Inside the NFL

Going Inside the NFL lets you see how football really works by understanding the rules and regulations.

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Nearly a dozen kickers have hit the 3rd and 4th farthest distances, but only one player has kicked the longest field goal in NFL history.

By Yara Simón

Have you ever wondered what it's like to play professional football? We have, so we called up players Takeo Spikes, Carlos Emmons, Jonas Jennings, Fred Beasley and Willie Anderson to find out.

They look like giant marshmallows and are disliked by many NFL players, but may be just what the doctor ordered to protect them against concussions and other head injuries.

By Patty Rasmussen

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For the first time ever, two male cheerleaders will be at the Super Bowl.

By John Donovan

Only the best of the best make it to the Super Bowl. And that includes the NFL officials.

By John Donovan

Three of the five longest field goals in NFL history have been kicked in Denver's Mile High Stadium. What gives?

By Mark Mancini

Sports fans can be a noisy bunch. Hey, screaming your head off is part of the fun, right? But someone had to come up with 'DEE-FENSE' first. Who was it?

By Mark Mancini

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The relationship between pro sports and expression of patriotism, like playing the National Anthem, is a uniquely American phenomenon. And a fairly recent one.

By Dave Roos

Most people like watching the Super Bowl every February, but there's always that one guy who insists that he's just watching "for the commercials" -- and with good reason. Find out how all the ad hype gets generated here.

By Ed Grabianowski

Want to see Super Bowl LVII in person? It won't be easy. But we'll show you how to get into the best position to catch a Hail Mary ticket or two.

By Thorin Klosowski & John Donovan

Review rules have sometimes generated controversy, and some fans and team owners would prefer to keep the human factor in the game. But instant replay rules give the officials on the field another set of eyes to get calls right.

By John Kelly

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Football in the U.S. is big business. And making the roster of the NFL Pro Bowl can establish a player as one of the best at his position, raising his visibility and leading to lucrative contracts and endorsement possibilities. So who gets to play, and how did this exhibition get started anyway?

By Lance Looper

If you're a football fan, you probably want to know every detail about your favorite players. But do you know how your team's quarterback is rated?

By Thomas Moore

Randy Moss and LaDainian Tomlinson are some of the most exciting players to watch on the football field each Sunday. This gallery features photos of these and other pro football players in action.

Take an inside look at a working week in the life of one of the NFL's top defensive ends, Patrick Kerney of the Atlanta Falcons, as told to us by Kerney himself.

By Dave Coustan

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Super Bowl Sunday is a football fan's nirvana. It's when the NFL champion is decided once and for all. But the day is about way more than just football.

By Kevin Bonsor & John Donovan

It's training camp time -- are you a would-be football fan? Or maybe you just want a refresher on the rules? We'll tell you how the plays work, how to keep score and how large a football field really is. Hike!

By Kevin Bonsor

Free agents, restricted free agents, compensatory picks and good old Mr. Irrelevant... what does it all mean? It's NFL draft time! Find out how NFL teams fill positions in this annual event.

By Kevin Bonsor

With the recent NFL draft, players are now negotiating contracts. Learn how the NFL's salary cap works, and how teams work under the salary cap with trades, signing bonuses, and other financial maneuvering.

By John Perritano

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The virtual first-down line that you see in many televised football games is something of a computer-generated miracle that home viewers have come to love. Find out how this line gets "painted" on the field without painting the players.

By Shel Brannan

Advancements in technology allow the home viewer to see all kinds of information that the fan in the stadium can't see. Learn how do the broadcast stations superimpose the first-down line on the football playing field.

A typical NFL football team goes through 2,500 pairs of sneakers in one season. Go inside an NFL locker room and check out the equipment behind the game!

By Marshall Brain