Football

'Borland Effect' A Fumble For Football? Deford Says It Will Pass

8:18am March 25, 2015

by Frank Deford

San Francisco 49ers player Chris Borland is retiring from the NFL after a single season to avoid potential brain injuries. Some see this as the beginning of the end of football's popularity.

Queue Listen Now

Philadelphia Eagles Chuck Bednarik (60) is victorious in an iconic 1960 photograph after making a sack vs. New York Giants Frank Gifford (16). Bednarik died on Saturday. He was 89.

Sports

Chuck Bednarik, Philly's 'Concrete' Player, Dies At 89

3:37pm March 21, 2015

by Nathan Rott

The pro football Hall of Famer was known for his toughness and was one of the sport's last two-way players. In his 14-year career with the Eagles, he only missed three games.

The Slants is an Asian-American rock band that is battling the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office over denied applications to trademark its name.

Could The Battle Over 'Redskins' Change Trademark Law?

2:26pm February 18, 2015

by Kenya Downs

Advocates hope that the Department of Justice's involvement in a lawsuit is a crucial step in ending trademark protection for the Washington football team's name.

Football rules, uniforms, helmets and protective gear have changed a lot over the years.

Why Do We Love Football So Much? Theater Tackles Tough Questions

9:24am February 02, 2015

by April Dembosky

A play based on interviews with former NFL players, their families and fans digs deep: What's so fun about a sport that devastates bodies and brains? And what if it can't be made safer?

Queue Listen Now

Malcolm Butler (right) of the New England Patriots intercepts a pass intended for Ricardo Lockette of the Seattle Seahawks late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday.

WATCH: The Interception That Won The Super Bowl

8:41am February 02, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

The play came from New England cornerback Malcolm Butler, who intercepted a Russell Wilson pass at the goal line with 20 seconds left. The result: Patriots over Seahawks, 28-24.

Bill Parcells has been coach to the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants, the New England Patriots and the New York Jets.

Should Ray Rice Get A Second Chance? 'Maybe,' Parcells Says

10:54am January 30, 2015

by NPR Staff

In part two of David Greene's conversation with Bill Parcells, the football coach talks about how he dealt with players' drug use and about redemption for the former Baltimore Ravens running back.

Queue Listen Now

Sports

The Tennis Court Offers A Good Lesson For The NFL

1:06pm January 28, 2015

by Frank Deford

As Deflategate and other embarrassing incidents continue to hit the NFL, commentator Frank Deford says a selfless act by a little-known tennis player could teach the league something about fairness.

Queue Listen Now

High school athlete Graham Hill, number 50, suffered a concussion in 2013 while playing football at Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, Texas.

High Schools Seek A Safer Path Back From Concussion

10:53am January 26, 2015

by Lauren Silverman

Returning immediately to demanding physical or mental activities after a concussion can be bad for the brain, neuroscientists agree. But what about after symptoms resolve? How much rest is best?

Queue Listen Now

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks during an NFL football news conference at Gillette Stadium, on Saturday in Foxborough, Mass. Belichick defended the team against allegations they had cheated by using underinflated footballs in a champ

Patriots' Coach: Team 'Followed Rules' On Inflation Of Footballs

5:24pm January 24, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Bill Belichick says that after an exhaustive investigation he determined that temperature differences between the locker room and the field inadvertently caused the discrepancies.

Panelist Nahshon Ellerbe, a star running back at Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, Texas, warms up before a game against Midland Christian.

Sports

What Would You Change About Football?

1:29pm January 22, 2015

by NPR Staff

Football is the most watched sport in America — and increasingly, one of the most controversial. If you were the NFL commissioner, what one thing about the sport would you change?