The National Football League or NFL is one of the most popular sports in the USA and Canada. Every year millions of fans gather around their television sets on a Sunday in January or February to celebrate the annual play-off called Super Bowl.
All the factors of the NFL have occupied the national news for years. Coaches, stars, teams, matches, and more are all part of this. However, there are a few facts that even die-hard football fans may not be aware of.
Let’s see such facts and we are sure it will raise a few eyebrows!
Matches on All Days of the Week
Sundays are usually reserved for NFL games. You have also watched matches on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays. However, due to unseen circumstances, history has it that NFL matches have happened every day of the week. This includes Fridays too when holidays strike NFL seasons.
If you want to enjoy these matches, then there are several ways to enjoy NFL action in the US. Simply find an option that works best for you!
Housefull for Season Tickets
Even if you have tried getting season tickets to many popular teams in the NFL, you will never get a season ticket to a Green Bay Packers game. The boys from Green Bay, Wisconsin are so popular that over a year, very few fans give up their tickets to others. A whopping 99% of season ticket holders of this team retain them every year.
You can hear stories like die-hard fans waiting for over 50 years to gain season tickets. From the latest stats, a waiting line of over 140,000 defines the popularity of the team in the NFL.
NFL Footballs Have a Long History
Have you ever wondered about the footballs used in the NFL? Here are a few tidbits that might make it more interesting. At least 3000 cows contribute to the leather fabric used to make NFL footballs. Thankfully, these account for an entire year.
When the first NFL came into conception, football was much rounder and bigger. However, when the strategy of passing came into the picture, in 1934, people decided to make it longer and thinner. Thus, the emergence of today’s era of NFL footballs.
Whenever a match is played, the home team gives 24 footballs for the game to happen without any hurdles. Interestingly, the oldest football ever made is still available at the Smith Art Gallery and Museum.
Also, Wilson sporting goods have had the exclusive contract to make footballs for this world-popular league almost since 1941.
Hosting the Super Bowl
Super Bowl travels around the USA and Miami holds the coveted position of hosting it a record 11 times. The latest was in 2010, and the second position goes to New Orleans. Five of the games were at the Orange Bowl and another 6 at the Hard Rock Stadium.
Cheerleaders Have a Special Place
Each year, the teams hire cheerleaders and send them to tropical and far-flung destinations. The reason, they click photos to make sensational calendar images. Mostly, they are from beaches and breathtaking scenery. These calendars become fan souvenirs.
Seattle Seahawks Got Its Name From the Public
In the 1970s, this club got its striking name after it was selected as an entry out of a public competition. From over 1,750 entries, this name won the place and at least 20,000 people made their entry into this competition. Great name, isn’t it?
Oldest Stadium In The NFL
Open since 1924, Soldier Field is the oldest stadium in the NFL. This stadium is the home of the Chicago Bears team. It is located in Chicago, Illinois. Despite being an iconic stadium, it holds a capacity of only 61,500 people, making it the smallest NFL stadium.
The original design of the stadium was inspired by Greek architecture. It has a grand entrance and a colonnade like the Roman Colosseum.
NFL Players’ Salary
The average salary of NFL players is 2 million USD a year. The amount earned varies for each individual based on their contract; not everyone earns the same. The Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson earns a whopping $52 million yearly – making him the highest-paid player in the NFL.
In contrast, around $750.000 per year is the smallest wage offered.
Fees of Ads
Have you ever thought about how much it costs to advertise in the NFL Super Bowl? A 30 seconds ad costs a crazy amount of 7 million dollars. Big companies still compete to pay this amount and get their ad spot because of the big number of people watching.
First Female Referee
After being a role reserved only for men for years, Sarah Thomas managed to be the first female referee in the history of American Football. She opened the door for more female referees to join in and prove their brilliance and efficiency.
The 80,000 Yards Milestone
Throughout history, just two players have achieved over 80,000 passing yards, namely Tom Brady and Drew Brees. With only two other players finishing over 70,000 passing yards, Peyton Manning ranks third while Brett Favre takes the fourth position.
As Tom Brady remains active on the field, he stands a chance of exceeding his previous record and becoming the foremost athlete in achieving the 90,000 yards milestone. Remarkable achievement awaits the veteran quarterback.
Highest Club Revenue
In 2021, Dallas Cowboys had more revenue than any other club. Out of the total gross revenue of $17.19 billion earned by all NFL teams, the Dallas Cowboys made $1.09 billion alone.
Oldest Club in the NFL
The oldest team in the NFL that still competes today is the Arizona Cardinals. They initially began in 1898 under the name Morgan Athletic Club. However, the oldest franchises are the Chicago Bears and The Green Bay Packers, which were founded before the NFL itself.
The Teams That Never Made It
There are 4 NFL teams that have never made it to the Super Bowl since the new league format. Unlucky!
The teams are the Houston Texans, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cleveland Browns, and the Detroit Lions. However, the Browns and the Lions won NFL titles before the first Super Bowl in 1967.
Final Thoughts
Soak in these facts to learn something new about your favorite game. Also, with umpteen unknown facts, the NFL is surely an interesting sport in the world!
