Ball (gridiron football) facts for kids

A football is the special ball used to play gridiron football in Canada and the United States. It's often called a "pigskin," even though it's usually made from cow leather! The ball has a unique shape, like a stretched-out sphere, which helps players throw and catch it.

Professional and college football games use balls made from cow leather. But for fun or in youth leagues, you might find footballs made from rubber or plastic.

What Makes a Football Special?

A leather football used in a 1932 college football game

Early American footballs were like rugby balls. They were later changed to be easier to throw. This 1907 photo shows Bradbury Robinson throwing the first legal forward pass.

A football has a special shape called a "prolate spheroid." This just means it's like a sphere (a round ball) that has been stretched out. This shape is perfect for throwing spirals!

Most footballs are a natural brown color. This is usually required for professional and college games. Some footballs are even made with leather that helps players get a better grip, even when it's wet.

Long ago, white footballs were sometimes used for night games so players could see them better. But now, with good stadium lights, they aren't needed. In many leagues (but not the NFL), footballs have white stripes on each end. These stripes help players see the ball at night and also show if it's a college or pro football.

The old melon-shaped ball (left, an 1892 ball) was much rounder. The modern ball (right) is much more stretched out.

The leather on a football usually has a bumpy texture. This "pebble-grain" helps players hold onto the ball. You might also see the manufacturer's name, league logos, or player signatures stamped on the ball.

How Footballs Are Made

Each football is made from four pieces of leather or plastic. These pieces go through checks to make sure they are the right weight and have no flaws.

Two of the panels have holes along their edges so they can be laced together. One of these panels also has a special hole for the air valve. Each panel is attached to an inner lining.

The four panels are then sewn together inside-out. The edges with the lacing holes are left open. Then, the ball is turned right-side out by pushing the panels through the lacing hole.

Next, a rubber or plastic lining called a bladder is put inside through the lacing hole. Finally, laces are put through the holes. These laces help players grip the ball when they hike it, hold it, or throw it.

Before a game, footballs are filled with air. In the NFL, they must be inflated to a certain air pressure, between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch. A football weighs about 14 to 15 ounces.

Different Kinds of Footballs

A typical modern American football used in the NFL.

While most footballs look similar, some leagues use slightly different designs:

• The CFL uses a ball with stripes that go all the way around.
• The 2001 XFL used a black ball with red curved lines instead of stripes.
• The 2020 XFL uses a standard brown ball but with "X" markings on each end.
• Some indoor football leagues have used balls with red, white, and blue panels.
• The World Football League once used a bright orange football, which was easier to see during night games.

Footballs in Pro Games

In an NFL game, the home team must have many footballs ready. For outdoor games, they need 36 balls, and for indoor games, 24. All these balls are checked by the referee before the game.

Twelve brand-new footballs, called "K-balls," are opened just for the kicking game. These balls are specially marked with the letter "K." The NFL started using K-balls to make sure teams weren't changing the balls to make them fly higher or farther.

Since 1941, a company called Horween Leather Company has provided all the leather for NFL footballs. Even though footballs are often called "pigskins," they are actually made from cow leather!

Fun Foam Footballs

You might have seen foam footballs, like those made by Nerf. These are often made of polyurethane foam. One popular type is the "Vortex football," which has a smaller body and fins at the end, like a torpedo.

Foam footballs, especially the Vortex, can be thrown much farther than regular air-filled footballs. However, they are very hard to kick for long distances.

Images for kids

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  Richard Lindon with two rugby union balls in 1880

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  A white football signed by the members of the 1935 Collegiate All-Star Team, including future president Gerald Ford