If you have played football for fun or in any sort of competitive environment, you are likely used to seeing a light brown football.
However, when you turn on an NFL game, you will notice that the official NFL game ball is much darker than a typical football.
So, why is NFL football darker?
NFL footballs go through a long breaking-in process to break in prior to game use and that process darkens the leather giving it a much darker appearance than they are when the game balls are brand new.
Here is a video that walks through the process equipment managers go through to get NFL footballs ready for gameday:
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Process of breaking in a new NFL football
As you can see from the video, the equipment manager goes through a step-by-step breaking in process with new balls that include:
Using the ball brush
The ball brush has long and short bristles that help smooth out the leather grain on the ball to help improve the grip of the football.
New leather sometimes has a slick feel to it and the ball brush helps flatten the leather grain slightly which results in a slightly darker color.
Shaving Cream
While every equipment manager likely has their own process, the Chargers manager uses shaving cream and the ball is rubbed vigorously as a conditioner for the leather and makes note that it helps remove some of the red dye from the leather.
This also contributes to the NFL official game ball looking darker than it typically would out of the box.
Applying Mud
“Mud” is another commonly used substance that has been applied to baseballs and football game balls for over 75 years.
Rubbing mud leaves game balls with a nice dark brown color and if you notice a football that looks much darker than normal it was likely broken in with Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud.
After applying mud, the ball is rubbed vigorously and wiped down with a wet towel which in turn leaves the ball’s outer surface in a much darker substance.
Aging the ball
NFL balls used to be used brand new out of the box until the NFL started allowing teams to break them in starting in 1995.
Brand-new balls are very slick and difficult for Quarterbacks to grip so the steps above basically are taking a brand-new ball and putting it through the ringer as if had been used for months of in-game action.
Horween Leather
Arnold Horween was a former professional football player and coach of the Harvard football team and developed the proprietary print that is made possible by embossing the leather.
Horween Leather is a very special leather manufacturer and here are some of the main reasons why it is perfect for NFL Football:
Horween Leather Quality
Horween leather is full-grain leather and is manufactured in the USA. The leather is hand selected and carefully crafted to ensure only the best quality grain is used.
Tight Grain. You can read more about some additional reasons why Horween leather is so unique in this article.
Different brands that produce some college and high school footballs have lighter shades to their leather which is why the dark NFL football leather stands out during the game.
How are NFL footballs made?
Nicknames for footballs
NFL footballs have different nicknames that you will hear broadcasters and fans describe as from time to time. The most popular is the “Pigskin”, the “rock” and “the Duke”
Pigskin
Despite NFL footballs being made from Cowhide, the original source of footballs were pig bladders and the nickname “Pigskin” has stuck around for over 100 years.
It’s pretty hard to believe this nickname is still commonly used despite the fact that the NFL balls have been made of cowhide from Horween leather for over 60 years. If you watch a full Sunday slate of NFL games, you are sure to hear an NFL football referred to as a “Pigskin” multiple times throughout the day.
The Rock
“The Rock” is another description of a football player running with the football that has gained in popularity over the last couple of decades. As a result, players and fans will use “The Rock” in a variety of ways when describing football plays.
A running back carrying the football is often described as “toting the rock” or wide receivers will request the Quarterback to “Pass me the Rock!” when they want additional passes thrown their way.
The Duke
If you get a close-up of an NFL football, you will see the phrase “The Duke” stamped into every ball. “The Duke” is a reference to the nickname for Wellington Mara, who was the owner of the Giants and had a significant impact during his 69 years of being associated with the NFL and is in the NFL Hall of Fame.
Are NFL Footballs rubbed down?
Yes, NFL footballs are rubbed down prior to NFL game action to help eliminate the slickness for NFL players that they would get from newer balls.
The process varies from team to team, but most of the time it involves using a dark brush, shaving cream, or wax, then polishing, brushing again, and then wiping down with a wet towel
For each game, teams have around 12-20 balls that have gone through an extensive process so that they are ready for NFL game action.
Here is a great article that highlights that the Giants would put in months of preparation to get Eli Manning’s footballs ready when he was the quarterback.
What air pressure are NFL footballs?
NFL footballs are required to be between 12.5-13.5 psi. If you have ever held an NFL football, they are fairly difficult to grip unless you have large hands. Hand size for quarterbacks is measured at the NFL Combine every year and is a significant indicator that scouts look at.
Having lower air pressure in an NFL football makes it easier for NFL players to grip and there was a big controversy several years ago called the Deflategate scandal that involved accusations that the Patriot’s equipment managers were intentionally lowering the air pressure in the footballs for a competitive advantage for Tom Brady.
Difference between NFL vs college football?
On average a college football is about 1-¼ inches smaller than a typical NFL football. The length of the balls is the same, but a college football is easier to grip because of the smaller circumference. This is one of the reasons hand size is evaluated by professional football scouts.
|
Circumference |
Length |
|
|
NFL Football |
21 |
21 1/4 |
|
College Football |
20 3/4 |
21 1/4 |
Summary
The Darkness of an NFL football is mostly from the preparation the equipment team puts into getting all the balls ready prior to game action.
As the NFL has grown in popularity, the league realizes how important offense is to entertainment value which is why they will allow teams to break in balls prior to game day.
If Quarterbacks were forced to play with balls right out of the box, we would see lower-scoring games, and more fumbles and interceptions throughout the course of the game. This would result in a more boring product for the average fan.
Higher-scoring games bring in more fans, and having a broken-in NFL football is one of the major contributing factors to facilitating a ton of points. So, the next time you notice a dark NFL football, realize there was someone behind the scenes who put in a ton of work to break in the new ball and leave a positive “mark” on the game!