135-779: Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Carolina Panthers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2003 season . The Patriots defeated the Panthers by a score of 32–29. The game was played at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas , on February 1, 2004. At
270-422: A gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following a touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage
405-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless
540-415: A $ 1,000 fine for trespassing. This game is noted for its unusual scoring pattern between the teams. Nearly 90 percent of the first half and all of the third quarter were scoreless. Twenty-four points were scored in the last three minutes of the first half, and a record 37 points were scored in the fourth quarter. Most of the first half was a defensive struggle, with neither team able to score until late in
675-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,
810-489: A 12-yard pass to wide receiver David Givens . Then after throwing an incompletion, Brady completed a 52-yard strike to Branch, who caught the ball at the Carolina 24-yard line in stride before being tackled at the 14-yard line by cornerback Ricky Manning . Three plays later, Givens caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady to give New England a 14–7 lead with only 18 seconds left in the half. New England decided to squib kick
945-421: A 14–2 record. NFL fans and sports writers widely consider this game one of the most well-played and thrilling Super Bowls; Sports Illustrated writer Peter King hailed it as the "Greatest Super Bowl of all time." Although neither team could score in the first and third quarters, making it the first Super Bowl with two scoreless quarters, they ended up with a combined total of 868 yards and 61 points. The game
1080-568: A 17–0 third quarter deficit in their first game of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars , gaining only one first down and 36 offensive yards, Fox immediately replaced Peete with Delhomme. Delhomme led Carolina to a 24–23 comeback victory over the Jaguars. Delhomme became the team's starting quarterback for the rest of the season, throwing for 3,219 yards and 19 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions. The team's main receiving threat
1215-535: A 2–2 start, the Patriots ended up winning their last 12 games to earn a league-best 14–2 record. Tom Brady , the Super Bowl XXXVI MVP , had become the team's permanent starter in 2002 after quarterback Drew Bledsoe left the team. Brady had a solid season in 2003, completing 317 out of 527 (60.2 percent) of his passes for 3,620 yards and 23 touchdowns, with only 12 interceptions. His primary weapon
1350-456: A 6–0 lead early in the second quarter, but Carolina took the lead after Muhammad's fumble recovery in the end zone. Both teams spent the rest of the second and the third quarter exchanging field goals before Brad Hoover's 7-yard rushing touchdown gave the Panthers a 23–12 fourth quarter lead. However, the Rams rallied back with a touchdown, a successful two-point conversion , and a field goal to send
1485-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along
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#17327732758641620-528: A common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of the 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained
1755-435: A famous play known as " 4th and 26 ". This was the third consecutive NFC Championship Game appearance for Philadelphia, and thus they were heavily favored to win. But Carolina's defense only allowed a field goal and held McNabb to just 10 of 22 completions for 100 yards. Ricky Manning also intercepted McNabb 3 times. Although Carolina's offense only scored 14 points, it was more than enough for the team to earn their first trip to
1890-598: A feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as
2025-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are
2160-513: A fumble recovery). The secondary was led by Reggie Howard (two interceptions), Mike Minter (three interceptions and two touchdowns), Deon Grant (three interceptions), and Ricky Manning Jr. (three interceptions and a touchdown). Despite their victory in Super Bowl XXXVI after the 2001 season , the Patriots stumbled early in 2002 , recorded a 9–7 record, and failed to make the playoffs. Then, New England seemed to implode before
2295-428: A game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed
2430-598: A game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of a player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits,
2565-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear
2700-502: A large, sun-shaped nipple shield, a piece of jewelry worn to accentuate the appearance of a nipple piercing ). CBS quickly cut to an aerial view of the stadium; however, the action was too late to be effective. Many people considered this indecent exposure , and numerous viewers contacted the network to complain, saying it was inappropriate in the context of a football game. This was the most rewatched moment in TiVo history. Just before
2835-564: A league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of the 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to
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#17327732758642970-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and
3105-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before
3240-519: A mixture of their hits. After Jackson's performance of her song " Rhythm Nation ", Justin Timberlake appeared, and he and Jackson sang a duet of Timberlake's song " Rock Your Body ". The performance featured many suggestive dance moves by both Timberlake and Jackson. As the song reached the final line, "I'm gonna have you naked by the end of this song," Timberlake pulled off a part of Jackson's costume, revealing her outer right breast (adorned with
3375-704: A national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on
3510-428: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If
3645-585: A pregame tribute by singer Josh Groban , performing " You Raise Me Up ". Also appearing on the field was the crew of STS-114 , the "Return to Flight" Space Shuttle mission that eventually launched Space Shuttle Discovery on July 26, 2005. Houston-native Beyoncé then sang the national anthem . Aerosmith performed Baby, Please Don't Go and Dream On as part of the pre-show ceremony. The coin toss ceremony featured former NFL players and Texas natives Earl Campbell , Ollie Matson , Don Maynard , Y. A. Tittle , Mike Singletary , Gene Upshaw . Tittle tossed
3780-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating
3915-487: A result of the NFL pushing back the 2001 playoffs by a week as a result of the September 11 attacks . This game set the record for most Roman numerals in a Super Bowl title (seven). This will not be matched until Super Bowl LXXVIII (78) after the 2043 NFL season and Super Bowl LXXXVII (87) after the 2052 season, and not surpassed until Super Bowl LXXXVIII (88) after the 2053 season. The Panthers made their first trip to
4050-414: A round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create
4185-422: A rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football a separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble
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4320-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with
4455-576: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . 2001 Carolina Panthers season Too Many Requests If you report this error to
4590-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by
4725-456: A standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for
4860-592: A touchdown, while also forcing three fumbles. Rookie safety Eugene Wilson recorded four interceptions. Overall, the secondary combined for 19 interceptions. Since the Panthers finished with the third best regular season record in the NFC, they had to win three playoff games to reach the Super Bowl. The St. Louis Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles had better regular season records at 12–4, and thus under
4995-449: A tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine
5130-688: Is also known for its controversial halftime show in which Janet Jackson 's breast, adorned with a nipple shield, was exposed by Justin Timberlake for about half a second, in what was later referred to as a " wardrobe malfunction ". Along with the rest of the halftime show, it led to an immediate crackdown by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and widespread debate on perceived indecency in broadcasting. NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXXVIII to Houston during their November 1, 2000, meeting held in Atlanta. This
5265-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or
5400-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as
5535-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over
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5670-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job
5805-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside
5940-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are
6075-607: The 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with the innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become
6210-455: The free agent market and the salary cap rules, the Panthers improved in 2002 , finishing with a 7–9 record. Then in 2003, they recorded an 11–5 record to win the NFC South . One of the free agents that Carolina signed before the 2003 season was quarterback Jake Delhomme . The Panthers signed him to be the backup to starting quarterback Rodney Peete . However, after the Panthers fell to
6345-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on
6480-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to
6615-471: The "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in
6750-520: The "Father of American Football", established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of
6885-715: The 2003 season ever started. Five days before their opening game against the Buffalo Bills , Pro Bowl safety Lawyer Milloy , one of the Patriots' defensive leaders, was unexpectedly cut by the team after refusing to restructure his contract. The move devastated many of the New England players, while Milloy immediately signed with the Bills two days later. With the Patriots seemingly in emotional disarray, Buffalo defeated New England, 31–0, with Milloy forcing an interception and recording one sack and five tackles. However, after
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#17327732758647020-434: The 31-yard line, but on third down, linebacker Will Witherspoon tackled Brown for a 10-yard loss on an end-around play, pushing the Patriots out of field goal range and forcing them to punt again. After the teams exchanged punts twice going into the second quarter, New England drove 57 yards to the Carolina 18-yard line with just over 6 minutes left in the half, but once again they failed to score as Carolina kept them out of
7155-542: The AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain the young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for
7290-728: The Cardinals went on to win it all. The Super Bowl would mark the third game (out of four) of the playoffs in which Carolina scored 29 points. Meanwhile, the Patriots first defeated the Tennessee Titans , 17–14, in one of the coldest games in NFL history, with temperatures reaching 4 °F (−15 °C). New England jumped to 14–7 lead in the first half with a touchdown pass by Brady and a touchdown run from Smith. However, Tennessee quarterback (and Co- NFL MVP ; shared with Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning ) Steve McNair 's 11-yard touchdown pass to receiver Derrick Mason tied
7425-475: The Colts, only allowing 14 points, intercepting 4 passes from Co-league MVP Manning (3 of them by Ty Law ), and forcing a safety. Although New England's offense only scored one touchdown, Vinatieri scored 5 field goals to make up the difference. The game was broadcast on television in the United States by CBS , with Greg Gumbel handling the play-by-play duties and color commentator Phil Simms in
7560-582: The FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by the commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to
7695-718: The NFL in passing yards and ranked third in total offensive yards. With quarterback Peyton Manning , wide receiver Marvin Harrison , and running back Edgerrin James , the Colts had scored 79 points in their 2 playoff victories against the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs , including a 38–31 victory over the Chiefs in the first punt -less game in NFL playoff history. However, New England's defense dominated
7830-537: The NFL with a 28.2 yards per return average on kickoffs, with a return touchdown, while also having for 209 receiving yards and two touchdowns. In the backfield, the team's rushing game was led by running backs Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk , who carried the ball equally. Smith was the team's leading rusher with 642 yards and touchdowns, while Faulk rushed for 638 yards and had 440 receiving yards. New England's defense
7965-713: The No. 4 seed, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV as the No. 5 seed. The Colts, Cardinals, and the Giants in 2011, like the Panthers, were division winners in those years (Although in the Colts case, they played the No. 4 seeded New England Patriots in the AFC Championship that year, ensuring at least the second division winner to play three rounds to make it to the Super Bowl.), and all but
8100-417: The Panthers' defense tightened up in the red zone. After Brady threw two incompletions and was flagged for a false start, kicker Adam Vinatieri attempted a 31-yard field goal, but he missed it wide right. After the next three possessions resulted in punts, New England again got the ball with great field position, receiving Todd Sauerbrun 's 40-yard punt at the Panthers' 49-yard line. The Patriots then drove to
8235-595: The Patriots had three outstanding linebackers: Pro Bowl linebacker Willie McGinest (5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one interception), Mike Vrabel (9.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions), and Tedy Bruschi (131 tackles, 2 sacks, one fumble recovery, three interceptions, and two touchdowns). Harrison became the veteran leader in the secondary, recording 92 tackles, three interceptions, and 3 sacks. Meanwhile, Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law recorded six interceptions, cornerback (and ex-Panthers player) Tyrone Poole had six interceptions and
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#17327732758648370-456: The Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap the ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on
8505-1080: The Super Bowl after playing three playoff games: the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL as the No. 6 seeded team, the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI as the No. 3 seed, the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII as the No. 5 seed, the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII as the No. 4 seed, the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV as the No. 6 seed, again the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI as
8640-403: The Super Bowl after posting a one-win regular season just two years earlier . The franchise was in its ninth year of existence, joining the league as an expansion team in 1995 . In 2001 , the Panthers suffered a franchise-worst 1–15 record. After that year, head coach George Seifert was relieved of his duties and replaced by John Fox . With Fox at the helm and the team taking advantage of
8775-405: The Super Bowl with a 14–3 win. The Panthers became the first No. 3 seed to advance to the Super Bowl since the league expanded to a 12-team playoff format in 1990. In doing so, they were also the first division winner to advance to the league championship after playing three playoff games. All other instances up to this point where teams advanced to the Super Bowl after playing all three rounds of
8910-586: The United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football, is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used
9045-468: The United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop
9180-455: The United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in
9315-554: The United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of the role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when
9450-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),
9585-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as
9720-478: The ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function
9855-467: The ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp ,
9990-409: The ball while being hit by linebacker Mike Vrabel , and defensive tackle Richard Seymour recovered the ball at the Carolina 20-yard line. By this point of the game, the Panthers had suffered a net loss of nine yards on 20 offensive snaps. Two plays later, New England faced 3rd-and-12, but Brady scrambled 12 yards to the 5-yard line for a first down, then completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Branch on
10125-427: The broadcast booth. Armen Keteyian and Bonnie Bernstein roamed the sidelines. Jim Nantz hosted all the events with help from his fellow cast members from The NFL Today : Dan Marino , Deion Sanders , and Boomer Esiason . This would be the final Super Bowl game Greg Gumbel would call; as before the 2004 season began, he and Nantz would switch roles; though by the time CBS next aired a Super Bowl ; James Brown
10260-529: The coin. The NFL logo was painted at midfield for the first time since Super Bowl XXX , and the Super Bowl XXXVIII logo was placed on the 25-yard lines. From Super Bowls XXXI through XXXVII , the Super Bowl logo was painted at midfield, and the helmets of the teams painted at the 30-yard lines. From Super Bowl VI through Super Bowl XXX , the NFL logo was painted on the 50-yard line, except for Super Bowls XXV and XXIX . The Super Bowl XXV logo
10395-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After
10530-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on
10665-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called
10800-414: The end zone and Vinatieri's 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by defensive tackle Shane Burton . Meanwhile, the Carolina offense was overwhelmed by the New England defense, with quarterback Jake Delhomme completing just one out of his first nine passes, being sacked three times and fumbling after the third sack. The fumble occurred three plays after Vinatieri's second missed field goal; Delhomme lost
10935-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run
11070-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of
11205-450: The ensuing kickoff to prevent a long return, but their plan backfired as Carolina tight end Kris Mangum picked up the ball at his own 35-yard line and returned it 12 yards to the 47. The Patriots expected a pass play from the Panthers, but instead running back Stephen Davis ran for 21 yards on the next play to set up kicker John Kasay 's 50-yard field goal as time expired in the half, cutting Carolina's deficit to 14–10. The third quarter
11340-561: The features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play
11475-468: The field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league; the NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in
11610-524: The field on their ensuing possession, driving 95 yards in eight plays, which featured two receptions by wide receiver Ricky Proehl for 28 yards and a 23-yard catch by wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad , and ended with a 39-yard touchdown completion from Delhomme to wide receiver Steve Smith with just 1:07 left in the half. The Patriots immediately countered with a 6-play, 78-yard scoring drive of their own. Starting from their own 22-yard line, Brady completed
11745-454: The field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance the ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play
11880-603: The first minute of the program and an audio outro about choices), the theme was not called out for the remainder of the show. After a brief appearance by Simpson, the show began with a joint performance by marching bands the Spirit of Houston , from the University of Houston , and the " Ocean of Soul " of Texas Southern University . Next, Janet Jackson made her first appearance, singing " All for You ". Then, P. Diddy , Nelly , and Kid Rock appeared respectively, and performed
12015-629: The formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included
12150-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul
12285-412: The game completely, which made it very interesting. The score changed the story of the game by sparking a scoring explosion, one that became one of the biggest offensive explosions in Super Bowl history, with both teams scoring a combined 37 points in the last 15 minutes, the most ever in a single quarter of a Super Bowl. American football American football , referred to simply as football in
12420-465: The game for the Patriots and Bill Rosinski and Eugene Robinson served that position for the Panthers. The game also aired in United Kingdom and Ireland on Channel 5 (British TV channel) and Sky Sports , Australia on public channel SBS , Japan on NHK BS1 , China on CCTV-5 , Austria on ORF 1 and Sweden on TV3 . In Mexico , the game was not carried as usual by either of
12555-409: The game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as the illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that
12690-529: The game in the third period. With 4:06 remaining in the game, Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri made a 46-yard field goal to take the lead. New England's defense later clinched a victory as they stopped the Titans from scoring on fourth down on their last drive of the game. New England then eliminated the Indianapolis Colts , 24–14, in the AFC Championship Game . The Colts entered the game leading
12825-596: The game into overtime. Both teams missed field goals in the first overtime period, but Delhomme threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Smith on the first play of the second overtime period to win the game. The Panthers then went on the road again to eliminate the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game , 14–3. Philadelphia was coming off of a 20–17 overtime win over the Green Bay Packers , that included quarterback Donovan McNabb 's 28-yard pass to Freddie Mitchell on
12960-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of
13095-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of
13230-584: The major free-to-air national television networks, making it a cable-exclusive event for the first and to date only time ever. Both teams passed on the opportunity for their starters to be introduced individually before the game, a move perpetuated by the Patriots in Super Bowl disaster , in Houston, the same city as the Johnson Space Center . Thus, the lost crew of the Columbia was honored in
13365-506: The most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced the conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in
13500-435: The next play. The play was a play-action fake to running back Antowain Smith . Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan bit on the route, causing the touchdown. Branch's touchdown came after 26:55 had elapsed in the game, setting the record for the longest amount of time a Super Bowl remained scoreless. The play also suddenly set off a scoring explosion from both teams in the closing minutes of the first half. The Panthers stormed down
13635-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score
13770-410: The offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance the ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking
13905-429: The offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except the center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until
14040-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and
14175-492: The playoff format, each would have to win two playoff games to reach the league championship game. Against Carolina's first opponent, the Dallas Cowboys , Delhomme threw for 273 yards and a touchdown, Davis recorded 104 rushing yards and a touchdown, and kicker John Kasay made 5 field goals, en route to a thorough 29–10 victory. The Panthers then eliminated the Rams on the road, 29–23 in double overtime. St. Louis built
14310-617: The playoffs were wild card teams in Super Bowls XV , XX , XXVII , XXXII , XXXIV , and XXXV . Prior to Super Bowl XVII , the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins both won three playoff games to reach the Super Bowl, but that came during the strike-shortened 1982 season when the regular season was reduced to nine games and the playoffs were expanded to 16 teams, with no teams receiving first-round byes. Since then, there have been seven instances of teams advancing to
14445-451: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this
14580-422: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as
14715-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it
14850-439: The reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams, the neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912,
14985-542: The rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as
15120-457: The second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of a round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton,
15255-428: The second quarter, despite several early scoring opportunities. After Carolina was forced to punt on their opening drive, Patriots wide receiver Troy Brown gave his team great field position with a 28-yard return to the Carolina 47-yard line. The Patriots subsequently marched to the 13-yard line, aided by quarterback Tom Brady 's completions to wide receiver Deion Branch and Brown for 16 and 12 yards, respectively, but
15390-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit
15525-411: The snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform the rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands
15660-531: The sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in the NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game, the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in
15795-402: The start of the second half, a British streaker , Mark Roberts , ran onto the field disguised as a referee, undressed, and performed a dance wearing only a thong . He was tackled to the ground by Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham and arrested. It is customary for American television to avoid broadcasting such events, but it was later shown on Late Show with David Letterman . Roberts received
15930-499: The time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from the college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following
16065-511: The time, this was the most watched Super Bowl ever with 89.8 million viewers. The Panthers were making their first ever Super Bowl appearance after posting an 11–5 regular season record. They also made it the second straight year that a team from the NFC South division made the Super Bowl , with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning Super Bowl XXXVII . The Patriots, led by head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady , were seeking their second Super Bowl title in three years after posting
16200-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of
16335-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when
16470-402: The world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but the sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in the rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in
16605-451: Was brought in as host of The NFL Today while Gumbel had moved to a secondary play-by-play role. For its Super Bowl lead-out program , CBS aired the season premiere for Survivor: All-Stars . Westwood One carried the game nationwide over terrestrial radio with Marv Albert on play-by-play and Boomer Esiason on color commentary, with Jim Gray hosting the pregame and halftime shows. Locally, Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti called
16740-520: Was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish the game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in
16875-535: Was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922, the NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at
17010-526: Was painted at midfield and the NFL logo was painted at each 35-yard line. In Super Bowl XXIX , the NFL 75th Anniversary logo was painted at midfield with the Super Bowl logo at each 30-yard line. As the designated home team in the annual rotation between AFC and NFC teams, the Patriots elected to wear their home navy uniforms with silver pants, while the Panthers wore their road white uniforms with white pants. The most controversial and widely discussed moment of Super Bowl XXXVIII came during halftime. The show
17145-588: Was played at the Alamodome in San Antonio and the MLB All-Star Game was also played in Houston at nearby Minute Maid Park . Super Bowl XXXVIII was the first Super Bowl to be scheduled on the first Sunday of February; Every subsequent Super Bowl through Super Bowl LV would follow this format. Super Bowl XXXVI had previously been held on the first Sunday of February as well, but that came as
17280-399: Was produced by Viacom 's MTV and CBS Sports , and was sponsored by America Online 's TopSpeed software for dial-up Internet service. The show was themed supposedly around MTV's Choose or Lose vote campaign; however, beyond some flag imagery, Jessica Simpson 's declaration that Houston should "Choose to Party!" and a vague call to action for younger persons to vote (in a celebrity montage
17415-604: Was retooled before the 2003 season when the team signed veteran safety Rodney Harrison as a free agent and traded for nose tackle Ted Washington . With these additions, the Patriots led the league in fewest passing yards allowed per attempt (5.64), fewest passing touchdowns allowed (11), and most interceptions (29). They also ranked fourth in fewest rushing yards allowed (1,434) and seventh in fewest total yards (4,919). Washington helped anchor New England's defensive line, recording 32 tackles and 2 sacks. Pro Bowl defensive end Richard Seymour also contributed with 8 sacks. Behind them,
17550-404: Was scoreless as each team exchanged punts twice. However, with 3:57 left in the period, the Patriots put together a 71-yard, 8-play scoring drive, featuring tight end Daniel Graham 's 33-yard reception to advance to the Carolina 9-yard line. Antowain Smith then capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run on the second play on the fourth quarter to increase their lead, 21–10. This play changed
17685-422: Was scoreless for a Super Bowl record 26:55 before the two teams combined for 24 points prior to halftime. The clubs then combined for a Super Bowl record 37 points in the fourth quarter. The contest was finally decided when the Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri 's 41-yard field goal was made with four seconds left. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time in his career. The game
17820-540: Was second year wide receiver Deion Branch , who had for 803 receiving yards. Another key contributor was wide receiver David Givens , who filled in for the injured starter David Patten . Givens recorded 510 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Other weapons in the passing game included veteran wide receiver Troy Brown , who had 472 receiving yards, four touchdowns, and 293 yards returning punts, and tight end Daniel Graham with 409 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. Rookie receiver Bethel Johnson returned ranked second in
17955-473: Was the first Super Bowl to be played in a stadium with a retractable roof, but it was eventually closed during the game. It also marked the first time in 4 tries that the Patriots played a Super Bowl that was not in New Orleans. This game marked a six-month stretch for Texas hosting the Super Bowl, NCAA men's Division I basketball Final Four and Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game . The Final Four
18090-402: Was the team's leading rusher with a franchise record 1,444 yards and eight touchdowns, while Foster rushed for 429 yards and had 207 receiving yards. On defense, Carolina's main strength was its defensive line, anchored by defensive ends Julius Peppers (7 sacks and three forced fumbles) and Mike Rucker (12 sacks and an interception), and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (5 sacks and
18225-463: Was third-year wide receiver Steve Smith , who also specialized as a kickoff and punt returner. Smith had 1,110 yards and seven touchdowns, rushed for 42 yards, gained 439 yards and another touchdown returning punts. Wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad was also a constant breakaway threat, recording 837 yards and three touchdowns. However, the Panthers' strength on offense was their running game, led by running backs Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster . Davis
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