<br />[[New York City]], New York, U.S.<ref name=headquarters/>
| inaugural       = [[1920 APFA season|1920]]
| teams           = 32
| country         = United States{{refn|All teams are based in the United States, but several preseason and regular season games have been held internationally.|group=lower-alpha|name=a}}
| champion        = [[Seattle Seahawks]]<br>(2nd title)
| most_champs     = [[Green Bay Packers]]<br />(13 titles)
| website         = {{Official URL}}
| tv              = '''United States:'''<ref>{{cite news|last=Gordon|first=Grant|title=NFL announces new broadcast deals running through 2033 season|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-announces-new-broadcast-deals-running-through-2033-season|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref><br />[[NFL on CBS|CBS]]<br />[[NFL on Fox|Fox]]<br />[[NFL on NBC|NBC]]<br />[[NFL on ESPN|ESPN]]/[[NFL on ABC|ABC]]/[[Manningcast|ESPN2]]<br />[[NFL Network]]<br />[[TUDN (brand)|TUDN]]<br />[[Telemundo Deportes]]<br />[[ESPN Deportes]]<br />'''International:'''<br />[[List of current National Football League broadcasters#International broadcasters|See list]]
| streaming       = '''United States:'''<br />[[Paramount+]]/[[Vix (streaming service)|Vix]]<br />[[Tubi]]<br />[[Peacock (streaming service)|Peacock]]<br />[[ESPN+]]/[[Hulu]]/[[Disney+]]<br />[[NFL on Prime Video|Amazon Prime Video]]/[[Twitch (service)|Twitch]]<br />[[NFL on Netflix|Netflix]]<br />[[YouTube TV]]<br />'''International:'''<br />[[DAZN]]
}}

The '''National Football League''' ('''NFL''') is a [[Professional gridiron football|professional]] [[American football]] league in the [[United States]]. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the [[American Football Conference]] (AFC) and the [[National Football Conference]] (NFC). The NFL is one of the [[major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada]] and the highest professional level of American football in the world.<ref>{{cite book|title=Sports Capitalism: The Foreign Business of American Professional Leagues|first=Frank P.|last=Jozsa|publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing]]|year=2004|isbn=978-0-7546-4185-8|page=270|quote=Since 1922, [the NFL] has been the top professional sports league in the world with respect to American football}}</ref> Each NFL season begins annually with a [[NFL preseason|three-week preseason]] in August, followed by an [[NFL regular season|18-week regular season]], which runs from early September to early January, with each team playing 17 games and having one [[Bye (sports)|bye week]]. Seven teams from each conference, including the four division winners and three [[Wild card (sports)|wild card]] teams, then advance to the [[NFL playoffs|playoffs]], a [[single-elimination tournament]], which culminates in the [[Super Bowl]], played in early February between the winners of the [[AFC Championship Game|AFC]] and [[NFC Championship Game|NFC]] championship games. The NFL is headquartered in [[New York City]].<ref name=headquarters>{{Cite web |title=NFL.com {{!}} Official Site of the National Football League |url=https://www.nfl.com/legal/privacy/nfl-entities-list/ |access-date=January 11, 2026 |website=NFL |language=en-US}}</ref>

The NFL was formed in 1920 as the '''American Professional Football Association''' ('''APFA''') before renaming itself the National Football League for the [[1922 NFL season|1922 season]]. After initially determining champions through end-of-season standings, a playoff system was implemented in [[1933 NFL season|1933]] that culminated with the [[History of the NFL championship#1933–1965: NFL Championship Game|NFL Championship Game]] until 1966. Following an [[AFL–NFL merger|agreement to merge the NFL]] with the rival [[American Football League]] (AFL), the Super Bowl was [[Super Bowl I|first]] held in 1967 to determine a champion between the best teams from the two leagues and has remained as the final game of each NFL season since the merger was completed in 1970.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gulizia |first1=Anthony |last2=Willis |first2=Jeremy |title=How the NFL took over America in 100 years |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27321898/how-nfl-took-america-100-years |website=ESPN.com |access-date=January 25, 2020 |date=August 14, 2019}}</ref> The NFL is the wealthiest [[professional sports]] league in the world [[List of professional sports leagues by revenue|by revenue]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Garcia |first1=Ahiza |title=Premier League revenues hit record high $6.4 billion |url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/04/19/news/companies/premier-league-record-revenue/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420033816/http://money.cnn.com/2018/04/19/news/companies/premier-league-record-revenue/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 20, 2018 |website=CNNMoney |access-date=May 28, 2020 |date=April 29, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/04/10/sources-nfl-revenue-passes-23-billion-in-latest-fiscal-year/ |date=April 10, 2025 |title=Sources: NFL revenue passes $23B in latest FY |website=Sports Business Journal |last=Fischer |first=Ben}}</ref> and the sports league with the most valuable teams.<ref name="Badenhausen-2019">{{cite web |last1=Badenhausen |first1=Kurt |title=The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams 2019 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2019/07/22/the-worlds-50-most-valuable-sports-teams-2019 |website=Forbes |access-date=January 17, 2020 |date=July 22, 2019}}</ref> The NFL also has the [[List of sports attendance figures|highest average attendance]] (67,591) of any professional sports league in the world<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/01/06/13/nfl-worlds-best-attended-pro-sports-league|agency=Agence France-Presse|title=NFL is world's best attended pro sports league|date=January 6, 2013|publisher=[[ABS-CBN News]]|access-date=January 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006165225/http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/01/06/13/nfl-worlds-best-attended-pro-sports-league|archive-date=October 6, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> and is the most popular sports league in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pro Football is Still America's Favorite Sport|url=http://www.theharrispoll.com/sports/Americas_Fav_Sport_2016.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129010323/http://www.theharrispoll.com/sports/Americas_Fav_Sport_2016.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 29, 2016|publisher=[[Harris Insights & Analytics|Harris Interactive]]|date=January 26, 2016|access-date=June 11, 2016}}</ref> The Super Bowl is also among the most-watched sporting events in the world,<ref>{{cite news|title=Elite clubs on Uefa gravy train as Super Bowl knocked off perch|last=Harris|first=Nick|date=January 31, 2010|work=[[The Independent]]|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/elite-clubs-on-uefa-gravy-train-as-super-bowl-knocked-off-perch-1884429.html|access-date=November 28, 2012|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119135550/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/elite-clubs-on-uefa-gravy-train-as-super-bowl-knocked-off-perch-1884429.html|archive-date=November 19, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> with the individual games accounting for many of the most watched television programs in American history and occupying the top five of [[Nielsen Media Research|Nielsen]]'s all-time most-watched U.S. television broadcasts by 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/super-bowl-xlv-most-viewed-telecast-in-broadcast-history/|title=Super Bowl XLV Most Viewed Telecast in U.S. Broadcast History|date=February 7, 2011|publisher=[[Nielsen Company]]|access-date=February 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208160635/http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/super-bowl-xlv-most-viewed-telecast-in-broadcast-history/|archive-date=February 8, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Green Bay Packers]] hold the most overall NFL championships with thirteen, winning nine titles before the Super Bowl era and four Super Bowls afterwards. Since the creation of the Super Bowl, the [[New England Patriots]] and [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] are tied for the most victories with six each. The reigning Super Bowl champions are the [[Seattle Seahawks]].

== History ==
{{Main|Ohio League|History of the National Football League|History of American football}}

=== Founding and history ===
{{redirect|American Professional Football Association|the similarly named minor professional league of the 1930s|Midwest Football League (1935–1940)}}
On August 20, 1920, a meeting was held by representatives of the [[Akron Pros]], [[Canton Bulldogs]], [[Cleveland Tigers (NFL)|Cleveland Indians]], and [[Dayton Triangles]] at the [[Jordan Motor Car Company|Jordan]] and [[Hupmobile]] auto showroom in [[Canton, Ohio]].<ref name="profootballhof.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/news/nfl-founded-in-canton/|title=NFL founded in Canton – Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site|website=profootballhof.com|access-date=February 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306152757/http://www.profootballhof.com/news/nfl-founded-in-canton/|archive-date=March 6, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> This meeting resulted in the formation of the American Professional Football Conference (APFC), a group who, according to the ''Canton Evening Repository'', intended to "raise the standard of professional football in every way possible, to eliminate bidding for players between rival clubs and to secure cooperation in the formation of schedules".<ref name="Happy Birthday NFL?" />

A second meeting was held on September 17, 1920, with representatives from teams within four states: Akron, Canton, Cleveland, and Dayton from Ohio; the [[Hammond Pros]] and [[Muncie Flyers]] from Indiana; the [[Rochester Jeffersons]] from New York; and the [[Rock Island Independents]], [[Chicago Bears|Decatur Staleys]], and [[Arizona Cardinals|Racine (Chicago) Cardinals]] from Illinois.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/history-of-football/1869-1939/1920-american-professional-football-conference-is-formed/ |title=Timeline Detail &#124; Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site |access-date=September 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915042600/http://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/history-of-football/1869-1939/1920-american-professional-football-conference-is-formed/ |archive-date=September 15, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Battista |first=Judy |date=September 16, 2020 |title=Remembering the NFL's humble origins on its 100th birthday |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/remembering-the-nfl-s-humble-origins-on-its-100th-birthday |access-date=September 17, 2020 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> The league was renamed to the '''American Professional Football Association''' ('''APFA''').<ref name="Happy Birthday NFL?">{{cite journal|year=1980 |title=Happy Birthday NFL? |journal=The Coffin Corner |publisher=[[Professional Football Researchers Association]] |volume=2 |issue=8 |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-08-038.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206155110/http://profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-08-038.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 6, 2009 |access-date=February 7, 2013}}</ref> The league elected [[Jim Thorpe]] as its first president, and consisted of 14 teams (the [[Buffalo All-Americans]], [[Chicago Tigers]], [[Columbus Panhandles]] and [[Detroit (1920s NFL teams)|Detroit Heralds]] joined the league during the year). The [[Massillon Tigers]] from [[Massillon, Ohio]] was also at the September 17 meeting, but did not field a team in 1920. Only two of these teams, the Decatur Staleys (now the Chicago Bears) and the [[Chicago Cardinals]] (now the Arizona Cardinals), remain in the NFL.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/404801/National-Football-League-NFL|title=National Football League (NFL)|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=June 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620012240/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/404801/National-Football-League-NFL|archive-date=June 20, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:1920 akron pros posing.jpg|thumb|The [[Akron Pros]] won the first APFA (NFL) Championship in 1920.]]
Although the league did not maintain official standings for its [[1920 APFA season|1920 inaugural season]] and teams played schedules that included non-league opponents, the APFA awarded the Akron Pros the championship by virtue of their {{win loss record|w=8|l=0|t=3}} record.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/Past_Standings_2011.pdf |title=Past Standings |website=National Football League |page=27 |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904140347/http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/Past_Standings_2011.pdf |archive-date=September 4, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The first event occurred on September 26, 1920, when the [[Rock Island Independents]] defeated the non-league St. Paul Ideals 48–0 at [[Douglas Park (Rock Island)|Douglas Park]].<ref name="profootballhof.com" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/192009260rii.htm|title=St. Paul Ideals at Rock Island Independents – September 26th, 1920 – Pro-Football-Reference.com|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=March 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806085032/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/192009260rii.htm|archive-date=August 6, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> On October 3, 1920, the first full week of league play occurred.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1920_APFA/|title=1920 APFA Standings & Team Stats – Pro-Football-Reference.com|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=March 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730234700/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1920_APFA/|archive-date=July 30, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rii/1920_games.htm|title=1920 Rock Island Independents Schedule & Game Results – Pro-Football-Reference.com|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=March 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802121814/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rii/1920_games.htm|archive-date=August 2, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
The following season resulted in the Chicago Staleys [[1921 NFL Championship controversy|controversially winning the title]] over the Buffalo All-Americans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/567574/Buffalo--A-city-cursed-with--bad-sports-luck.html|title=Buffalo: A city cursed with bad sports luck|last=Snyder|first=Gib|date=January 6, 2012|work=[[Observer (Dunkirk)|The Observer]]|publisher=[[Ogden Newspapers]]|access-date=January 16, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729082243/http://www.observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/567574/Buffalo--A-city-cursed-with--bad-sports-luck.html|archive-date=July 29, 2013}}</ref> On June 24, 1922, the APFA changed its name to the National Football League (NFL).<ref>{{cite web |title=Sept. 17, 1920 – The Founding of the NFL |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=98 |publisher=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] |access-date=July 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709235237/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=98 |archive-date=July 9, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1922 American Professional Football Association changes name to National Football League|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/history-of-football/1869-1939/1922-american-professional-football-association-changes-name-to-national-football-league/|publisher=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=June 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806024930/http://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/history-of-football/1869-1939/1922-american-professional-football-association-changes-name-to-national-football-league/|archive-date=August 6, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In [[1932 NFL season|1932]], the season ended with the Chicago Bears ({{win loss record|w=6|l=1|t=6}}) and the [[Portsmouth Spartans]] ({{win loss record|w=6|l=1|t=4}}) tied for first in the league standings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/Past_Standings_2011.pdf |title=Past Standings |publisher=National Football League |page=26 |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904140347/http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/Past_Standings_2011.pdf |archive-date=September 4, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> At the time, teams were ranked on a single table and the team with the highest [[winning percentage]] (not including ties, which were not counted towards the standings) at the end of the season was declared the champion; the only tiebreaker was that in the event of a tie if two teams played twice in a season, the result of the second game determined the title (the source of the 1921 controversy). This method had been used since the league's creation in 1920, but no situation had been encountered where two teams were tied for first. The league quickly determined that a [[1932 NFL Playoff Game|playoff game]] between Chicago and Portsmouth was needed to decide the league's champion. The teams were originally scheduled to play the playoff game, officially a regular-season game that would count towards the regular season standings, at [[Wrigley Field]] in Chicago, but a combination of heavy snow and extreme cold forced the game to be moved indoors to [[Chicago Stadium]], which did not have a regulation-size football field. Playing with altered rules to accommodate the smaller playing field, the Bears won the game 9–0 and thus won the championship. Fan interest in the ''de facto'' championship game led the NFL, beginning in [[1933 NFL season|1933]], to split into [[Eastern and Western Conferences (NFL) 1933–69|two divisions]] with a championship game to be played between the division champions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Articles/1932%20Season.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929180027/http://profootballresearchers.org/Articles/1932%20Season.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 29, 2010|title=The 60-Yard Circus|last=Carroll|first=Bob|publisher=[[Professional Football Researchers Association]]|access-date=February 9, 2013}}</ref> The [[1934 NFL season|1934 season]] also marked the first of twelve seasons in which African Americans were [[Black players in professional American football|absent from the league]]. The ''de facto'' ban was rescinded in [[1946 NFL season|1946]], following public pressure and coinciding with the removal of [[Baseball color line|a similar ban]] in [[Major League Baseball]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present: From the Age of Segregation to the Twenty-first Century|editor-last=Finkelman|editor-first=Paul|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|date=February 2, 2009|volume=1|page=235|isbn=978-0-19-516779-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6gbQHxb_P0QC&q=Encyclopedia+NFL&pg=RA1-PA235|access-date=June 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930221455/http://books.google.com/books?id=6gbQHxb_P0QC&pg=RA1-PA235&dq=Encyclopedia+NFL&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-GrEUarYJ8S20AGVj4CwBA&ved=0CEIQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=Encyclopedia%20NFL&f=false|archive-date=September 30, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although the NFL was always the largest professional football league in the United States, it faced numerous rival professional leagues during the 1930s and 1940s. Rival leagues included at least three separate [[American Football League (disambiguation)|American Football Leagues]] and the [[All-America Football Conference]] (AAFC), on top of various regional leagues of varying caliber. Three NFL teams trace their histories to these rival leagues; the [[Los Angeles Rams]] who came from a 1936 iteration of the American Football League, and the [[Cleveland Browns]] and [[San Francisco 49ers]], both from the AAFC. By the 1950s, the NFL had an effective monopoly on professional football in the United States; its only competition in North America was the professional [[Canadian football]] circuit, which formally became the [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL) in 1958. With Canadian football being [[Comparison of American and Canadian football|a different football code]] than the American game, the CFL established a niche market in Canada and still survives as an independent league.

A new professional league, the fourth [[American Football League]] (AFL), began to play in 1960. The upstart AFL began to challenge the established NFL in popularity, gaining lucrative television contracts and engaging in a bidding war with the NFL for free agents and draft picks. The two leagues announced a [[AFL–NFL merger|merger]] on June 8, 1966, to take full effect in 1970. In the meantime, the leagues would hold a common draft and championship game. The game, the Super Bowl, was held four times before the merger, with the NFL winning [[Super Bowl I]] and [[Super Bowl II]], and the AFL winning [[Super Bowl III]] and [[Super Bowl IV]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/01/22/afl_history_2/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010215044251/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/01/22/afl_history_2/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 15, 2001 |title=Off-the-field competition yields game-changing merger |last=Cross |first=B. Duane |date=January 22, 2001 |publisher=[[CNNSI]] |access-date=February 15, 2013}}</ref> After the league merged, it was reorganized into two conferences: the [[National Football Conference]] (NFC), consisting of most of the pre-merger NFL teams, and the [[American Football Conference]] (AFC), consisting of all of the AFL teams as well as three pre-merger NFL teams.<ref name="History: 1961–1970" />

Today, the NFL is the most popular sports league in North America<ref>{{cite web|last=Richter|first=Felix|title=Americans Love the NFL, But Change Is Looming|url=https://www.statista.com/chart/15869/favrotie-sports-league/|date=February 11, 2022|access-date=August 9, 2022|website=Statista.com}}</ref> – with much of the league's growth and popularity attributable to former commissioner [[Pete Rozelle]], who led the league from 1960 to 1989. Overall annual attendance increased from 3&nbsp;million at the beginning of his tenure to 17&nbsp;million by the end of his tenure, and 400&nbsp;million global viewers watched 1989's [[Super Bowl XXIII]].<ref name="Encyclopedia of International Sports Studies" /> The NFL established [[NFL Properties]] in 1963. The league's licensing wing, NFL Properties, earns the league billions of dollars annually; Rozelle's tenure also marked the creation of [[NFL Charities]] and a national partnership with [[United Way]].<ref name="Encyclopedia of International Sports Studies">{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of International Sports Studies|editor1-last=Bartlett |editor1-first=Roger |editor2-last=Gratton |editor2-first=Chris|editor3-last=Rolf |editor3-first=Christer|publisher=[[Routledge]]|date=October 26, 2009|pages=932–933|isbn=978-0-415-56147-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t6CaJM_BXR0C&q=Encyclopedia+NFL&pg=PA933|access-date=June 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930214904/http://books.google.com/books?id=t6CaJM_BXR0C&pg=PA933&dq=Encyclopedia+NFL&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ZmrEUfG7O4XN0wGN5IGIAw&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Encyclopedia%20NFL&f=false|archive-date=September 30, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Paul Tagliabue]] was elected as commissioner to succeed Rozelle; his 17-year tenure, which ended in 2006, was marked by large increases in television contracts and the addition of four expansion teams,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/the-legacy-of-tagliabue/|title=The Legacy of Tagliabue?|last=Evans|first=Thayer|date=February 2, 2008|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204152623/http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/the-legacy-of-tagliabue/|archive-date=December 4, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as the introduction of league initiatives to increase the number of minorities in league and team management roles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=lapchick_richard&id=2552322|title=Report Card: Tagliabue's legacy includes new model for racial hiring|last=Lapchick|first=Richard|date=August 17, 2006|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=June 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925184203/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=lapchick_richard&id=2552322|archive-date=September 25, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

The league's current commissioner, [[Roger Goodell]], has focused on reducing the number of illegal hits and making the sport safer, mainly through fining or suspending players who break rules.<ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Jean-Jacques|title=Roger Goodell's authority takes a hit|url=https://www.espn.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/8741639/nfl-commissioner-roger-goodell-invulnerable-authority-takes-hit-overturned-suspensions|work=[[ESPN.com]]|date=December 13, 2012|access-date=December 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121216064817/http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/8741639/nfl-commissioner-roger-goodell-invulnerable-authority-takes-hit-overturned-suspensions|archive-date=December 16, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> These actions are among many the NFL is taking to reduce [[concussion]]s and improve player safety.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Brady|first1=Erik|title=Violent hits keep coming, so is NFL changing culture?|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/09/16/malcom-floyd-brandon-meriwaether-concussions-suspended/2823717/|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=September 22, 2013|first2=Gary |last2=Mihoces|date=September 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921090222/http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/09/16/malcom-floyd-brandon-meriwaether-concussions-suspended/2823717/|archive-date=September 21, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Prior to 2021, the NFL had utilized race-based adjustments of dementia claims in the $1 billion settlement of concussion claims, which had been criticized by critics before the NFL decided to end what was called "race-norming".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dale |first1=Maryclaire |title=NFL agrees to end race-based brain testing in $1 billion settlement |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/oct/20/nfl-agrees-end-race-based-brain-testing-1-billion-/ |website=The Washington Times |access-date=November 15, 2021 |date=October 20, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 22, 2021 |title=NFL, Players Agree to End 'Race-Norming' in $1 Billion Settlement |url=https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2021/10/22/306675.htm |access-date=November 15, 2021 |website=Claims Journal|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> On May 21, 2024, the NFL announced the NFL Source initiative, aimed at increasing the number of minority- and women-owned businesses that work with the league throughout the year.<ref name="Ellis">{{Cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Athena |last2=Ellis |first2=Nicquel Terry |date=May 21, 2024 |title=New NFL initiative aims to help minority businesses get contracts |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/21/sport/nfl-source-diversity-contracts-reaj/index.html |access-date=November 10, 2025 |website=CNN}}</ref> NFL Source will be mandatory for teams that host major events, such as the Super Bowl and the NFL draft, and their organizing committees, but will be optional for other contracts at the team level.<ref name="Ellis"/> The NFL will partner with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc to help local businesses across the country obtain the certifications necessary to do business with the league in furtherance of its efforts to increase partnerships with certified and underrepresented businesses that are 51% owned and operated or led by a veteran, woman, minority, person with disabilities, or LGBTQ+ individual.<ref name="g656">{{cite web | title=NFL announces league-wide expansion of procurement initiative with NFL Source | website=NFL.com | date=May 21, 2024 | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-announces-league-wide-expansion-of-procurement-initiative-with-nfl-source | access-date=December 1, 2024}}</ref>

In 2015, a [[Class action|class-action]] lawsuit was filed on behalf of NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers, alleging that the NFL, its member teams, its broadcast partners, and [[DirecTV]] engaged in a [[conspiracy]] to violate [[Competition law|antitrust law]], by granting DirecTV exclusive rights to sell the Sunday Ticket product, thereby restricting competition and forcing viewers to pay [[Supracompetitive pricing|supercompetitive prices]] to view out-of-market games.<ref name="Schofield2024">{{Cite web |last=Schofield |first=Mark |date=June 6, 2024 |title=NFL's billion-dollar antitrust case with 'Sunday Ticket,' explained |url=https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2024/6/6/24172875/nfl-antitrust-lawsuit-sunday-ticket |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240606180832/https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2024/6/6/24172875/nfl-antitrust-lawsuit-sunday-ticket |archive-date=June 6, 2024 |access-date=June 7, 2024 |website=[[SB Nation]]}}</ref><ref name="Reedy2024">{{Cite web |last=Reedy |first=Joe |date=June 6, 2024 |title=Class-action lawsuit against NFL by 'Sunday Ticket' subscribers gets underway |url=http://hosted.ap.org/post-gazette/article/ab29c60b2cc7e05cafcaeafa7f7e285e/class-action-lawsuit-against-nfl-sunday-ticket-subscribers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607154329/https://hosted.ap.org/post-gazette/article/ab29c60b2cc7e05cafcaeafa7f7e285e/class-action-lawsuit-against-nfl-sunday-ticket-subscribers |archive-date=June 7, 2024 |access-date=June 7, 2024 |website=[[Associated Press]] |publisher=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> On June 27, 2024, a jury in [[Los Angeles]] found that the NFL had violated antitrust law in setting the price of the Sunday ticket package and ordered a penalty totaling more than $4.7 billion. With triple damages allowed under federal antitrust laws, the NFL could ultimately be liable for $14.39 billion. The league said it would ask the judge to set the verdict aside then appeal the verdict if needed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jury rules NFL violated antitrust laws in 'Sunday Ticket' case|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/40447020/jury-rules-nfl-violated-antitrust-laws-sunday-ticket-case|website=[[ESPN.com]]|date=June 27, 2024}}</ref>

=== Season and playoff development ===
{{Main|List of NFL seasons}}

From 1920 to 1934, the NFL did not have a set number of games for teams to play, instead setting a minimum. The league mandated a twelve-game regular season for each team beginning in [[1935 NFL season|1935]], later shortening this to eleven games in [[1937 NFL season|1937]] and ten games in [[1943 NFL season|1943]], mainly due to World War II. After the war ended, the number of games returned to eleven games in [[1946 NFL season|1946]], and later back to twelve in 1947. The NFL went to a 14-game schedule in [[1961 NFL season|1961]], which it retained until switching to a 16-game schedule in [[1978 NFL season|1978]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1348|title=NFL Regular Season Games Played per Season|publisher=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512202615/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1348|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2021, the NFL officially adopted a 17-game schedule after gaining the agreement of the [[National Football League Players Association]] (NFLPA).<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-season-to-feature-17-regular-season-games-per-team| title=NFL season to feature 17 regular-season games per team| publisher=NFL Enterprises| website=[[NFL.com]]| date=March 30, 2021| access-date=June 28, 2021}}</ref>

Having an odd number of games in the schedule will give half the teams nine games as the home team, while half the teams have only eight home games. To minimize the perceived benefit on competition of having more home games, the extra home game will be rotated between the two conferences each year. This is because playoff berths are allocated at the conference level, so all teams within the conference will have played the same number of home games.

The NFL operated in a two-conference system from 1933 to [[1966 NFL season|1966]], where the champions of each conference would meet in the [[History of the National Football League championship#1933–1966: NFL Championship Game|NFL Championship Game]]. If two teams tied for the conference lead, they would meet in a [[one-game playoff]] to determine the conference champion. In [[1967 NFL season|1967]], the NFL expanded from 15 teams to 16 teams. Instead of just evening out the conferences by adding the expansion [[New Orleans Saints]] to the seven-member Western Conference, the NFL realigned the conferences and split each into two four-team divisions. The four division champions would meet in the [[NFL playoffs]], a two-round playoff.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/lady-luck-and-the-lombardi-legend/4897/|title=Lady Luck and the Lombardi legend|date=October 12, 2005|publisher=Cold Hard Football Facts. Football Nation|access-date=February 14, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513101847/http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/lady-luck-and-the-lombardi-legend/4897/|archive-date=May 13, 2013}}</ref> The NFL also operated the [[Playoff Bowl]] (officially the Bert Bell Benefit Bowl) from 1960 to 1969. Effectively, a [[third place playoff|third-place game]], pitting the two conference runners-up against each other, the league considers Playoff Bowls to have been [[exhibition game|exhibitions]] rather than playoff games. The league discontinued the Playoff Bowl in 1970 due to its perception as a game for losers.<ref>{{cite web|last=King|first=Steve|title=This Day in Browns History – Jan. 7|url=http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-1/This-Day-in-Browns-History---Jan-7/2c6ca22c-ca60-442a-93bd-09cbe18976f7|publisher=Cleveland Browns|website=ClevelandBrowns.com|date=January 7, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111082936/http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/article-1/This-Day-in-Browns-History---Jan-7/2c6ca22c-ca60-442a-93bd-09cbe18976f7|archive-date=January 11, 2013|access-date=December 31, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Following the addition of the former AFL teams into the NFL in [[1970 NFL season|1970]], the NFL split into two conferences with three divisions each. The expanded league, now with twenty-six teams,<ref name="History: 1961–1970">{{cite web|title=History: 1961–1970|url=http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1961-1970|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|access-date=February 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222163233/http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1961-1970|archive-date=December 22, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> would also feature an expanded eight-team playoff, the participants being the three division champions from each conference as well as one 'wild card' team (the team with the best win percentage that did not win its division) from each conference. In 1978, the league added a second wild card team from each conference, bringing the total number of playoff teams to ten, and a further two wild card teams were added in [[1990 NFL season|1990]] to bring the total to twelve. When the NFL expanded to 32 teams in [[2002 NFL season|2002]], the league realigned, changing the division structure from three divisions in each conference to four divisions in each conference. As each division champion gets a playoff bid, the number of wild card teams from each conference dropped from three to two.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/story.aspx?story_id=1940|title=History of the Wild Card|publisher=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130103185059/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/story.aspx?story_id=1940|archive-date=January 3, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The playoffs expanded again in 2020, adding two more wild card teams to bring the total to 14 playoff teams.<ref name="o426">{{Cite web |last=Patra |first=Kevin |date=March 31, 2020 |title=Owners approve expanding postseason to 14 teams |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/owners-approve-expanding-postseason-to-14-teams-0ap3000001107961 |access-date=October 17, 2024 |website=[[NFL.com]]}}</ref>

== Teams ==
{{See also|List of defunct NFL franchises|Timeline of the National Football League|NFL franchise moves and mergers}}
{{NFL labeled map|float=right}}
{{clear}}

The NFL consists of 32 teams divided into two conferences of 16 teams each. Each conference is divided into four divisions of four teams each. During the regular season, each team is allowed a maximum of 55 players on its roster; only 48 of these may be active (eligible to play) on game days.<ref>{{cite news |last=Battista |first=Judy |title=NFL players approve CBA: Impact on league in 2020 and beyond |url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001106247/article/nfl-players-approve-cba-impact-on-league-in-2020-and-beyond |website=NFL.com |date=March 15, 2020 |access-date=March 15, 2020 |archive-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416082746/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001106247/article/nfl-players-approve-cba-impact-on-league-in-2020-and-beyond |url-status=dead}}</ref> Each team can also have a sixteen-player [[practice squad]] separate from its main roster.<ref>{{cite news |last=Volin |first=Ben |title=The NFL has a new CBA. Here are its biggest changes |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/15/sports/nfl-players-association-approves-new-cba-includes-17-game-schedule-expanded-playoffs/ |website=BostonGlobe.com |date=March 15, 2020 |access-date=March 15, 2020}}</ref>

Each NFL club is granted a franchise, the league's authorization for the team to operate in its home city. This franchise covers "Home Territory" (the 75 miles surrounding the city limits, or, if the team is within 100 miles of another league city, half the distance between the two cities) and "Home Marketing Area" (Home Territory plus the rest of the state the club operates in, as well as the area the team operates its training camp in for the duration of the camp). Each NFL member has the exclusive right to host professional football games inside its Home Territory and the exclusive right to advertise, promote, and host events in its Home Marketing Area. There are a couple of exceptions to this rule, mostly relating to teams with close proximity to each other: teams that operate in the same city (e.g. New York City and Los Angeles) or the same state (e.g. [[California]], [[Florida]], and [[Texas]]) share the rights to the city's Home Territory and the state's Home Marketing Area, respectively.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Article IV–Territorial Rights|chapter-url=http://www.nfl.com/static/content/public/static/html/careers/pdf/co_.pdf#page=14|publisher=NFL Enterprises|title=Constitution and By-Laws of the National Football League|url=http://www.nfl.com/static/content/public/static/html/careers/pdf/co_.pdf|date=February 1, 1970|access-date=December 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909075157/http://www.nfl.com/static/content/public/static/html/careers/pdf/co_.pdf#page=14|archive-date=September 9, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Dallas Cowboys]], valued at $12.8 billion, are the most valuable sport franchise in the world {{as of|2025|lc=yes}} according to ''[[Sportico]]''.<ref name="Sportico2025">{{cite web |last1=Badenhausen |first1=Kurt |title=NFL Team Values 2025: Cowboys Rule as 3 Clubs Top $10 Billion |url=https://www.sportico.com/valuations/teams/2025/nfl-team-values-2025-dallas-cowboys-billion-1234866760/ |website=Sportico |access-date=August 13, 2025 |date=August 13, 2025}}</ref> The average NFL team is worth $7.13 billion and collectively worth $228 billion.<ref name="Sportico2025"/>

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" border="1"
|+ Key
|-
! scope="col" | Symbol
! scope="col" | Meaning
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| '''*'''
| Franchise has relocated at some point in its existence
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center;"| '''†'''
| Club was a founding member of the NFL
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ National Football League teams
! scope="col" | Conference
! scope="col" | Division<ref name="Teams">{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/teams.aspx|title=Teams|publisher=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110004535/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/teams.aspx|archive-date=January 10, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
! scope="col" | Team<ref name="Teams" />
! scope="col" | City
! scope="col" | [[List of current National Football League stadiums|Stadium]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Breer|first=Albert|title=NFL stadiums go from boom to swoon in span of a decade|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-stadiums-go-from-boom-to-swoon-in-span-of-a-decade-09000d5d82a5c85c|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=July 6, 2012|access-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131081855/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82a5c85c/article/nfl-stadiums-go-from-boom-to-swoon-in-span-of-a-decade|archive-date=January 31, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
! scope="col" | Capacity
! scope="col" | First<br>season<ref name="History of NFL franchises, 1920–present">{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/stats/franchises.aspx|title=History of NFL franchises, 1920–present|publisher=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102074644/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/stats/franchises.aspx|archive-date=January 2, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
! scope="col" | [[List of current National Football League head coaches|Head<br>coach]]
|-
! rowspan="16" |[[American Football Conference|AFC]]
! rowspan="4"|[[AFC East|East]]
!scope="row"|[[Buffalo Bills]]
|[[Orchard Park, New York]]
|[[Highmark Stadium]]
|67,000
|{{dts|1960}} ([[American Football League|AFL]])<br>{{dts|1970}} (NFL)
|{{Sortname|Joe|Brady|dab=American football coach}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Miami Dolphins]]
|[[Miami Gardens, Florida]]
|[[Hard Rock Stadium]]
|64,767
|{{dts|1966}} ([[American Football League|AFL]])<br>{{dts|1970}} (NFL)
|{{sortname|Jeff|Hafley}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[New England Patriots]]
|[[Foxborough, Massachusetts]]
|[[Gillette Stadium]]
|65,878
|{{dts|1960}} ([[American Football League|AFL]])<br>{{dts|1970}} (NFL)
|{{sortname|Mike|Vrabel}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[New York Jets]]
|[[East Rutherford, New Jersey]]
|[[MetLife Stadium]]{{refn|The [[New York Jets]] and [[New York Giants]] share [[MetLife Stadium]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Borden|first1=Sam|last2=Shipigel|first2=Ben|title=Preparations Different for a Home-and-Home Contest|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/sports/football/for-giants-jets-game-metlife-stadium-preparations-differ.html?pagewanted=all&gwh=666EA26DA54701B00BE45152395290F4|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 22, 2011|access-date=February 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512190739/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/23/sports/football/for-giants-jets-game-metlife-stadium-preparations-differ.html?pagewanted=all&gwh=666EA26DA54701B00BE45152395290F4|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha|name=b}}
||82,500
|{{dts|1960}} ([[American Football League|AFL]])<br>{{dts|1970}} (NFL)
|{{sortname|Aaron|Glenn}}
|-
! rowspan="4"|[[AFC North|North]]
!scope="row"|[[Baltimore Ravens]]
|[[Baltimore, Maryland]]
|[[M&T Bank Stadium]]
|71,008
|{{dts|1996}}{{refn|Due to an agreement with the city of [[Cleveland]] as part of the [[Cleveland Browns relocation controversy]], the Browns name, colors, and team history/records were left in Cleveland, while the team, personnel, and staff were allowed to move to Baltimore which was considered a new franchise.<ref>{{cite news|last=Morgan|first=Jan|title=Deal clears NFL path to Baltimore|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bal-modell020996,1,2346653.story?page=2|newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|date=February 9, 1996|access-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901195924/http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bal-modell020996,1,2346653.story?page=2|archive-date=September 1, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> As such, the Ravens are considered to have begun play in [[1996 Baltimore Ravens season|1996]] while the current Cleveland Browns are considered to have been founded in 1946, joined the NFL in [[1950 NFL season|1950]], became inactive from 1996 to 1998, and resumed play in 1999.<ref name="History of NFL franchises, 1920–present" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Grossi |first=Tony |date=September 12, 1999 |title=Rival Pittsburgh gives Cleveland a brutal welcome in 43–0 drubbing |url=http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?/browns/more/history/19990912BROWNS.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513014517/http://www.cleveland.com/brownshistory/plaindealer/index.ssf?%2Fbrowns%2Fmore%2Fhistory%2F19990912BROWNS.html |archive-date=May 13, 2013 |access-date=February 1, 2013 |newspaper=[[The Plain Dealer]]}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha|name=c}}
|{{sortname|Jesse|Minter}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Cincinnati Bengals]]
|[[Cincinnati, Ohio]]
|[[Paycor Stadium]]
|65,515
|{{dts|1968}} ([[American Football League|AFL]])<br>{{dts|1970}} (NFL)
|{{sortname|Zac|Taylor}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Cleveland Browns]]
|[[Cleveland, Ohio]]
|[[Huntington Bank Field]]
|67,895
|{{dts|1946}} ([[All-America Football Conference|AAFC]])<br>{{nowrap|{{dts|1950}} (NFL)<ref group=lower-alpha name=c />}}
|{{sortname|Todd|Monken}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Pittsburgh Steelers]]
|[[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]
|[[Acrisure Stadium]]
|68,400
|{{dts|1933}}
|{{sortname|Mike|McCarthy}}
|-
! rowspan="4"|[[AFC South|South]]
!scope="row"|[[Houston Texans]]
|[[Houston, Texas]]
|[[NRG Stadium]]
|71,995
|{{dts|2002}}
|{{sortname|DeMeco|Ryans}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Indianapolis Colts]]*
|[[Indianapolis, Indiana]]
|[[Lucas Oil Stadium]]
|63,000
|{{dts|1953}}
|{{sortname|Shane|Steichen}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Jacksonville Jaguars]]
|[[Jacksonville, Florida]]
|[[EverBank Stadium]]{{refn|The [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] began playing one home game each season at [[Wembley Stadium]] in London, England in 2013, and will continue to do so through 2020. In 2020, the Jaguars were originally scheduled to play two home games at Wembley Stadium, but the plans were cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/aug/21/jacksonville-jaguars-nfl-wembley|title=Jacksonville Jaguars to play four NFL 'home' games at Wembley|last=Pengelly|first=Martin|date=August 21, 2012|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=February 1, 2013|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107124541/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/aug/21/jacksonville-jaguars-nfl-wembley|archive-date=January 7, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|title=NFL, Jaguars extend agreement to play at Wembley through 2020|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-jaguars-extend-agreement-to-play-at-wembley-through-2020-0ap3000000562946|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=October 22, 2015|access-date=November 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124161410/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000562946/article/nfl-jaguars-extend-agreement-to-play-at-wembley-through-2020|archive-date=November 24, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Jacksonville Jaguars to host regular-season game in the United Kingdom in each of next four years|url=http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-JaguarsNews/Jacksonville-Jaguars-to-host-regular-season-game-in--United-Kingdom-in-each-of-next-four-years/999e3874-69c5-4ae6-933e-b1ea28fb4559|publisher=Jacksonville Jaguars|website=Jaguars.com|date=August 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919151830/http://www.jaguars.com/news/article-JaguarsNews/Jacksonville-Jaguars-to-host-regular-season-game-in--United-Kingdom-in-each-of-next-four-years/999e3874-69c5-4ae6-933e-b1ea28fb4559|archive-date=September 19, 2015|access-date=December 31, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha|name=d}}
|67,814
|{{dts|1995}}
|{{sortname|Liam|Coen}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Tennessee Titans]]*
|[[Nashville, Tennessee]]
|[[Nissan Stadium (Nashville)|Nissan Stadium]]
|69,143
|{{dts|1960}} ([[American Football League|AFL]])<br>1970 (NFL)
|{{sortname|Robert|Saleh}}
|-
! rowspan="4"|[[AFC West|West]]
!scope="row"|[[Denver Broncos]]
|[[Denver, Colorado]]
|[[Empower Field at Mile High]]
|76,125
|{{dts|1960}} ([[American Football League|AFL]])<br>1970 (NFL)
|{{sortname|Sean|Payton}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Kansas City Chiefs]]*
|[[Kansas City, Missouri]]
|[[GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium]]
|76,416
|{{dts|1960}} ([[American Football League|AFL]])<br>1970 (NFL)
|{{sortname|Andy|Reid}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Las Vegas Raiders]]*
|[[Paradise, Nevada]]
|[[Allegiant Stadium]]
|65,000
|{{dts|1960}} ([[American Football League|AFL]])<br>1970 (NFL)
|[[Klint Kubiak]]
|-
!scope="row"|[[Los Angeles Chargers]]*
|[[Inglewood, California]]
|[[SoFi Stadium]]<ref group=lower-alpha name=e />
|70,240
|{{dts|1960}} ([[American Football League|AFL]])<br>1970 (NFL)
|{{sortname|Jim|Harbaugh}}
|-
!rowspan="16" |[[National Football Conference|NFC]]
! rowspan="4"|[[NFC East|East]]
!scope="row"|[[Dallas Cowboys]]
|[[Arlington, Texas]]
|[[AT&T Stadium]]
|80,000
|{{dts|1960}}
|{{sortname|Brian|Schottenheimer}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[New York Giants]]
|[[East Rutherford, New Jersey]]
|[[MetLife Stadium]]<ref group=lower-alpha name=b />
|82,500
|{{dts|1925}}
|{{sortname|John|Harbaugh}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Philadelphia Eagles]]
|[[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]
|[[Lincoln Financial Field]]
|69,176
|{{dts|1933}}
|{{sortname|Nick|Sirianni}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Washington Commanders]]*
|[[Landover, Maryland]]
|[[Northwest Stadium]]
|62,000
|{{dts|1932}}
|{{sortname|Dan|Quinn|dab=American football}}
|-
! rowspan="4"|[[NFC North|North]]
!scope="row"|[[Chicago Bears]]*†
|[[Chicago, Illinois]]
|[[Soldier Field]]
|61,500
|{{dts|1920}}
|{{sortname|Ben|Johnson|dab=American football coach}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Detroit Lions]]*
|[[Detroit, Michigan]]
|[[Ford Field]]
|65,000
|{{dts|1930}}
|{{sortname|Dan|Campbell}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Green Bay Packers]]
|[[Green Bay, Wisconsin]]
|[[Lambeau Field]]
|81,441
|{{dts|1919}}{{refn|The Packers were [[History of the Green Bay Packers#Founding|founded and began play in 1919]]. They played two seasons in [[1919 Green Bay Packers season|1919]] and [[1920 Green Bay Packers season|1920]] before joining the NFL (then called the APFA) for the [[1921 Green Bay Packers season|1921 season]].|group=lower-alpha|name=f}} <br> {{dts|1921}} (NFL)
|{{sortname|Matt|LaFleur}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Minnesota Vikings]]
|[[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]
|[[U.S. Bank Stadium]]
|66,860
|{{dts|1961}}
|{{sortname|Kevin|O'Connell|dab=American football}}
|-
! rowspan="4"|[[NFC South|South]]
!scope="row"|[[Atlanta Falcons]]
|[[Atlanta, Georgia]]
|[[Mercedes-Benz Stadium]]
|71,000
|{{dts|1966}}
|{{sortname|Kevin|Stefanski}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Carolina Panthers]]
|[[Charlotte, North Carolina]]
|[[Bank of America Stadium]]
|75,523
|{{dts|1995}}
|{{sortname|Dave|Canales}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[New Orleans Saints]]
|[[New Orleans, Louisiana]]
|[[Caesars Superdome]]
|73,208
|{{dts|1967}}
|{{sortname|Kellen|Moore}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]
|[[Tampa, Florida]]
|[[Raymond James Stadium]]
|65,618
|{{dts|1976}}
|{{sortname|Todd|Bowles}}
|-
! rowspan="4"|[[NFC West|West]]
!scope="row"|[[Arizona Cardinals]]*†
|[[Glendale, Arizona]]
|[[State Farm Stadium]]
|63,400
|1898{{refn|The team that would become the Arizona Cardinals was [[Chicago Cardinals#Early history|founded and began play in 1898]] in [[Chicago]] as the Morgan Athletic Club, later called the Racine Normals, Racine Cardinals, and [[Chicago Cardinals]]. They played nine seasons until disbanding in 1906. The team was reformed in 1913 and, excluding the 1918 season, played each year until joining the NFL (then called the APFA) in 1920. The team would later move to [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] and eventually to [[Arizona]].|group=lower-alpha|name=g}} <br> {{dts|1920}} (NFL)
|{{Sortname|Mike|LaFleur}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Los Angeles Rams]]*
|[[Inglewood, California]]
|[[SoFi Stadium]]{{refn|The [[Los Angeles Chargers]] and [[Los Angeles Rams]] share [[SoFi Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Wharton|first=David|title=SoFi Stadium rises to a new level as Inglewood prepares for its impact|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-01-22/sofi-stadium-gentrification-inglewood-rams-chargers-nfl|website=Los Angeles Times|date=January 22, 2020|access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha|name=e}}
|70,240
|{{dts|1936}} ([[American Football League (1936)|AFL]])<br>{{dts|1937}} (NFL)
|{{sortname|Sean|McVay}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[San Francisco 49ers]]
|[[Santa Clara, California]]
|[[Levi's Stadium]]
|68,500
|{{dts|1946}} ([[All-America Football Conference|AAFC]])<br>{{dts|1950}} (NFL)
|{{sortname|Kyle|Shanahan}}
|-
!scope="row"|[[Seattle Seahawks]]
|[[Seattle, Washington]]
|[[Lumen Field]]
|69,000
|{{dts|1976}}
|{{sortname|Mike|Macdonald}}
|}

== Organizational structure ==
{{See also|Commissioner of the NFL}}
[[File:Roger Goodell (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Roger Goodell]], [[National Football League Commissioner]] since 2006 (pictured in 2012)]]
At the corporate level, the NFL considers itself a [[trade association]] made up of and financed by its 32 member teams.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/sports/football/12nfltax.html|title=N.F.L. Executives Hope to Keep Salaries Secret|last=Wilson|first=Doug|date=August 11, 2008|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=February 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130226081303/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/sports/football/12nfltax.html|archive-date=February 26, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Up until 2015, the league was an unincorporated nonprofit [[501(c)(6)]] association.<ref>{{cite news|title=To tax or not? The NFL's relationship with the IRS|work=[[USA Today]]|first=Brent|last=Schrotenboer|date=May 30, 2013|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/05/29/nfl-sports-leagues-irs-tax-exemption/2370945/|access-date=January 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530194639/http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/05/29/nfl-sports-leagues-irs-tax-exemption/2370945/|archive-date=May 30, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Section 501(c)(6) of the [[Internal Revenue Code]] provides an exemption from federal income taxation for "Business leagues, chambers of commerce, real-estate boards, boards of trade, or professional football leagues (whether or not administering a pension fund for football players), not organized for profit and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual."<ref>26 U.S.C. §&nbsp;501(c)(6)</ref> In contrast, each individual team, with the exception of the non-profit [[Green Bay Packers]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Community: Shareholders|url=https://www.packers.com/community/shareholders|publisher=Green Bay Packers| access-date=December 31, 2018|quote=Green Bay Packers Inc., has been a publicly owned, nonprofit corporation since Aug. 18, 1923, when original articles of incorporation were filed with Wisconsin's Secretary of State.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723003602/https://www.packers.com/community/shareholders|archive-date=July 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> is subject to tax because they make a profit.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://tracking.si.com/2012/10/18/nfl-non-profit-tax-status-senator/|title=NFL targeted by Oklahoma senator for 'not-for-profit' tax status|date=March 5, 2012|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=February 2, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127133646/http://tracking.si.com/2012/10/18/nfl-non-profit-tax-status-senator/|archive-date=November 27, 2012}}</ref>

In 2015, the NFL gave up its tax-exempt status following public criticism; in a letter to the club owners, Commissioner [[Roger Goodell]] labeled it a "distraction", saying "the effects of the tax-exempt status of the league office have been mischaracterized repeatedly in recent years... Every dollar of income generated through television rights fees, licensing agreements, sponsorships, ticket sales, and other means is earned by the 32 clubs and is taxable there. This will remain the case even when the league office and Management Council file returns as taxable entities, and the change in filing status will make no material difference to our business." As a result, the league office might owe around US$10&nbsp;million in income taxes, but it is no longer required to disclose the salaries of its executive officers.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Myers|first1=Gary|title=NFL no longer non-profit after giving up tax-exempt status|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/nfl-no-longer-non-profit-giving-tax-exempt-status-article-1.2202484|website=[[New York Daily News]]|access-date=June 25, 2015|date=April 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618033221/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/nfl-no-longer-non-profit-giving-tax-exempt-status-article-1.2202484|archive-date=June 18, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

The league has three defined officers: the commissioner, secretary, and treasurer. Each conference has one defined officer, the president, which is essentially an honorary position with few powers and mostly ceremonial duties, including awarding the conference championship trophy.

The commissioner is elected by the affirmative vote of two-thirds or 18, whichever is greater, of the members of the league, while the president of each conference is elected by an affirmative vote of three-fourths or 10, whichever is greater, of the conference members.<ref name="NFL Bylaws">{{Cite web |date=2006 |title=Constitution and Bylaws of the National Football League |url=https://www.onlabor.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/co_.pdf |access-date=August 3, 2025 |website=OnLabor |pages=26–35}}</ref> The commissioner appoints the secretary and treasurer and has broad authority in disputes between clubs, players, coaches, and employees. He is the "principal [[executive officer]]"<ref name="NFL Bylaws"/> of the NFL and also has authority in hiring league employees, negotiating television contracts, disciplining individuals that own part or all of an NFL team, clubs, or employed individuals of an NFL club if they have violated league by-laws or committed "conduct detrimental to the welfare of the League or professional football".<ref name="NFL Bylaws" /> The commissioner can, in the event of misconduct by a party associated with the league, suspend individuals, hand down a fine of up to US$500,000, cancel contracts with the league, and award or strip teams of draft picks.<ref name="NFL Bylaws" />

In extreme cases, the commissioner can offer recommendations to the NFL's executive committee, up to and including the "cancellation or forfeiture"<ref name="NFL Bylaws" /> of a club's franchise or any other action, he deems necessary. The commissioner can also issue sanctions up to and including a lifetime ban from the league if an individual connected to the NFL has bet on games or failed to notify the league of conspiracies or plans to bet on or fix games.<ref name="NFL Bylaws" /> The current commissioner is Roger Goodell, who was elected in 2006 after [[Paul Tagliabue]], the previous commissioner, retired.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/08/AR2006080801043.html|title=Owners Pick Goodell as NFL Commissioner|last=Maske|first=Mark|date=August 9, 2006|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=February 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112005402/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/08/AR2006080801043.html|archive-date=November 12, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Finances===
The NFL's revenue is from three primary sources: NFL Ventures (merchandising), NFL Enterprises ([[NFL Network]] and [[NFL Sunday Ticket]], which the league controls), and the television contracts.{{cn|date=January 2026}} The league distributes such revenue equally among the teams, regardless of their performance. {{as of|2019|2}}, each team received $255&nbsp;million annually from the league's television contract, up 150% from $99.9&nbsp;million in 2010.<ref name="kcs20190206">{{Cite news |url=https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article225279155.html |title=Kansas City Chiefs' tax returns provide rare look inside the business of pro football |last1=Hendricks |first1=Mike |date=February 6, 2019 |work=The Kansas City Star |access-date=February 10, 2019 |last2=Vockrodt |first2=Steve |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212070621/https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article225279155.html |archive-date=February 12, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Most NFL teams' financial statements are secret.<ref>{{cite report |url=http://pirate.shu.edu/~rotthoku/papers/The%20Economics%20of%20NFL%20Team%20Ownership.pdf#:~:text=With%20the%20notable%20exception%20of%20the%20Green%20Bay,upon%20which%20we%20can%20rely%2C%20including%20the%20following%3A |title=The Economics of NFL Team Ownership |publisher=Chicago Partners |last1=Murphy |first1=Kevin M. |last2=Topel |first2=Robert H. |access-date=May 15, 2025}}</ref> ''[[The Kansas City Star]]'' obtained the Kansas City Chiefs' tax returns for 2008–2010. According to the ''Star'', the team's revenue rose from $231&nbsp;million in 2008 to $302&nbsp;million in 2010. In 2010, two thirds of revenue came from the league: $99.8&nbsp;million from NFL Ventures ($55.3&nbsp;million) and NFL Enterprises ($44.6&nbsp;million), and the $99.9&nbsp;million share of the television contract. The remaining one third was from tickets ($42.4&nbsp;million), corporate sponsorships ($6.6&nbsp;million), food sales ($5&nbsp;million), parking passes ($4.7&nbsp;million), in-stadium advertising ($3.7&nbsp;million), radio contract ($2.7&nbsp;million), and miscellaneous sources.{{r|kcs20190206}} The largest Chiefs expense in 2010 was $148&nbsp;million for players, coaches, and other employees. Of the $38&nbsp;million in operating income, [[Clark Hunt]], [[Lamar Hunt Jr.]], two other children, and the widow of former team owner [[Lamar Hunt]] divided $17.6&nbsp;million, and reinvested the remaining $20&nbsp;million into the team.{{r|kcs20190206}}

According to economist [[Richard D. Wolff]], the NFL's revenue model is in contravention of the typical corporate structure. By redistributing profits to all teams the NFL is ensuring that one team will not dominate the league through excessive earnings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.democracyatwork.info/eu_women_s_movement_economics|title=Economic Update: Women's Movement Economics|access-date=February 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222120102/http://www.democracyatwork.info/eu_women_s_movement_economics|archive-date=February 22, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[Roger Noll]] described the revenue sharing as the league's "most important structural weakness", as there is no disincentive against a team playing badly and the largest cost item, player salaries, is capped.{{r|kcs20190206}}

== Season format ==
{{Main|List of NFL seasons}}

The NFL season format consists of a three-week [[National Football League preseason|preseason]], an 18-week [[National Football League regular season|regular season]] (each team plays 17 games), and a 14-team [[NFL Playoffs|single-elimination playoff]] culminating in the Super Bowl, the league's championship game.

=== Preseason ===
{{Main|NFL preseason}}

The NFL preseason begins with the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame Game]], played at [[Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium]] in [[Canton, Ohio]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/hof_game.aspx|title=NFL/Hall of Fame Game|publisher=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130103130747/http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/hof_game.aspx|archive-date=January 3, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Each NFL team is required to schedule three preseason games. NFC teams must play at least two of these at home in odd numbered years and AFC teams must play at least two at home in even numbered years. However, the teams involved in the Hall of Fame game, as well as any team that played in an [[American Bowl]] game, play four preseason games.<ref>NFL Bylaws, p. 114.</ref> Preseason games are [[exhibition game|exhibition matches]] and do not count towards regular-season totals.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/08/29/exhibition-finale-biggest-game-of-year-for-players-on-bubble/|title=Exhibition finale biggest game of year for players on bubble|last=Bowen|first=Matt|date=August 29, 2012|work=[[The Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206215406/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-08-29/sports/ct-spt-0830-bears-bowen-chicago--20120830_1_exhibition-finale-rookies-and-veteran-bubble-fourth-exhibition|archive-date=February 6, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Because the preseason does not count towards standings, teams generally do not focus on winning games; instead, they are used by coaches to evaluate their teams and by players to show their performance, both to their current team and to other teams if they get cut.<ref name=meaningless>{{cite news|last=Maske|first=Mark|title=NFL preseason is long and often meaningless but a solution isn't apparent to league, players|url=https://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-28/sports/41525808_1_preseason-games-nfl-preseason-18-game-season|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=August 28, 2013|date=August 29, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901093043/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-28/sports/41525808_1_preseason-games-nfl-preseason-18-game-season|archive-date=September 1, 2013}}</ref> The quality of preseason games has been criticized by some fans, who dislike having to pay full price for exhibition games,<ref name="Jim Irsay to fans: You don't really pay full price for preseason tickets">{{cite web|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/14/jim-irsay-to-fans-you-dont-really-pay-full-price-for-preseason-tickets/|title=Jim Irsay to fans: You don't really pay full price for preseason tickets|last=Smith|first=Michael David Smith|date=August 14, 2013|publisher=[[Pro Football Talk]]. [[NBC Sports]]|access-date=September 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917153544/http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/14/jim-irsay-to-fans-you-dont-really-pay-full-price-for-preseason-tickets/|archive-date=September 17, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as by some players and coaches, who dislike the risk of injury the games have, while others have felt the preseason is a necessary part of the NFL schedule.<ref name=meaningless /><ref name="Jim Irsay to fans: You don't really pay full price for preseason tickets" />

=== Regular season ===
{{Main|NFL regular season}}

<div class="thumb floatright">
<div class="thumbinner" style="width:350px;">
{| class="wikitable"
|+2024 AFC team standings
|-
!scope="col"| {{abbr|POS|Position}}
!scope="col"| AFC East
!scope="col"| AFC North
!scope="col"| AFC South
!scope="col"| AFC West
|-
| 1st || style="background-color:#ffcccc"| [[Buffalo Bills|Bills]] || [[Baltimore Ravens|Ravens]] || [[Houston Texans|Texans]] || style="background-color:#ffff00"| [[Kansas City Chiefs|Chiefs]]
|-
| 2nd || [[Miami Dolphins|Dolphins]] || [[Pittsburgh Steelers|Steelers]] || [[Indianapolis Colts|Colts]] || style="background-color:#ffff00"| [[Los Angeles Chargers|Chargers]]
|-
| 3rd || [[New York Jets|Jets]] || [[Cincinnati Bengals|Bengals]] || [[Jacksonville Jaguars|Jaguars]] || style="background-color:#ffff00"| [[Denver Broncos|Broncos]]
|-
| 4th || [[New England Patriots|Patriots]] || [[Cleveland Browns|Browns]] || [[Tennessee Titans|Titans]] || style="background-color:#ffff00"| [[Las Vegas Raiders|Raiders]]
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+2024 NFC team standings
|-
!scope="col"| {{abbr|POS|Position}}
!scope="col"| NFC East
!scope="col"| NFC North
!scope="col"| NFC South
!scope="col"| NFC West
|-
| 1st || style="background-color:#00ff00"| [[Philadelphia Eagles|Eagles]] || style="background-color:#ffff00"| [[Detroit Lions|Lions]] || style="background-color:#ffaa00"| [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers|Buccaneers]] || style="background-color:#ffaa00"| [[Los Angeles Rams|Rams]]
|-
| 2nd || style="background-color:#add8e6"| [[Washington Commanders|Commanders]] || style="background-color:#ffff00"| [[Minnesota Vikings|Vikings]] || [[Atlanta Falcons|Falcons]] || [[Seattle Seahawks|Seahawks]]
|-
| 3rd || style="background-color:#add8e6"| [[Dallas Cowboys|Cowboys]] || style="background-color:#ffff00"| [[Green Bay Packers|Packers]] || [[Carolina Panthers|Panthers]] || [[Arizona Cardinals|Cardinals]]
|-
| 4th || style="background-color:#add8e6"| [[New York Giants|Giants]] || style="background-color:#ffff00"| [[Chicago Bears|Bears]] || [[New Orleans Saints|Saints]] || [[San Francisco 49ers|49ers]]
|}
<div class="thumbcaption">
This chart of the [[2024 NFL season#Regular season standings|2024 season standings]] displays an application of the NFL scheduling formula. [[2024 Philadelphia Eagles season|The 2024 Eagles]] (highlighted in green) finished in first place in the [[NFC East]]. Thus, [[2025 Philadelphia Eagles season|in 2025]], the Eagles will play two games against each of their division rivals (highlighted in light blue), one game against each team in the [[NFC North]] and [[AFC West]] (highlighted in yellow), and one game each against the first-place finishers in the [[NFC South]], [[NFC West]] (highlighted in orange), and [[AFC East]] (highlighted in pink).</div></div></div>

Currently, the 14 opponents each team faces over the 17-game regular season schedule are set using a predetermined formula:<ref>{{cite web|title=2012 Opponents Determined|url=http://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/2012-opponents-determined.pdf|publisher=NFL|access-date=January 23, 2012|date=January 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904140017/http://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/2012-opponents-determined.pdf|archive-date=September 4, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The league runs an 18-week, 272-game regular season.<ref name="s269">{{cite web | last=Molski | first=Max | title=Everything to know about the NFL schedule and how it works | website=NBC Los Angeles | date=May 15, 2024 | url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/nfl/nfl-schedule-explained-how-it-works/3402751/?os=av..&ref=app | access-date=October 17, 2024}}</ref> Since 2021, the season has begun the week after Labor Day (the first Monday in September) and concluded the week after New Year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2005/12/25/ghost-of-christmas-past-sports-free-tv/|title=Ghost of Christmas past: Sports-free TV|last=Issacson|first=Melissa|date=December 25, 2005|work=[[The Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=February 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513051139/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-12-25/news/0512250385_1_christmas-nba-finals-bulls-and-pistons|archive-date=May 13, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The opening game of the season is normally a home game on a Thursday for the league's defending champion.<ref name="2012 NFL Schedule Announced" />

Most NFL games are played on Sundays, with at least one [[Monday Night Football|Monday night game]] and a [[Thursday Night Football|Thursday night game]] occurring throughout the season, except for the final weekend.<ref name="2012 NFL Schedule Announced">{{cite web|url=http://nflcommunications.com/2012/04/17/2012-nfl-schedule-announced/|title=2012 NFL Schedule Announced|date=April 17, 2012|publisher=NFL Communications|access-date=February 4, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101013640/http://nflcommunications.com/2012/04/17/2012-nfl-schedule-announced/|archive-date=November 1, 2012}}</ref> NFL games are not normally played on Fridays or Saturdays until late in the regular season, as [[Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961|federal law]] prohibits professional football leagues from competing directly with college or high school football. Because high school and college teams typically play games on Friday and Saturday, respectively, the NFL avoided holding games on those days until the Friday before the third Saturday in December. While Saturday games late in the season have been common, the league rarely held Friday games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsAcademicPrograms/sportslaw_index.aspx?id=16201|title=Sports Law|last=Sensei|first=Andrew|publisher=[[Tulane University Law School]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925221825/http://www.law.tulane.edu/tlsAcademicPrograms/sportslaw_index.aspx?id=16201|archive-date=September 25, 2013|access-date=February 23, 2019}}</ref> Beginning in 2023, the NFL has held games on [[Black Friday (shopping)|Black Friday]], with the games being broadcast on [[Amazon Prime]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=McKessy |first=Jack |date=November 28, 2025 |title=Who plays in NFL Black Friday game: How to watch Eagles vs Bears |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2025/11/28/how-to-watch-eagles-bears-black-friday/87506584007/ |access-date=December 28, 2025 |website=USA Today |language=en-US}}</ref> NFL games are rarely scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday, and those days have only been used three times since 1948: in 2010, when a Sunday game was rescheduled to Tuesday due to a blizzard; in 2012, when the [[National Football League Kickoff game|Kickoff game]] was moved from Thursday to Wednesday to avoid conflict with the [[2012 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]];<ref>{{cite news|title=Blizzard forces postponement of Vikes-Eagles game to Tuesday|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/blizzard-forces-postponement-of-vikes-eagles-game-to-tuesday-09000d5d81d32bae|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=December 26, 2010|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129141827/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81d32bae/article/blizzard-forces-postponement-of-vikeseagles-game-to-tuesday|archive-date=January 29, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=NFL season opener to be held Wednesday, Sept. 5|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-season-opener-to-be-held-wednesday-sept-5-09000d5d82746aa5|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=February 28, 2012|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017142310/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82746aa5/article/nfl-season-opener-to-be-held-wednesday-sept-5|archive-date=October 17, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> and in 2020, when a game was postponed from Sunday to Tuesday due to players [[2020 Tennessee Titans season|testing positive]] for [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19]].<ref name="a648">{{cite web|agency=Associated Press | title=Slumping Ravens host last-place Cowboys in rare Tuesday game | website=San Diego Union-Tribune | date=December 7, 2020 | url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2020/12/07/slumping-ravens-host-last-place-cowboys-in-rare-tuesday-game/ | access-date=October 15, 2024}}</ref>

NFL regular season match-ups are determined according to a scheduling formula. Teams play six games against the other three teams in their division (one home and one away each), eight games against common opponents in both another division of the same conference (rotating every three years) and one division of the other conference (rotating every four years), two extra games against the remaining two divisions of the same conference with match-ups determined by the previous season's standings (for example, if a team finishes first in its division, it will play the two remaining first-place teams in its conference), and one interconference game determined by the previous season's standings against a team in the division it last played two years prior.<ref>{{cite web|title=Realignment for 2002|url=http://www.nfl.com/standings/divisionrealignment|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226050834/http://www.nfl.com/standings/divisionrealignment|archive-date=December 26, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In total, each team plays 17 games and has one bye week, when it does not play a game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/08/unusual-bye-format-traces-to-lockout/|title=Unusual bye format traces to lockout|last=Florio|first=Mike|author-link=Mike Florio|date=November 8, 2011|publisher=[[Pro Football Talk]]. [[NBC Sports]]|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128081136/http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/08/unusual-bye-format-traces-to-lockout/|archive-date=January 28, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although a team's home and away opponents are known by the end of the previous year's regular season, the exact dates and times for NFL games are not determined until much later because the league has to account for, among other things, the [[Major League Baseball postseason]] and local events that could pose a scheduling conflict with NFL games. During the 2010 season, over 500,000 potential schedules were created by computers, 5,000 of which were considered "playable schedules" and were reviewed by the NFL's scheduling team. After arriving at what they felt was the best schedule out of the group, nearly 50 more potential schedules were developed to try to ensure that the chosen schedule would be the best possible one.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2010/04/20100426/This-Weeks-News/NFL-Schedule-Navigated-World-Series-Other-Conflicts.aspx|title=NFL schedule navigated World Series, other conflicts|last=Ourand|first=John|date=April 26, 2010|publisher=[[Sports Business Daily]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926154549/http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2010/04/20100426/This-Weeks-News/NFL-Schedule-Navigated-World-Series-Other-Conflicts.aspx|archive-date=September 26, 2012|access-date=February 4, 2013}}</ref>

=== Postseason ===
{{Main|NFL playoffs|Pro Bowl|Super Bowl}}

After the regular season, the NFL Playoffs, a 14-team single-elimination tournament, is then held. Seven teams qualify from each conference: the winners of each of the four divisions as well as three wild card teams (the three remaining teams with the best overall record, with tiebreakers in the event of two or more teams having the same record). These teams are seeded according to overall record and tiebreakers, with the division champions always ranking higher than the wild card teams.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tie-breaking procedures|url=http://www.nfl.com/standings/tiebreakingprocedures|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131143801/http://www.nfl.com/standings/tiebreakingprocedures|archive-date=January 31, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The top team (seeded one) from each conference are awarded a bye week, while the remaining six teams (seeded 2–7) from each conference compete in the first round of the playoffs, the Wild Card round, with the 2-seed competing against the 7-seed, the 3-seed competing against the 6-seed and the 4-seed competing against the 5-seed. The winners of the Wild Card round advance to the Divisional Round, which matches the lower seeded team against the 1-seed and the two remaining teams against each other. The winners of those games then compete in the Conference Championships, with the higher remaining seed hosting the lower remaining seed. The AFC and NFC champions then compete in the Super Bowl to determine the league champion.

The only other postseason event hosted by the NFL is the [[Pro Bowl]], the league's [[all-star game]]. Since 2009, the Pro Bowl has been held the week before the Super Bowl; in previous years, the game was held the week following the Super Bowl, but in an effort to boost ratings, the game was moved to the week before.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pro Bowl set for Jan. 27 in Honolulu, week before Super Bowl|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/pro-bowl-set-for-jan-27-in-honolulu-week-before-super-bowl-09000d5d8297274d|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=May 30, 2012|access-date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702110656/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8297274d/article/pro-bowl-set-for-jan-27-in-honolulu-week-before-super-bowl|archive-date=July 2, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Because of this, players from the teams participating in the Super Bowl are exempt from participating in the game. The Pro Bowl is not considered as competitive as a regular-season game because the biggest concern of teams is to avoid injuries to the players.<ref>{{cite news|title=NFC reels in five picks to throttle AFC in Pro Bowl|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=310130032|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|website=ESPN.com|date=January 30, 2011|access-date=January 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105054321/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=310130032|archive-date=January 5, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Trophies and awards ==
{{Main|List of NFL awards}}

=== Team trophies ===
{{Main|Vince Lombardi Trophy|Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy|Brunswick-Balke-Collender Cup}}

The NFL has used three different trophies to honor its champion over its existence. The first trophy, the [[Brunswick-Balke-Collender Cup]], was donated to the NFL (then APFA) in 1920 by the [[Brunswick Corporation|Brunswick-Balke-Collender Corporation]]. The trophy, the appearance of which is only known by its description as a "silver loving cup", was intended to be a traveling trophy and not to become permanent until a team had won at least three titles. The league awarded it to the Akron Pros, champions of the inaugural 1920 season. The trophy was discontinued and its current whereabouts are unknown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ohio.com/news/searching-for-lost-trophy-1.204246|title=Local history: Searching for lost trophy|last=Price|first=Mark J.|date=April 25, 2011|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702061827/http://www.ohio.com/news/searching-for-lost-trophy-1.204246|archive-date=July 2, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

A second trophy, the [[Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy]], was issued by the NFL from 1934 to 1967. The trophy's namesake, Ed Thorp, was a referee in the league and a friend to many early league owners; upon his death in 1934, the league created the trophy to honor him. In addition to the main trophy, which would be in the possession of the current league champion, the league issued a smaller replica trophy to each champion, who would keep it. The current location of the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy, long thought to be lost,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://redskinsblog.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/inside-redskins-park-the-other-championship-trophy/|title=Inside Redskins Park: The Other Championship Trophy|last=Terl|first=Matt|date=July 28, 2008|publisher=Official Redskins Blog|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118083451/http://redskinsblog.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/inside-redskins-park-the-other-championship-trophy/|archive-date=November 18, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> is believed to be possessed by the [[Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Christi|first=Cliff|title=The mystery of the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy|url=http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-cliffs-notes/article-1/The-mystery-of-the-Ed-Thorp-Memorial-Trophy/69ec5eb4-a138-453f-84db-ec0ee40f1cb0|publisher=Green Bay Packers |date=January 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128174924/https://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article-cliffs-notes/article-1/The-mystery-of-the-Ed-Thorp-Memorial-Trophy/69ec5eb4-a138-453f-84db-ec0ee40f1cb0|archive-date=January 28, 2017|access-date=December 31, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The current trophy of the NFL is the [[Vince Lombardi Trophy]]. The Super Bowl trophy was officially renamed in 1970 after [[Vince Lombardi]], who as head coach led the Green Bay Packers to victories in the first two Super Bowls.<ref name="l194">{{cite web | last=Gardner | first=Steve | title=Lombardi Trophy: History, facts about Super Bowl champion prize | website=USA TODAY | date=February 11, 2024 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/super-bowl/2024/02/11/lombardi-trophy-history-super-bowl-champion/72404904007/ | access-date=October 15, 2024}}</ref> Unlike the previous trophies, a new Vince Lombardi Trophy is given to each year's champion. Lombardi Trophies are made by [[Tiffany & Co.]] out of sterling silver.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/general/2002/01/31/sb-trophy.htm|title=Football's super prize reaches icon status|last=Horovitz|first=Bruce|date=January 30, 2002|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219134540/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/general/2002/01/31/sb-trophy.htm|archive-date=February 19, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, players, coaches and personnel of the winning team are awarded [[Super Bowl ring]]s to commemorate their victory. The winning team chooses the company that makes the rings; each ring design varies, with the NFL mandating certain ring specifications, including requiring the Super Bowl logo be on at least one side of the ring.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/rings|title=45 Years of Super Bowl Rings|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206165640/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/rings|archive-date=February 6, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The losing team are also awarded rings, which must be no more than half as valuable as the winners' rings, but those are almost never worn.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/page2/s/neel/020129.html|title=Super Bowl from A to Z|last=Neel|first=Eric|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=June 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113005948/http://espn.go.com/page2/s/neel/020129.html|archive-date=January 13, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

The conference champions receive trophies for their achievement. The champions of the NFC receive the [[NFC Championship Game#George Halas Trophy|George Halas Trophy]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.suntimes.com/sports/3411365-419/trophy-halas-lombardi-nfl-silver.html|title=NFC's Halas trophy has new look|last=Jensen|first=Sean|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122121612/http://www.suntimes.com/sports/3411365-419/trophy-halas-lombardi-nfl-silver.html|archive-date=January 22, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> named after Chicago Bears founder [[George Halas]], who is also considered one of the co-founders of the NFL. The AFC champions receive the [[AFC Championship Game#Lamar Hunt Trophy|Lamar Hunt Trophy]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2013/01/26/o-j-brigance-inspires-ravens/|title=O.J. Brigance inspires Ravens|last=Tafur|first=Vic|date=January 26, 2013|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131182111/http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2013/01/26/o-j-brigance-inspires-ravens/|archive-date=January 31, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> named after [[Lamar Hunt]], the founder of the Kansas City Chiefs and the principal founder of the American Football League. Players on the winning team also receive a conference championship ring.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nesn.com/2012/06/patriots-receive-afc-championship-rings-from-owner-robert-kraft/|title=Patriots Receive AFC Championship Rings From Owner Robert Kraft|last=Pollak|first=Austin|date=June 14, 2012|publisher=[[New England Sports Network]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512074706/http://nesn.com/2012/06/patriots-receive-afc-championship-rings-from-owner-robert-kraft/|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2474933|title=Seahawks receive NFC championship rings|date=June 7, 2006|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925191540/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2474933|archive-date=September 25, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Player and coach awards ===
{{category see also|NFL trophies and awards}}
The NFL recognizes a number of awards for its players and coaches at its annual [[NFL Honors]] presentation. The most prestigious award is the [[AP NFL Most Valuable Player award|AP Most Valuable Player]] (MVP) award.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_22503334/mvp-nfl-two-horse-race-between-peyton-manning|title=MVP in NFL: Peyton Manning or Adrian Peterson, it's a two-horse race|last=Klis|first=Mike|work=[[The Denver Post]]|access-date=February 16, 2013|date=February 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205054810/http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_22503334/mvp-nfl-two-horse-race-between-peyton-manning|archive-date=February 5, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Other major awards include the [[AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award|AP Offensive Player of the Year]], [[AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award|AP Defensive Player of the Year]], [[AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year|AP Comeback Player of the Year]], and the [[AP NFL Rookie of the Year award|AP Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year]] awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=NFL Honors|url=http://www.nfl.com/honors|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217020419/http://www.nfl.com/honors|archive-date=February 17, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Another prestigious award is the [[Walter Payton Man of the Year award]], which recognizes a player's off-field work in addition to his on-field performance.<ref>{{cite news|last=Watkins|first=Calvin|title=Jason Witten wins Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4705492/jason-witten-wins-walter-payton-nfl-man-of-the-year-award|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|website=ESPN.com|date=February 2, 2013|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208015936/http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4705492/jason-witten-wins-walter-payton-nfl-man-of-the-year-award|archive-date=February 8, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[NFL Coach of the Year]] award is the highest coaching award.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/21630819/bruce-arians-wins-2012-coach-of-the-year-award|title=Bruce Arians wins 2012 Coach of the Year Award|last=Brinson|first=Will|date=February 2, 2013|work=[[CBS Sports]]|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927090211/https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/21630819/bruce-arians-wins-2012-coach-of-the-year-award|archive-date=September 27, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The NFL also gives out weekly awards such as the [[FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson named 2012 FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Year at '2nd Annual NFL Honors'|url=http://www.nfl.com/voting/players-air-and-ground/2012/YEAR/0|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|access-date=February 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216233652/http://www.nfl.com/voting/players-air-and-ground/2012/YEAR/0|archive-date=February 16, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week|Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Week]] awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson named 2012 Pepsi MAX NFL Rookie of the Year|url=http://www.nfl.com/voting/rookies/2012/YEAR/0|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|access-date=February 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217033217/http://www.nfl.com/voting/rookies/2012/YEAR/0|archive-date=February 17, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Media coverage ==
{{Main|NFL on American television}}

{{See also|List of current NFL broadcasters}}

In the United States, the NFL is televised on eight networks across seven media partners: [[ESPN]]/[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[CBS]], [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], [[NBC]], [[Prime Video]], [[Netflix]], and [[NFL Network]]. The league offers its media rights in packages of games to prospective media partners. The packages can vary depending on conference, broadcast time slot, or both. CBS televises afternoon games from the AFC package, and Fox carries afternoon games from the NFC package. These afternoon games are not carried on all affiliates, as multiple games are being played at once; each network affiliate is assigned one game per time slot, according to a complicated set of rules.<ref>{{cite news|title=The tradition continues: NFL to remain on broadcast TV|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/the-tradition-continues-nfl-to-remain-on-broadcast-tv-09000d5d8250cb48|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=December 14, 2011|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715084934/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8250cb48/article/the-tradition-continues-nfl-to-remain-on-broadcast-tv|archive-date=July 15, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 2011, the league has reserved the right to give Sunday games that, under the contract, would normally air on one network to the other network (known as "flexible scheduling").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/01/flexible-schedule-flexes-broncos-vikings-from-cbs-to-fox/|title=Flexible schedule flexes Broncos-Vikings from CBS to FOX|last=Florio|first=Mike|date=December 1, 2011|publisher=[[Pro Football Talk]]. [[NBC Sports]]|access-date=February 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126124726/http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/01/flexible-schedule-flexes-broncos-vikings-from-cbs-to-fox/|archive-date=January 26, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> NFL Sunday Ticket, the league's [[out-of-market sports package]], is available through [[YouTube TV]] starting with the 2023 season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 22, 2022 |title=NFL, Google announce agreement to distribute NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV, Primetime Channels |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-google-nfl-sunday-ticket-youtube-tv-youtube-primetime-channels |access-date=September 26, 2023 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> NFL Network also provides [[NFL RedZone]], an [[omnibus (broadcast)|omnibus telecast]] that cuts to live coverage of the most relevant plays in each game.

In addition to the regional games, the league also has packages of telecasts, mostly in prime time, that are carried nationwide. NBC broadcasts the primetime ''[[NBC Sunday Night Football|Sunday Night Football]]'' package, which includes the Thursday [[NFL Kickoff game]] that starts the regular season and a primetime [[NFL on Thanksgiving Day|Thanksgiving Day game]]. ESPN is the main broadcaster of the ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' package with ABC airing select games either exclusively or as a simulcast with ESPN. [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], through their Prime Video streaming service, is the exclusive carrier of the ''[[Thursday Night Football]]'' package. NFL Network, a U.S. pay cable channel owned by the league, broadcasts select games under the ''[[NFL Network Exclusive Game Series]]'' banner. These games usually consist of [[NFL International Series]] games and select Saturday games. In 2023, the NFL occupied the top three rates for a 30-second advertisement: $882,079 for ''Sunday Night Football'', $562,524 for ''Monday Night Football'', and $440,523 for ''Thursday Night Football''.<ref>{{cite web |author-first1=Parker |author-last1=Herren |title=What Primetime TV Ads Cost In Fall 2023 |url=https://adage.com/article/media/tv-commercial-prices-advertising-costs-fall-2023/2520931 |website=AdAge |date=October 31, 2023}}</ref>

The league has expanded their televised broadcasts to [[Over-the-top media service|over-the-top]] streaming services. Since 2022, Amazon has held the exclusive rights to broadcast the ''Thursday Night Football'' package.<ref>{{cite web |title=NFL Announces Amazon Prime Video as Home of Thursday Night Football Beginning in 2022 |url=https://operations.nfl.com/updates/football-ops/nfl-announces-amazon-prime-video-as-home-of-thursday-night-football-beginning-in-2022/ |website=NFL Football Operations |publisher=NFL |date=May 3, 2021 |access-date=December 29, 2023 |archive-date=December 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231229090705/https://operations.nfl.com/updates/football-ops/nfl-announces-amazon-prime-video-as-home-of-thursday-night-football-beginning-in-2022/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Before 2022, Amazon streamed games from the same package as part of a tri-cast model that saw games aired on broadcast television (initially through CBS and NBC, then later with Fox), cable television (through NFL Network), and digital streaming (through Prime Video).<ref>{{cite web |title=NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND AMAZON PRIME ANNOUNCE STREAMING PARTNERSHIP FOR THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL |url=https://nflcommunications.com/Pages/NATIONAL-FOOTBALL-LEAGUE-AND-AMAZON-PRIME-ANNOUNCE-STREAMING-PARTNERSHIP-FOR-THURSDAY-NIGHT-FOOTBALL.aspx |website=NFL Communications |publisher=NFL |date=April 9, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Nick Wingfield |title=Amazon Will Stream N.F.L.'s Thursday Night Games |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/business/media/amazon-stream-nfl-thursday-night-football.html |website=The New York Times |date=April 4, 2017}}</ref><ref name ="NFL Renews Amazon Streaming Deal for 'Thursday Night Football' for 2018-19 Seasons">{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/nfl-renews-amazon-thursday-night-football-1202789145/|title=NFL Renews Amazon Streaming Deal for 'Thursday Night Football' for 2018–19 Seasons|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=April 26, 2018|work=Variety|access-date=April 27, 2018}}</ref> Amazon has also streamed games for free on [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]] since 2018.<ref name ="NFL Renews Amazon Streaming Deal for 'Thursday Night Football' for 2018-19 Seasons" /> CBS streams its AFC package games on [[Paramount+]] as a simulcast with its CBS broadcasts.<ref name="NFL completes long-term media distribution agreements through 2033 season" /><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Kerschbaumer|first1=Ken|date=March 18, 2021|title=NFL Rights Deals: ViacomCBS Details New NFL Package; Paramount+ Streaming Rights Kick in Next Season|url=https://www.sportsvideo.org/2021/03/18/viacomcbs-details-new-nfl-deal-paramount-streaming-rights-kick-in-next-season/|access-date=March 19, 2021|website=Sports Video Group|archive-date=June 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604092649/https://www.sportsvideo.org/2021/03/18/viacomcbs-details-new-nfl-deal-paramount-streaming-rights-kick-in-next-season/|url-status=live}}</ref> NBC streams ''Sunday Night Football'' and select exclusive games on [[Peacock (streaming service)|Peacock]].<ref name="NFL completes long-term media distribution agreements through 2033 season" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 18, 2021 |title=NBCUniversal and NFL Reach 11-Year Extension & Expansion for Sunday Night Football, Primetime TV'S #1 Show |url=https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2021/03/18/nbcuniversal-and-nfl-reach-11-year-extension-expansion-for-sunday-night-football-primetime-tvs-1-show/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213203438/https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2021/03/18/nbcuniversal-and-nfl-reach-11-year-extension-expansion-for-sunday-night-football-primetime-tvs-1-show/ |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |access-date=February 13, 2023 |website=NBC Sports Pressbox}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Toonkel |first=Joe Flint and Jessica |title=Peacock to Carry One NFL Playoff Game Exclusively Next Season |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/peacock-to-carry-one-nfl-playoff-game-exclusively-next-season-fb339027 |access-date=May 15, 2023 |website=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 15, 2023 |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530001027/https://www.wsj.com/articles/peacock-to-carry-one-nfl-playoff-game-exclusively-next-season-fb339027 |url-status=live}}</ref> ESPN streams its games on [[ESPN+]] in simulcast with the broadcasts on ESPN or ABC.<ref name="NFL completes long-term media distribution agreements through 2033 season" /><ref name="The Walt Disney Company, ESPN and National Football League Reach Landmark Long-Term Agreement">{{cite web |last1=Volner |first1=Derek |title=The Walt Disney Company, ESPN and National Football League Reach Landmark Long-Term Agreement |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2021/03/the-walt-disney-company-espn-and-national-football-league-reach-landmark-long-term-agreement/ |website=ESPN Press Room |date=March 18, 2021}}</ref> ESPN also holds exclusive rights to stream one Sunday morning international game on ESPN+.<ref name="The Walt Disney Company, ESPN and National Football League Reach Landmark Long-Term Agreement" /> Beginning in 2024, Netflix holds the global streaming rights for at least one Christmas Day game every season as part of a three-year deal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldblatt |first=Henry |date=September 5, 2024 |title=Netflix Will Be the Home to Live NFL Games This Christmas Day |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/nfl-games-on-netflix |access-date=October 17, 2024 |website=Netflix}}</ref>

The Super Bowl television rights are rotated on a four-year basis between CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN/ABC. The NFL's most recent contract negotiation for the media rights deal was announced on March 18, 2021, taking effect from the 2023 season. The deal renewed previous rights agreements made by the NFL and each of its network partners to air their respective game packages, while awarding Amazon the ''Thursday Night Football'' package. ESPN/ABC is set to return to the Super Bowl broadcast rotation and will broadcast the Super Bowl on U.S. television in 2027, 21 years after airing its last Super Bowl, [[Super Bowl XL]]. Digital and streaming distribution was expanded to allow CBS, NBC, and ESPN/ABC to stream games on their over-the-top streaming services. For each of the packages the network partners currently hold, ESPN/ABC is paying US$2.7&nbsp;billion a year; CBS, Fox, and NBC are each paying more than US$2&nbsp;billion a year; and Amazon is paying US$1&nbsp;billion a year. The current deal runs through the 2033 season.<ref name="NFL completes long-term media distribution agreements through 2033 season">{{cite web |title=NFL completes long-term media distribution agreements through 2033 season |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-completes-long-term-media-distribution-agreements-through-2033-season |website=NFL |publisher=NFL Media |date=March 18, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Strauss|first=Ben|title=What the NFL's new TV deal means for the league, fans and networks|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/03/18/nfl-tv-deal-faq/|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=March 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Sherman|first1=Alex|last2=Young|first2=Jabari|title=NFL finalizes new 11-year media rights deal, Amazon gets exclusive Thursday Night rights|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/18/nfl-media-rights-deal-2023-2033-amazon-gets-exclusive-thursday-night.html|website=[[CNBC]].com|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=March 19, 2021}}</ref>

The league also has deals with Spanish-language broadcasters [[NBC Universo]], [[Fox Deportes]], and [[ESPN Deportes]], which each air Spanish language dubs of their English language sister networks' games.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS87811855520110830|title=Telemundo Extends Deal With NFL Through 2013|last=Molloy|first=Tim|date=August 30, 2011|work=Reuters|access-date=February 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620025732/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/30/idUS87811855520110830|archive-date=June 20, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cincyjungle.com/2011/9/8/2412508/nfl-and-espn-reach-major-media-rights-deal|title=NFL And ESPN Reach Major Media Rights Deal|last=Kirkendall|first=Josh|newspaper=Cincy Jungle |date=September 8, 2011|publisher=Cincy Jungle. [[SB Nation]]|access-date=February 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926071624/http://www.cincyjungle.com/2011/9/8/2412508/nfl-and-espn-reach-major-media-rights-deal|archive-date=September 26, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The league's contracts do not cover preseason games, which individual teams are free to sell to local stations directly; a minority of preseason games are distributed among the league's national television partners.

Through the 2014 season, the NFL had a [[NFL television blackout policies|blackout policy]] in which games were 'blacked out' on local television in the home team's area if the home stadium was not sold out. Clubs could elect to set this requirement at only 85%, but they would have to give more ticket revenue to the visiting team; teams could also request a specific exemption from the NFL for the game. The vast majority of NFL games were not blacked out; only 6% of games were blacked out during the [[2011 NFL season|2011 season]],<ref>{{cite news|title=NFL eases local TV blackout restrictions for upcoming season|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-eases-local-tv-blackout-restrictions-for-upcoming-season-09000d5d82a406ee|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=June 30, 2012|access-date=February 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810055326/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82a406ee/article/nfl-eases-local-tv-blackout-restrictions-for-upcoming-season?module=HP11_headline_stack|archive-date=August 10, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> and only two games were blacked out in {{nfly|2013}} and none in {{nfly|2014}}.<ref name="Blackout suspended">{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/12545081/nfl-suspend-tv-blackout-policy-2015-owners-vote |title=NFL to suspend TV blackout policy |work=ESPN.com |date=March 24, 2015 |access-date=March 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324145057/http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12545081/nfl-suspend-tv-blackout-policy-2015-owners-vote |archive-date=March 24, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The NFL announced in March 2015 that it would suspend its blackout policy for at least the [[2015 NFL season|2015 season]].<ref name="Blackout suspended" /> According to [[Nielsen Company|Nielsen]], the NFL regular season since 2012 was watched by at least 200&nbsp;million individuals, accounting for 80% of all television households in the United States and 69% of all potential viewers in the United States. NFL regular season games accounted for 31 out of the top 32 most-watched programs in the fall season and an NFL game ranked as the most-watched television show in all 17 weeks of the regular season. At the local level, NFL games were the highest-ranked shows in NFL markets 92% of the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nflcommunications.com/2013/01/03/nfl-2012-tv-recap/#more-11185|title=NFL 2012 TV Recap|date=January 3, 2003|publisher=NFL Communications|access-date=February 6, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129092638/http://nflcommunications.com/2013/01/03/nfl-2012-tv-recap/#more-11185|archive-date=January 29, 2013}}</ref> Super Bowls account for the 22 most-watched programs (based on total audience) in US history, including a record 167&nbsp;million people that watched [[Super Bowl XLVIII]], the conclusion to the 2013 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/02/04/sunday-final-ratings-new-girl-adjusted-up-final-super-bowl-numbers/234164/|title=Sunday Final Ratings: 'New Girl' & 'Brooklyn Nine Nine' Adjusted Up & Final Super Bowl Numbers (Updated)|last=Bibel|first=Sara|publisher=[[Zap2it]]|date=February 4, 2014|access-date=February 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222203718/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/02/04/sunday-final-ratings-new-girl-adjusted-up-final-super-bowl-numbers/234164/|archive-date=February 22, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In addition to radio networks run by each NFL team, select NFL games are broadcast nationally by [[NFL on Westwood One Sports|Westwood One]] (known as Dial Global for the 2012 season). These games are broadcast on over 500 networks, giving all NFL markets access to each primetime game. The NFL's deal with Westwood One was extended in 2012 and continued through 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dialglobalsports.com/2012/09/nfl-and-dial-global-agree-on-new-multi-year-extension/|title=NFL and Dial Global Agree on New Multi-Year Extension|date=September 19, 2012|publisher=[[Dial Global]]|access-date=February 6, 2013|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425085514/http://dialglobalsports.com/2012/09/nfl-and-dial-global-agree-on-new-multi-year-extension/|archive-date=April 25, 2013}}</ref> Other NFL games are nationally distributed by [[Compass Media Networks]] and [[Sports USA Radio Network]] under contracts with individual teams.

Some broadcasting innovations have either been introduced or popularized during NFL telecasts. Among them, the [[Skycam]] camera system was used for the first time in a live telecast, at a 1984 preseason NFL game in San Diego between the [[San Diego Chargers|Chargers]] and [[San Francisco 49ers|49ers]], and televised by CBS.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1985-10/1985_10_BYTE_10-10_Simulating_Society#page/n121/mode/2up |title=Skycam: An Aerial Robotic Camera System |work=BYTE |date=October 1985 |access-date=April 2, 2016 |last=Cone |first=Lawrence L. |pages=122 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326233722/https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1985-10/1985_10_BYTE_10-10_Simulating_Society#page/n121/mode/2up |archive-date=March 26, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Commentator [[John Madden]] famously used a [[telestrator]] during games between the early 1980s to the mid-2000s, boosting the device's popularity.<ref>Oaks, Chris. WIRED magazine, "John Madden on Grid Iron Tech", January 22, 1999</ref>

The NFL has licensing agreements with [[Twitter|X]], [[Reddit]] and [[Meta Platforms]] to serve as authorized [[social media]] outlets for the league and its teams. The New England Patriots' attempt to launch a [[Bluesky]] account was met with a [[cease and desist]] order from the NFL headquarters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCaskill |first=Steve |date=2025-01-23 |title=NFL teams 'not allowed' to launch on Bluesky |url=https://www.sportspro.com/news/nfl-new-england-patriots-bluesky-x-elon-musk-january-2025/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=SportsPro |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2025, the NFL began to take equity stakes in some of its media partners as part of business transactions. In August 2025, the NFL gained an equity stake in CBS parent company [[Paramount Skydance|Paramount Skydance Corporation]] following the acquisition of [[Paramount Global]] by [[Skydance Media]], by virtue of its existing investments and content partnerships with Skydance. The same month, the NFL announced that it would sell NFL Network, the NFL RedZone channel, and its fantasy football services to [[ESPN Inc.]] for an undisclosed amount, pending regulatory approval; as part of the agreement, the NFL will take a 10% stake in ESPN.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=2025-08-06 |title=NFL to Acquire Stake in ESPN as Part of Blockbuster Deal With Disney |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/espn-nfl-media-major-deal-redzone-1236326849/ |access-date=2025-08-06 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-06 |title=Disney's ESPN to acquire NFL media assets in major deal |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/05/disneys-espn-to-acquire-nfl-media-assets-in-major-deal.html |access-date=2025-08-06 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Marchand |first=Andrew |date=2025-08-01 |title=NFL deals Red Zone, NFL Media assets to ESPN in blockbuster billion-dollar agreement: Sources |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6530655/2025/08/01/nfl-espn-media-deal-tv-broadcast/ |access-date=2025-08-02 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Simonetti |first=Joe Flint and Isabella |title=The NFL Is Taking a 10% Stake in Disney's ESPN |url=https://www.wsj.com/business/media/the-nfl-is-taking-a-10-stake-in-disneys-espn-158acff5 |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=WSJ |date=August 6, 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Draft ==
{{Main|NFL draft}}
[[File:2026-0117 Fernando Mendoza.jpeg|thumb|220px|[[Las Vegas Raiders]] quarterback [[Fernando Mendoza]], the first overall pick of the [[2026 NFL draft]]|alt= Fernando Mendoza at the media day press conference in the Miami Beach Convention Center ahead of the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship versus the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.]]
Each April (excluding 2014 when it took place in May), the NFL holds a draft of college players. The draft consists of seven rounds, with each of the 32 clubs getting one pick in each round.<ref name="What's the NFL draft all about?">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/american_football/8014105.stm|title=What's the NFL draft all about?|last=Love|first=Tim|date=April 23, 2009|work=BBC Sport|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926003351/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/american_football/8014105.stm|archive-date=September 26, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The draft order for non-playoff teams is determined by regular-season record; among playoff teams, teams are first ranked by the furthest round of the playoffs they reached, and then are ranked by regular season record. For example, any team that reached the divisional round will be given a higher pick than any team that reached the conference championships, but will be given a lower pick than any team that did not make the divisional round. The Super Bowl champion always drafts last, and the losing team from the Super Bowl always drafts next-to-last.<ref>{{cite news |date=March 27, 2012 |title=Complete order of first round of 2011 NFL Draft determined |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/complete-order-of-first-round-of-2011-nfl-draft-determined-09000d5d81d6b708 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125040410/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81d6b708/article/complete-order-of-first-round-of-2011-nfl-draft-determined |archive-date=November 25, 2011 |access-date=February 11, 2013 |website=NFL.com |publisher=NFL Enterprises}}</ref> All potential draftees must be at least three years removed from high school to be eligible for the draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/01/nfl-draft-rules-a-bad-deal-for-jadeveon-clowney/|title=NFL draft rules a bad deal for Jadeveon Clowney|last=Smith|first=Michael David|date=January 1, 2013|publisher=[[Pro Football Talk]]. [[NBC Sports]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129093147/http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/01/nfl-draft-rules-a-bad-deal-for-jadeveon-clowney/|archive-date=January 29, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Underclassmen]] that have met that criterion to be eligible for the draft must write an application to the NFL by January 15 renouncing their remaining college eligibility.<ref>{{cite news|title=NFL officially grants draft eligibility to 65 underclassmen|url=http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/09000d5d82621943/article/nfl-officially-grants-draft-eligibility-to-65-underclassmen|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=January 19, 2012|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016032020/http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/09000d5d82621943/article/nfl-officially-grants-draft-eligibility-to-65-underclassmen|archive-date=October 16, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Clubs can trade away picks for future draft picks, but cannot trade the rights to players they have selected in previous drafts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/NFL-draft-times-trade-rules-picks-players-mock-033011|title=Addressing NFL draft trade rules, times|last=Schrager|first=Peter|date=March 31, 2011|work=[[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002060013/http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/NFL-draft-times-trade-rules-picks-players-mock-033011|archive-date=October 2, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

Aside from the seven picks each club gets, compensatory draft picks are given to teams that have lost more compensatory free agents than they have gained. These are spread out from rounds 3 to 7, and a total of 32 are given.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/2012-compensatory-draft-picks2.pdf|title=NFL Announces 32 Compensatory Draft Choices to 15 Clubs|last1=Aiello|first1=Greg|last2=McCarthy |first2=Brian|last3=Signora |first3=Michael|date=March 26, 2012|publisher=NFL Labor|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002233037/http://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/2012-compensatory-draft-picks2.pdf|archive-date=October 2, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Clubs are required to make their selection within a certain period, the exact time depending on which round the pick is made in. If they fail to do so on time, the clubs behind them can begin to select their players in order, but they do not lose the pick outright. This happened in the [[2003 NFL draft|2003 draft]], when the Minnesota Vikings failed to make their selection on time. The Jacksonville Jaguars and [[Carolina Panthers]] were able to make their picks before the Vikings were able to use theirs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/overview/vikings2003.html|title=Offseason overview: Minnesota Vikings|last=Black|first=James C.|date=May 29, 2003|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121219143723/http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/overview/vikings2003.html|archive-date=December 19, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Selected players are only allowed to negotiate contracts with the team that picked them, but if they choose not to sign they become eligible for the next year's draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/classic/bio/news/story?page=Jackson_Bo|title=Bo knows stardom and disappointment|last=Flatter|first=Ron|date=March 9, 2006|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120150105/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/classic/bio/news/story?page=Jackson_Bo|archive-date=January 20, 2013}}</ref> Under the current collective bargaining contract, all contracts to drafted players must be four-year deals with a club option for a fifth. Contracts themselves are limited to a certain amount of money, depending on the exact draft pick the player was selected with.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/04/24/nfl-draft-picks-more-valuable-than-ever-under-new-system/|title=NFL Draft Picks More Valuable Than Ever Under New System|last=Badenhausen|first=Kurt|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|date=April 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130304140344/http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/04/24/nfl-draft-picks-more-valuable-than-ever-under-new-system/|archive-date=March 4, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Players who were draft eligible but not picked in the draft are free to sign with any club.<ref name="What's the NFL draft all about?"/>

In addition to the NFL draft, the league holds a [[supplemental draft]] annually. Clubs submit emails to the league stating the player they wish to select and the round they will do so, and the team with the highest bid wins the rights to that player. The exact order is determined by a lottery held before the draft, and a successful bid for a player will result in the team forfeiting the rights to its pick in the equivalent round of the next NFL draft.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jeremiah |first=Daniel |author-link=Daniel Jeremiah |date=July 11, 2012 |title=Supplemental draft primer: Josh Gordon has NFL teams buzzing |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/supplemental-draft-primer-josh-gordon-has-nfl-teams-buzzing-09000d5d82a78591 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217025234/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82a78591/article/supplemental-draft-primer-josh-gordon-has-nfl-teams-buzzing |archive-date=February 17, 2013 |access-date=February 11, 2013 |website=NFL |publisher=NFL Enterprises LLC}}</ref> Players are only eligible for the supplemental draft after being granted a petition for special eligibility.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/6861571/terrelle-pryor-wants-state-case-eligibility-nfl-supplemental-draft|title=Terrelle Pryor remains in draft limbo|last=Schefter|first=Adam|date=August 15, 2011|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717155735/http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6861571/terrelle-pryor-wants-state-case-eligibility-nfl-supplemental-draft|archive-date=July 17, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

The league has also held [[expansion draft]]s, the most recent in [[2002 NFL expansion draft|2002]] when the [[Houston Texans]] began to play as an [[expansion team]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/expansion02/index.html|title=Building Block|date=February 12, 2002|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831152844/http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/expansion02/index.html|archive-date=August 31, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Other drafts held by the league include [[1950 AAFC dispersal draft|an allocation draft in 1950]] to allocate players from several teams that played in the dissolved All-America Football Conference<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/AAFC/Allocation_Draft.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505011322/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/AAFC/Allocation_Draft.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 5, 2012|title=Allocation Draft|publisher=[[Professional Football Researchers Association]]|access-date=February 11, 2013}}</ref> and a [[1984 NFL supplemental draft of USFL and CFL players|supplemental draft in 1984]] to give NFL teams the rights to players who had been eligible for the main draft but had not been drafted because they had signed contracts with the [[United States Football League]] or [[Canadian Football League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1456|title=1984 Supplemental Draft|publisher=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512185038/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1456|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

Like the other [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|major sports leagues in the United States]], the NFL maintains protocol for a [[disaster draft]]. In the event of a 'near disaster' (less than 15 players killed or disabled) that caused the club to lose a quarterback, they could draft one from a team with at least three quarterbacks. In the event of a 'disaster' (15 or 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 ever had to be implemented.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/gen/s/2001/0328/1163463.html|title=God forbid it should ever be needed|last=Drehs|first=Wayne|date=April 10, 2001|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107150835/http://espn.go.com/gen/s/2001/0328/1163463.html|archive-date=November 7, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Free agency ==
[[Free agent]]s in the NFL are divided into [[restricted free agent]]s, who have three accrued seasons and whose current contract has expired, and [[unrestricted free agent]]s, who have four or more accrued seasons and whose contract has expired. An accrued season is defined as "six or more regular season games on a club's active/inactive, reserved/injured or reserve/physically unable to perform lists".<ref name="Questions and answers for 2012 free agency">{{cite news|title=Questions and answers for 2012 free agency|url=http://www.nfl.com/freeagency/story/09000d5d82787135/article/questions-and-answers-for-2012-free-agency|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=March 11, 2012|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713170606/http://www.nfl.com/freeagency/story/09000d5d82787135/article/questions-and-answers-for-2012-free-agency|archive-date=July 13, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Restricted free agents are allowed to negotiate with other clubs besides their former club, but the former club has the right to match any offer. If the club chooses not to match the offer, they are compensated with draft picks. Unrestricted free agents are free to sign with any club, and no compensation is owed if they sign with a different club.<ref name="Questions and answers for 2012 free agency" />

Clubs are given one [[franchise tag]], with which they can designate any of their unrestricted free agents. The franchise tag is a one-year deal that pays the player 120% of his previous contract or no less than the average of the five highest-paid players at his position, whichever is greater. There are two types of franchise tags: exclusive tags, which do not allow the player to negotiate with other clubs, and non-exclusive tags, which allow the player to negotiate with other clubs but gives his former club the right to match any offer and two first-round draft picks if they decline to match it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfluk.com/opinions/articles/nfl-explained-franchise-tag |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218204906/http://www.nfluk.com/opinions/articles/nfl-explained-franchise-tag |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 18, 2012 |title=NFL Explained: The Franchise Tag |last=Reynolds |first=Neil |date=February 16, 2012 |publisher=NFLUK |access-date=February 16, 2013}}</ref>

Clubs also have the option to use a [[transition tag]], which is similar to the non-exclusive franchise tag but offers no compensation if the former club refuses to match the offer.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nogle|first=Kevin|title=NFL Franchise Tags and the Miami Dolphins|url=http://www.thephinsider.com/2012/12/28/3809610/nfl-franchise-tags-and-the-miami-dolphins|publisher=[[SB Nation]]|website=ThePhinsider.com|date=December 28, 2012|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131121932/http://www.thephinsider.com/2012/12/28/3809610/nfl-franchise-tags-and-the-miami-dolphins|archive-date=January 31, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Due to that stipulation, the transition tag is rarely used,<ref>{{cite news|last=Breer|first=Albert|title=New wrinkles to franchise tag, salary cap happened for reason|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/new-wrinkles-to-franchise-tag-salary-cap-happened-for-reason-09000d5d8272422b|publisher=NFL Enterprises|website=NFL.com|date=February 23, 2012|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212030123/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8272422b/article/new-wrinkles-to-franchise-tag-salary-cap-happened-for-reason|archive-date=February 12, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> even with the removal of the "poison pill" strategy (offering a contract with stipulations that the former club would be unable to match) that essentially ended the usage of the tag leaguewide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://12thmanrising.com/2012/02/16/the-poison-pill-is-dead/|title=The Poison Pill is dead|last=Myers|first=Keith|date=February 16, 2008|publisher=12th Man Rising. [[SI.com]]|access-date=February 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214194827/http://12thmanrising.com/2012/02/16/the-poison-pill-is-dead/|archive-date=December 14, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Each club is subject to a [[salary cap]], which is set at US$188.2&nbsp;million for the 2019 season,<ref name="2019 Salary Cap">{{cite web |last=Gordon |first=Grant |title=NFL salary cap for 2019 season set at $188.2M |website=NFL.com |date=March 1, 2019 |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-salary-cap-for-2019-season-set-at-188-2m-0ap3000001020137 |access-date=June 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609225405/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001020137/article/nfl-salary-cap-for-2019-season-set-at-1882m |archive-date=June 9, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> US$11&nbsp;million more than that of 2018.<ref name="2019 Salary Cap" />

Members of clubs' [[Practice squad#National Football League|practice squads]], despite being paid by and working for their clubs, are also simultaneously a kind of free agent and are able to sign to any other club's active roster (provided their new club is not their previous club's next opponent within a set number of days) without compensation to their previous club. Practice squad players cannot be signed to another club's practice squad, unless released by their original club first.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chassen|first=Alexis|title=Everything you need to know about NFL practice squads|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/9/5/9168523/nfl-practice-squad-players-eligibility-salary|publisher=SB Nation|date=September 6, 2015|access-date=January 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116104526/http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/9/5/9168523/nfl-practice-squad-players-eligibility-salary|archive-date=November 16, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

== See also ==
=== Achievements and records ===
* [[List of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
* [[NFL All-Decade Teams]]
* [[NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
* [[NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
* [[NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team]]
*[[The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players]]
* [[NFL records]]

=== History ===
* [[American football in the United States]]
* [[List of NFL champions (1920–1969)]]
* [[List of Super Bowl champions]] (1966–present)
* [[NFL franchise moves and mergers]]
* [[Timeline of the National Football League]]

=== Other leagues ===
* {{annotated link|National Football League (1902)}}
* {{annotated link|NFL Europe}}

=== Player-related ===
* {{annotated link|International Player Pathway|abbr=IPP}}
* {{annotated link|List of NFL players with chronic traumatic encephalopathy|abbr=CTE}}

=== Miscellaneous ===
* [[List of current NFL franchise owners]]
* [[NFL cheerleading]]
* [[NFL controversies]]
* [[NFL Films]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Jared Dubin (April 28, 2015), [https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-ends-tax-exempt-status-after-73-years-3-things-to-know/ "NFL ends tax exempt status after 73 years: 3 things to know"], CBS Sports

== External links ==
{{Commons}}
{{Wikivoyage|American Football}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{Cite web |last= |date=June 26, 2025 |title=2025 Official National Football League Record and Fact Book |url=https://media.browns.1rmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/11164514/2025-NFL-Record-and-Fact-Book.pdf |access-date=September 18, 2025}}
* {{cite web |title=2025 NFL Rulebook |url=https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/nfl-rulebook/ |website=National Football League |access-date=September 18, 2025 |year=2025 }}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.onlabor.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/co_.pdf |title=Constitution and Bylaws of the National Football League |year=2006 |access-date=September 18, 2025 |website=OnLabor |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307224527/http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/static/html/careers/pdf/co_.pdf |archive-date=March 7, 2014 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite web |title=NFL/NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement |url=https://nflpaweb.blob.core.windows.net/website/PDFs/CBA/March-15-2020-NFL-NFLPA-Collective-Bargaining-Agreement-Final-Executed-Copy.pdf |website=NFLPA |access-date=September 18, 2025 |date=March 15, 2020 }}

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