100% UNOFFICIAL THE NEW fe rl <4 a ee pb 552 je) oho Res fo) aoe SS Cae io)) os _ o> Ia c oO Ss N o jo} \ 1S oO h\ ee a =] are) Oo c bp lo) ‘S 2 ~~ o Ne —ha aR RAR RR ARR RRR RRR DR RR RRR RAR RR RRA AAR RR RRA RR ARR RR RR hha RARARR RAR RAR RAR RD Dh a aR RR RR RR RRR RRR A AAR ARR RAR RR AR RRA RA Be SUNS Lh a ~AhAoR RRR RAR RR RRR RRR DARA RRR RRR RRR RR Aha aR RRR RRR RR RR RRA MRR R RAR RRR ARR RRR DAR RRR RAR RAR RR RRR ALR AR RRR RADAR RAR RRR Ah RR RRR RRR RRR RRR SP EEEEEEREREESEEE Bas ARR RRA RD QUST DR ARR RRR RRR RRA RRR Ah RR RRR RRR RRR RRR ~_dR aa RR RoR RR RR RRR RA ALARA RARRAR AR ARR RRA Da I Dk DD kk*&& THE *&& BOOK When it comes tothrilng sporting spectacles, there's nothing else qutelike the NFL. A deep sport filed with complexstrateges played by some of the most physically gifted athietesin the world, football has sgrowninto one ofthe mast compeling forms of sporting entertainment on Earth. With the incredible rama of ‘Super Bow LVI behind us, the 2023 season promises to be the best the league has seen yet. ‘The NFL Booka complete guide othe United States favourite sport -a celebration of football fornewcomers and gridiron veterans alike. Tapping into the league's _rowing global popular this book covers everything you need to know, from the basic rules of footballto the draft. italso profiles every NFL franchise rom the Buffalo ils tothe Seattle Seahawks, as wellas counting ‘down the greatest players and gamesin the history of theleague. Nomatter who you follow, theres something {or every football fan here4 L FUTURE 4 rNEL BOOKses THE tes NEL CONTENTS | NFL:ALL YI NSN Me NaN Ys 10 i PRY HpeToRy Dae teh ofthe United with the is and outs of 1 guide tothe basis 20 HOW THE NFL WORKS Find out jst what makes the organisation that i the NFL tick 26 THE NFL DRAFT ead up on the event that sets ‘every NFL season in mat 30 THE TECH THAT POWERS THE NFL The NFLis one ofthe mast high-tech leagues in the world - we explore why 32 THE NFL INTERNATIONAL SERIES From Wembley t the Azteca ake a look at how the NFL has conquered the word 34 ULTIMATE NFL JARGON BUSTER Know your touchdown from your touchbac with our handy reference guide 5 THE NFL 800K 10 GREATEST NFL GAMES Count down ten of the most iconic contests in the history of the NFL THE HISTORY OF THE SUPER BOWL Just how di the showpiece event in “American sports fst come to be? 2022 SEASON REVIEW Relve al the highs and lows of one ofthe ‘mest thing NFL seasons ever SUPER BOWL LVII Relve the Kansas Chels'blockbust ctor over the Pisdelaia Eagh NFL « Check out our list of some of the greatest football players ever to take the fieldBUFFALO BILLS MIAMI DOLPHINS NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS NEW YORK JETS BALTIMORE RAVENS CINCINNATI BENGALS CLEVELAND BROWNS PITTSBURGH STEELERS HOUSTON TEXANS INDIANAPOLIS COLTS JACKSONVILLE JABUABS TENNESSEE TITANS DENVER BRONCOS KANSAS CITY CHIEFS OAKLAND RAIDERS LOS ANGELES CHARGERS DALLAS COWBOYS NEW YORK GIANTS PHILADELPHIA EAGLES WASHINGTON COMMANDERS CHICAGO BEARS DETROIT LIONS GREEN BAY PACKERS MINNESOTA VIKINGS ATLANTA FALCONS CAROLINA PANTHERS NEW ORLEANS SAINTS ‘TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS ARIZONA CARDINALS LOS ANGELES RAMS SAN FRANCISCO 4SERS SEATTLE SEAHAWKS [rae cao 7 |ISOs 5NFL: ALL ee YOU NEED = saa 10 KNOW Fr ereertetimonessomucn sped, ‘power andraw athletic, the game of footballisa deceptively subtle one. Aryane wth evena pass knowledge of the ame can revelinthe exctement of alsc-gagp Hall Mary passor bulldzing touchetown rn, But diehard fans canleam to apprecatedevous dummy sof defensive inspiration st plysand meme ‘ut i'sbest tostart with the basis Football canbe intimidating fornewcomers, withits complex plays, aundt ist of rules and constantly ‘evolving metagame. nthe onehand, theres always somethng new and exiingto lean when ‘watchingthe NFL buton the othe asl gras ofthe fundamentals isan abeolu anyone who wants to get the most oto ther ‘Wewing experience Fortunately weve got you covered herein The NFL Book This Al You Need toKnow sections exactly that: verythngan NFL fan could wish to know about the sport of feotbal the NL, the daft and moce. Here wel break dawn the history ofthe organisation that the National Football League its makeup and structure the teas 10. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NFL that compete init. and the innovations that re 14, THE RULES OF FOOTBALL “Wrstefureot ootbal onward. Weve 20, HOW THE NFL WORKS Sucudstononstcmccrnencsimaron 26, THE NFL DRAPT os home yuevththe ne ‘30. THE TECH THAT POWERS THE NFL shoes snetngleyau ce totic 52. THE NFL INTERNATIONAL SERIES reson supa ta bugeone tol ‘34. ULTIMATE NFL JARGON BUSTER — fansand gridiron veterans alte, ‘THE NFL BOO 8Dy ‘ EO ITRP NAAR IR Ay ON AN ey A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NFL The contrast between the globally marketed brand that is today’s NFL and its humble dawn in an Ohio car dealership couldn't be more stark covmenmecen America's biggest sportseague butone which s recognisable in almost every country aballved inthe cardealership belonging tothe owner ofthe Rah Hay. roadblock spikedin 10 THE NFL BOOKeee Se A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NFL ||| | , eae) [THE NFL BOOK 11FL: ALL YOU NEED TO KN hadledtoslyrocketine wages. There wasaso _eventthey tookto playing some oftheir gamesin i” rearby Miwaukee Elements ofthe current NFL. began t champion. Theleague's president Jim Thxpe, tention, and the league was ‘dsorgariced mess. Thee tears ined before the emoth fanchises, featuring mers, notably Colts quarterback hough busi Footbal League in 122, But asthedacade were ther buy into the NFL or establish ara ball League, m5, edin1960, ‘onnationalattenton sowly tumedtowardstheWhile competitors had raised thelr haces before, nochallerge tothe NFL had seemed as formidable as the AFL Backed by serious Investor andhaving estabishedits vn amateur raf, the upstart league sparked abiding war for the best players. hing a decisive shot by bagging Joe Namath out of college Broadway Je, ashe was tobe known, wasahot pckcoming out of the University of Alabamabut the AFLs New York Jets eat out the NFsSt Laus Carder, forkingout an unprecedented $427000, Inretatavon tothe poaching of AFL stars by the NFL. AFL president Dav who would preside over the aklnd.os Angeles Riders franchise unt hisdesth in 201), encourage ampaignof signing big tame NFL talent especialy quarterbacks Recognising the nay was mutual damage, the two leagues held merger tals, announcing the dealin the summer of 966. And thus the Super Bowlerawas bom although the fist AFL championship game was notknown ssc unt the 1967 season. Bat Start Green Bay's superstar quarterback, first two tes before Namath madehsteryin 1969, by winning the AFL st natonal te after mala he pre-game arate his Nw York Jets would defeat the all conquering Batimere Cots in Super Bow We the AFL ands teams! ‘Ben ver tthe NFL, both using the name and branding, many AFLinnovatons were permanently adopted ncudinga game dock, rams on jerseys nd the widespread usec ‘can. American athletes Since then the league has gone from strength tostrength Without serous chalnge over the intervening decades, the NFL has became the USS bggest, league bya wide margin. Mackedby awilngness byouners toadaptthe ‘les tomoke fora more televise friendly sport and Innavationsike Monday Nght Football, overseas regular ceacon games and exoancion franchises, the NFL has mantained supremacy ver Major Lege Baseband the NBA forthe best par 50 years The leagues pon extent thatthe Super Bol isregardadas an Unofficial hey nthe US, watched by close to half ofthe country’s popalaton and garnering almost $5 mln for each 30-second TV ad The NNFLis abo increasing seen asa globaleagu dart has rocketed tosuch “The NFL has become the US's biggest league by a wide margin” BRIEF HISTO! aA De eR LULU] oer arte eae SE ey eu the 1968 season was the fst title for an ey poten nse ate Pome retort Ene ant ety Serena ey perenne nr ct ret ts Pere tet ee eee) Pere ers ase Pee oer Pere arn eae Nese ers ey eer as Namath statu today tonal the Premier League and La Lea of European soccey and stars Aaron Radgess and Tom Brady are almost household namesin counties ke the UK. ‘After bi forays into Movi, egula season ‘match-ups have been hald at Wembley stacum since 2007, when the inaugural game saw Eh Manning’ New York Gants, who would goon we that eacon's Super Bo. tiumph ove the ‘Miami Dolphins. The games havebeen overwhelmingly puri the UK Twickernam Stadium the home ofEngish rugby was avacdedagame forthe 206 season, while Premier League dub Tottenham Hotspur beganhosting gamesat thar new state of theartstadumdurng the 2089 season hasal spawned talk of a London franchise, Thi hich despite obvouslogistcalissuesskeanly sought by theleague's commissioner, Roger CGoodl team nanather county, not lesstn Europe, would tly mark the NELSascendancy from ts 220 inception, when t wasa bcpart ayer inthe American sportsscene, toa gobal roduc. One that snotjust watched across the ode but actively supaortedinal continents ~ something nother US sporthas ever been able toboas. [THE NFL BOOK 43x rs ’ adarius Toney had just scored afive-yard touchdown on his only With he Eaglescffersestuck neutral they __receptionofthe game, giving the Chiefs their first lea. but his biggest couldarswer only withafiekdgoaltomakethe play was yet to come. Moments ate, aftr the Chiehed forced the fest, score 35-27 asthe fourth quarter ticked away ttvee-and-out by the Eagles offense, Toney set upto eceve a punt Momentum swungagan as Hurtslauncieda Iwascnly the second punt ofthe cay and the Eagles AirynSiposs -4G,yardpassto DeVentaSmithtoset uphsthrd bunched alow kc that Toney faked neo islet sicetne. After scoringrun ting Super Bow recrd fora heading further left he cut back out of tackle ard veered sharply othe ‘quarterback Hurts then foughths wayinforthe _oppostsieof the fet Fckng upa walla blockers, he took thesia two-point conversion that lethe game and set the vay to the Eagles veya ine fora Super Boveeord 65-yte retur upagyandstandfinsh setting up Skyy Moot’ ouryard touchdown Maorres though clearly in great pan burst through the Philly defense on 26-yard gallon that set Kansas Cy up fr the fl gal hat would retake the ead The Eagles woud sti have te torespond.. unt James Bradbery was flagged for holding JuJu Sith Schuster. he pena gave KC a fist down, alowingtbem torunallbut the ast few seconds of the cack before Hartson Buter Kk his eld goal When a lastltch Hall Mary pass from Hurts fel well short, the game wasover With the ending te ant-chmactie flowing the penalty onthe Eagles Fax play-by-play man Keun auxkhardt summed upthe cha of Super Bowl LVI -itwas atough way to rash whats been aclsse’ Evens, the Chiefs hadstuckin althree phases ofthe game offense defense and special teams wile Piadelphishad lft everything upto ther offense. The Eagles defense didnot regster a single sackal game. ‘THE NFL BOOK 81