The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league composed of 32 teams, 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. Each NFL season begins annually with a three-week preseason in August, followed by the 18-week regular season, which runs from early September to early January, with each team playing 17 games and having one bye week. Following the conclusion of the regular season, seven teams from each conference, including four division winners and three wild card teams, advance to the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament, which culminates in the Super Bowl, played in early February between the winners of the AFC and NFC championship games.
Roland "Champ" Bailey Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-American honors, and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft.
The NFL draft, officially known as the Annual Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the most common source of player recruitment in the National Football League. Each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order relative to its record in the previous year, which means that the last place team is positioned first and the Super Bowl champion is last. From this position, the team can either select a player or trade its position to another team for other draft positions, a player or players, or any combination thereof. The round is complete when each team has either selected a player or traded its position in the draft. The first draft was held in 1936 and has been held every year since.
David Duke Carr is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs and was selected first overall by the Houston Texans in the 2002 NFL draft. Carr also played for the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, and San Francisco 49ers. With the Giants, Carr was a member of the team that won Super Bowl XLVI over the New England Patriots. He currently serves as the offensive coordinator at Bakersfield Christian High School.
Deion Luwynn Sanders Sr. is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes football team. Nicknamed "Prime Time", "Neon Deion", and since becoming a coach, "Coach Prime", he played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens. Sanders was also a baseball outfielder for nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and San Francisco Giants. He won two Super Bowl titles and made one World Series appearance in 1992, making him the only athlete to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.
Eric Demetric Dickerson is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Dickerson played college football for the Mustangs of Southern Methodist University and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected second overall in the 1983 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams, and later played for the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons. During his NFL career, he rushed for over 13,000 yards. He holds the NFL's single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards, set in 1984. Dickerson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999 and, in 2019, was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. He wore prescription goggles throughout his career due to myopia.
In gridiron football, the long snapper is a center on special teams whose duty is to snap the football over a longer distance, typically around 15 yards during punts, and 7–8 yards during field goals and conversion attempts.
Craig Neil Erickson is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). Prior to entering the NFL, he played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL draft and also by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL draft. He is one of the few NFL players to be drafted twice. Coincidentally, each was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Louis Angelo Riddick is an American football broadcaster and former safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1991 to 1998. His brother, Robb Riddick, was a running back with the Buffalo Bills for eight seasons. His cousins, Will Lewis and Tim Lewis, also played in the NFL and held management positions for professional football teams. He is a color analyst for ESPN on their college football coverage alongside Bob Wischusen and Kris Budden, and on the #2 team for their NFL coverage alongside Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky, and Laura Rutledge. He was previously part of the lead broadcast team, working alongside Steve Levy, Brian Griese, and Lisa Salters.
Paul James Krause is an American former professional football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings and the Washington Redskins. Gifted with a great frame, speed and range, Krause established himself as a defensive force against opposing wide receivers. He led the league with 12 interceptions as a rookie before going on to set the NFL career interceptions record with 81 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Krause was selected eight times to the Pro Bowl during his 16 seasons in the NFL and is considered to be among the greatest safeties in NFL history.
Joseph Anthony Bosa is an American professional football linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected third overall by the Chargers in the 2016 NFL draft, where he was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Bosa has since been cited as among the best pass rushers in the NFL. He is the son of former NFL player John Bosa and the older brother of current NFL player Nick Bosa.
Myles Lorenz Garrett is an American professional football defensive end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M, where he received unanimous All-American honors in 2016, and was selected first overall by the Browns in the 2017 NFL draft. Garrett was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, in addition to receiving five Pro Bowl and three first-team All-Pro selections.
Kyler Cole Murray is an American professional football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Following one season of college football with the Texas A&M Aggies, Murray played for the Oklahoma Sooners, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a junior. Murray was selected first overall by the Cardinals in the 2019 NFL draft. He was also selected ninth overall by the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the 2018 draft, making him the first player to be drafted in the first round of both sports.
Minkah Annane Fitzpatrick Jr. is an American professional football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft before being traded to the Steelers during the 2019 season.
Trent Jordan Watt is an American professional football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers before being selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.
Nicholas John Bosa is an American professional football defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected second overall by the 49ers in the 2019 NFL draft. Bosa was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and helped his team reach Super Bowl LIV. In 2022, he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. He is the son of former NFL defensive end John Bosa and younger brother of Joey Bosa, currently a linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Isaiah Simmons is an American professional football safety for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals eighth overall in the 2020 NFL draft. While at Clemson, Simmons was noted for his positional versatility as he played linebacker, defensive end, cornerback and safety.
Derek Stingley Jr. is an American professional football cornerback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers and was selected by the Texans third overall in the 2022 NFL draft.
Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner is an American professional football cornerback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats and was selected fourth overall by the Jets in the 2022 NFL draft. Gardner was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and was the first rookie cornerback since Ronnie Lott in 1981 to be named first-team All-Pro.
Drake London is an American professional football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans and was selected eighth overall by the Falcons in the 2022 NFL draft.
