Okay, so the other day I was watching a football game with my buddy, and we got into this whole debate about how many guys are actually on an NFL team. I mean, you see all those players on the sidelines, but it’s gotta be more than just the ones on the field, right? So, I decided to do some digging and figure it out for myself.
Figuring Out the Roster Size
First, I hit up the official NFL website. I figured that would be the most reliable source, you know? I started poking around, looking for anything about roster rules and regulations.
It took a bit of scrolling and clicking, but I eventually found what I was looking for. Turns out, there are a few different parts to an NFL roster.
- Active Roster: This is the main group. During the regular season, teams can have a maximum of 53 players on their active roster. These are the guys eligible to play in the games.
- Practice Squad: Then there’s the practice squad. This is like a reserve group of players who practice with the team but don’t usually play in the games. Teams can have up to 16 players on their practice squad.
- Reserve Lists: there are also a few different “reserve” lists. Like, there’s the “Reserve/Injured” list for players who are hurt, and other lists like “Reserve/Suspended”.
I added it all up in my head. fifty-three on the active roster, and sixteen on the practice squad is about 70.
So, putting it all together, It is almost 70. Not counting those guys on the reserve lists, but even without those, it’s way more than I initially thought!
