NFL games can be extremely entertaining, but their length sometimes can be a problem. It is very common to see football games last as long as three to four hours especially knowing all the timeouts that they have, some that don't even belong to teams to call.
If you ever attend an NFL game, you should know that you could spend an entire day at an NFL stadium with all the shows before, during and even after the game. Some fans arrive up three hours before kick-off time to tailgate and drink some cold beer before cheering their team on.
Still, with all the timeouts, stoppages, clock stoppages, and tv timeouts, some fans still don’t really know how long a Football game is really supposed to last. We are here to finally shed some light on just how long is a football game.
How long is a NFL game?
NFL games are broken down into four 15 minute quarters. In reality, a football game is supposed to last only 60 minutes. The first half of a game, which consists of two quarters is 30 minutes long. Half-time for football games last about 12 minutes before the two teams return to the field and play two more quarters.
If overtime is needed, then an additional 10 minutes is given and it is sudden death, meaning the first team to score wins the game. The game clock is stopped at various points in a football game, the stoppages occur for: an incomplete pass, a player runs out of bounds, an injury, or a timeout.
With all the stoppages some quarters can generally last about 40 minutes, and an NFL game on average lasts about 3 hours. So there is a perception of how long it should last and how long the game really lasts.
The NFL has mastered the art of entertaining the public and fans aren't mad at it. They are always up for a big show and the league and its teams always deliver. If you are in a rush, an NFL game is not the best activity for you. But if you want to spend a very good day watching your favorite teams, then attending an NFL match is the best plan for you.
