Total Pro Sports
If you’ve ever settled in to watch an NFL game, you know it rarely sticks to just an hour. With all the timeouts, reviews, and commercials, what should be a 60-minute contest turns into a much longer event. Whether you’re planning your day around kickoff or just waiting to reclaim the remote, knowing exactly how long a football game lasts can help.
Let’s break it down.
An NFL game officially consists of four 15-minute quarters, totaling 60 minutes. However, with timeouts, reviews, commercials, and halftime, the actual duration is much longer. The average NFL game lasts about three hours and 12 minutes.
College football games (NCAA) are slightly longer, averaging three hours and 24 minutes. The extra time comes from longer halftimes and additional stoppages.
The average American football game contains just 18 minutes of actual gameplay. #SuperBowlLIV pic.twitter.com/ZmIThOQdQd
— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia) February 2, 2020
The Super Bowl is the biggest football event of the year, and it runs longer than a regular game. Over the last 20 years, the average Super Bowl broadcast has lasted around three and a half hours. The extended halftime show and increased commercial breaks contribute to the additional runtime.
Halftime length varies between the NFL and the NCAA. In an NFL game, halftime lasts 12 minutes. Meanwhile, college football halftimes are 20 minutes long, partly explaining why NCAA games last longer than NFL games.
The Super Bowl halftime is a different story. With star-studded performances and elaborate stage setups, it typically lasts between 20 to 30 minutes- significantly longer than a regular-season game.
Also Read: 10 Best Regular Season Single Game QB Performances In NFL History
Despite lasting over three hours, an NFL game features just 15 to 20 minutes of actual live action. The average game includes about 18 minutes of gameplay spread across more than 100 plays.
According to the Wall Street Journal, this number has increased compared to the 11 minutes of live action recorded in 2010. The extended time comes from the NFL’s rules, stoppages, play clock, and strategic elements of the game.
Football has the least amount of active play time compared to other major sports. Baseball comes closest, with just over 20 minutes of action. In contrast, the NBA, NHL, and English Premier League all have over 45 minutes of live action per game.
The longest game in NFL History was the #Titans @ #Dolphins which lasted 7 hours and 8 minutes pic.twitter.com/80HAxSwQf0
— Andrew Prue (@AndrewJAPrue) December 27, 2021
However, football is unique. Much of the strategy happens before the snap- teams study formations, adjust their play calls, and prepare for the next move. This pre-snap chess match is just as important as the action after the ball is snapped.
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