Game of Football

Bronko Nagurski symbolized power running and possessed a brute force that has never been matched. He retired in 1938 to become a professional wrestler but later returned to the Bears in 1943. Find out more about powerhouse Bronko Nagurski.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Dan Fortmann joined the Chicago Bears in 1936 and became the youngest NFL starter. He retired from football in 1943 and became a highly respected doctor on the West Coast. Find out how Dan Fortmann wen from football field to medical field.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Otto Graham was approached by Paul Brown to join the Cleveland Browns in the new AAFC league. His passing abilities and leadership skills helped keep the Cleveland Browns at the top of the standings for 10 years.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Franco Harris led the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl victories. He retired in in 1984 after amassing 12,120 rushing yards, which was ranked third overall at the time. Read about Franco Harris, the NFL's intelligent and agile fullback.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Jerry Rice set many records in his 20 seasons of playing football and is considered the greatest receiver of all time. In his career, he amassed amazing totals of 22,895 receiving yards 207 touchdowns and 1,549 receptions.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Coach Eddie Robinson set the record for number of wins when Grambling State University won the Cotton Bowl in 1985. He retired in 1997 with an amazing career record of 408-165-15. His career lasted an amazing 56 years. Learn about Eddie Robinson.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Larry Wilson was the All-Pro Safety for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was an outstanding coverage player, led the league with 10 interceptions in 1966 and retired with a team record of 52 interceptions.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Joe Schmidt was one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL. He helped develop the middle linebacker position into the dominant pro defensive position. Schmidt entered the Hall of Fame in 1973.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Earl Campbell won the 1977 Heisman Trophy and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990. His career was cut short due to the constant pounding and abuse he took during his eight-year career. Learn about Earl Campbell's great running back career.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

The story told in "We Are Marshall" sounds a little like the invention of a screenwriter, but the airplane crash that took the lives of college football players really took place. Learn the real story behind the film "We Are Marshall."

By Tracy V. Wilson

Who makes up the "third team" in a football game? Learn all about the responsibilities of an NFL officiating crew.

By Kevin Bonsor

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

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

There's a reason why some of the quarterback's passes miss their target and others land perfectly in the receiver's hands -- it's physics! Learn the science of football and take a look at the game from a whole new angle.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

Ballparks are just as trendy as clothes and hairstyles. Today, a new trend in stadiums has led to the demolition of the Kingdome and the likely demise of the Astrodome. The latest trend in sports stadiums is the retractable-roof stadium.

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