The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists 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 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 advance to the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament that culminates in the Super Bowl, which is contested in February and is played between the winners of the AFC and NFC championship games.
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is allowed to solicit offers from other teams. In some circumstances, the free agent's options are limited by league rules.
Brian Keith Bosworth, nicknamed "the Boz", is an American actor and former football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. A two-time Dick Butkus Award winner during his college football career at Oklahoma, he also achieved notoriety for his outspoken comments and antics. Bosworth was selected by the Seahawks in the first round of the 1987 NFL supplemental draft, but his professional career was cut short by injury. After retiring as a player, Bosworth pursued an acting career. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Lito Decorian Sheppard is an American football coach and former player. During his playing career as cornerback, he played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football for the Florida Gators. He played for the Eagles for seven seasons, and was selected to the Pro Bowl twice. He also played for the NFL's New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, and Oakland Raiders. As a coach, he was the safeties coach for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019.
Chad Owens Sr. is a former professional Canadian football wide receiver and kick returner. He was most recently a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Owens played college football at Hawaii. He spent six seasons playing for the Toronto Argonauts, and has also been a member of the Montreal Alouettes and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Anthony "Spice" Adams is an American television host, actor, comedian, and former football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. After playing college football for Penn State, he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft, for whom he played four seasons, followed by the Chicago Bears from 2007 to 2011.
Kyries Hebert is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker and safety. He was originally signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette. In the NFL Hebert has been a member of the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals. In the CFL he has also been a member Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and Montreal Alouettes.
Robert Donald Murphy is a former professional gridiron football offensive lineman. He most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for Ohio State University, and was recognized as an All-American. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and has played professionally for the Frankfurt Galaxy, Chicago Enforcers, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers and BC Lions.
Justin C. Hickman is an American professional football scout and former player who is an analyst and scouting manager for the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL. He played as a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL)
Akeem Raphael Jordan is a former American football and Canadian football linebacker. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He has also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Redskins. He played college football at James Madison University.
Mark Herzlich Jr. is an American sports commentator and former professional football player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL).
Victor Allen Butler is a former American football outside linebacker. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State University.
Naaman I. Roosevelt is an American former professional football wide receiver who is currently the receivers coach for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). During his playing career, he was a member of the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He played college football for the Buffalo Bulls.
Robby Lawrence Felix is a former American football center. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Texas-El Paso.
Rennie Curran is a keynote speaker, leadership coach, author and former American football linebacker. He played college football at the University of Georgia. Curran was considered one of the top weakside linebackers of his class, and has been called "the most dominant defensive player in the game" by The Sporting News. In January 2010, Curran announced that he was forgoing his final year of eligibility to enter the 2010 NFL Draft. He was the 97th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Titans.
Chris Williams is an American professional free agent Canadian football wide receiver of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at New Mexico State. Williams was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He made his professional debut for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) in 2010. Williams has also been a member of the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Ottawa Redblacks, BC Lions and Montreal Alouettes.
Stevie Christopher Brown is a former American football safety. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines, where he started at safety as a junior for the 2008 team and at linebacker for the 2009 team. He has also been a member of the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, and Kansas City Chiefs.
Cordarro Law is a Canadian football defensive lineman for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for Southern Mississippi. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He has also been a member of the San Diego Chargers and Calgary Stampeders.
Storm Johnson is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCF.
Jeffrey Kyle Mathews is a former American football quarterback who played four seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Cornell, where he was ranked among the top 20 quarterbacks in passing yardage in Division I FCS history. He surpassed the Cornell record for total passing yards by more than 2,000 yards and ended his collegiate career as the holder of 47 Cornell and 18 Ivy League conference records. After going undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft, Mathews spent the summer with the Atlanta Falcons, and was a practice squad member of the Indianapolis Colts and the Arizona Cardinals. He moved north to the CFL, playing two seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and a season each with the Toronto Argonauts and the Montreal Alouettes.
