Hey, you’re not gonna believe this but did you know that in the NFL football games, they use a whole bunch of footballs? I know, right! My brother was telling me about it and it just blew my mind! I mean, can you imagine that much leather in one place?
It’s crazy! Here’s how it works: each team is allowed 12 footballs for pre-game warmups and 12 for the game itself, so that’s 24 in all. The officials also have a spare backup ball in case one goes bad during the game, so that brings the total up to 25 balls.
And believe it or not, even more footballs are added to the mix when you factor in kickoffs, punts, and field goal attempts — they use a different type of football for those that’s specifically designed for long-distance kicking and passing. Those can bring the total up to around 35-40 balls.
Woah – that’s a lot of ball! My brother was telling me stories about how all the balls have to be inspected by the officials before each game and every ball in the stadium has to have an official NFL seal on it, or else they can’t be used! He also said that the balls must also meet certain weight and inflation standards as well.
It’s amazing how much goes into making sure that game is up to standard! You’d almost think there’s like a science behind it hahaha. Speaking of science, I wonder how much pressure is put on those balls when they’re being kicked. You know, it could go pretty high!
And what about those 25 balls that are kept for the game itself? I’m sure they’re incredibly well-made, and designed to last. My brother said that he heard some of the balls that are kept for the game are made of a specially-treated Cow Hide leather that makes them more durable and less prone to damage, and that they’re all individually numbered and regulated.
So there you have it – the footballs used in the NFL are some of the highest quality in the world. It goes to show just how much effort the sport puts into making sure that its games are of the highest standard.