Week of September 8 – Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?

An official NFL football field is a rectangle that is 120 yards (110 meters) long and 53 yards, 1 foot (49 meters) wide.

The football is an oblong sphere and is 11 to 11.5 inches (28 to 29 centimeters) long. It has a lengthwise circumference of about 28.5 inches (72.4 centimeters) and a widthwise circumference of about 21.5 inches (54.6 centimeters) in the middle of the ball.

An NFL roster allows for no more than 53 players on a team. At any one time, only 11 players per team are allowed on the field.

A player cannot remove his helmet on the field unless it is to adjust his equipment. This rule is dubbed the “Emmitt Smith rule” because Smith, who holds the record for most rushing touchdowns, was famous for ripping off his helmet to celebrate a touchdown.

Twelve new footballs, sealed in a special box and shipped by the manufacturer, will be opened in the officials’ locker room two hours prior to the starting time of the game. These balls are to be specially marked with the letter “K” and used exclusively for the kicking game.

Goalposts extend 10 feet (3 meters) high