In honor of yesterday’s East Coast earthquake,* I did some brief research on earthquakes during football games.I didn’t find any naturally-occurring ones (if anyone knows of any, I’d love to hear about it), but I found two games where the crowd, the “12th man,” caused a tremor during a football game:
Auburn at LSU, October 8, 1988:Before a nationally televised audience, LSU scored what would be the winning touchdown with less than two minutes remaining in the game.The crowd’s eruption was so incredible that it registered as an earthquake on the seismograph at LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex.
New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks, January 8, 2011:In a playoff game victory, Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch broke a 67-yard run to score the winning touchdown.The crowd goes wild!At almost the exact moment, at 4:43 pm, an old seismic monitoring system near Seattle’s Qwest Field recorded a small tremor.
Of course, the most famous sports-related earthquake happened over 20 years ago during the 1989 World Series.As the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants were getting ready to play Game 3 at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, a 6.9 earthquake rocked the stadium and the entire area.It was a major earthquake causing life loss throughout the city, but no one in the stadium was killed.
*We live in Northern Virginia, and it was such a nice, low-humidity day yesterday that I decided my son and I would go into Washington, DC to see some of the monuments. We had a pleasant trip and left the city less than an hour before the earthquake hit. We met a nice family from Minnesota and took their picture for them.I told them how lucky they had been with the weather here this week.I wonder if they are cursing me now for jinxing them…
Today’s lesson explains timeouts and strategies for using them, and the coach’s challenges.You may have already seen the challenges in action during the preseason, and there are some changes to replay procedures that may affect how often you see challenges from here on out.
TIMEOUTS
Each team is given three timeouts during each half of the game (i.e., three to be used during the first two quarters and two for the second two quarters).You either “use it or lose it”; if you only use one timeout during the first half of the game, you still only get three to use in the second half, not five.As a rule, coaches would rather save their timeouts for the end of a half, especially toward the end of the game.They would rather not have to use a timeout at the beginning of the game because, for example, the players are confused and aren’t sure what the play is going to be.It’s embarrassing, and they’ll probably wish they had that timeout back as they approach halftime.
Why call a time out?Glad you asked.There are lots of reasons.Here a few--some that are obvious and some that are more interesting:
1.Avoiding a delay of game penalty:The offense has only 40 seconds after a play is over to snap the ball for the next play.These 40 seconds are counted down on the play clock, which is separate from the game clock.If the play clock runs out (or “expires”) before the next play starts, the offense is penalized with a delay of game penalty and loses five yards.Most of the time teams get the next play started without a problem.However, things can go wrong (the wrong players are on the field, there are too many players on the field, the quarterback can’t hear the signals from the coach, etc.) and the offense has to call a timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty.
2.Preserving time:A team that is behind in the score close to halftime or the end of the game will call a timeout to stop the game clock.If that team is on offense, stopping the game clock gives the team more plays to run, and opportunities to score.If the team is on defense, stopping the game clock forces the team that is in the lead to make plays instead of trying to “run out the clock” by taking their sweet time between plays.This way, if the offense fails to make a first down, the team that’s behind will get the ball back and have a chance to score.
3.To avoid a procedural penalty:There are other penalties beside the delay of game penalty that can be called on either the offense or defense before the next play starts.These generally fall under the category of “procedural” penalties.Examples include illegal substitutions, or offside, where a defensive player may still be on the offense’s side of the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped.If a coach or player sees that his team might be about to incur such a penalty, he will call a timeout.
4.To ice the kicker:You’ll see this happen a lot, and it is often the subject of debate as to its ethical status.Say a team is behind by two or three points at the end of the game.There is one second left in the game and that team has brought out its place kicker to attempt a field goal to win, or tie the score.Even if that team has called a timeout before sending its kicker onto the field, the opposing coach can call a timeout a split second before the ball is snapped to the kicker. This is called "icing" the kicker, and is an attempt to psych out the kicker' The coach calling the timeout will actually place himself right next to the official on his sideline so he can call the timeout into the guy’s ear at the exact right moment.By the time that official has blown his whistle to stop the play, the kicker has probably already kicked the ball.Of course, it won’t matter if the kick was good. This tactic is seldom effective, though, and the kicker usually makes the field goal on the next play. Unless, of course, it's a very long field goal attempt, like this instance where icing was successful:
COACH’S CHALLENGES
Each coach is given two challenges to use during the game when he believes that the officials on the field made the wrong ruling about a play.The error could concern several things, including:whether a touchdown was made; whether a player stepped out of bounds; or whether a fumble occurred.
When a coach thinks the officials got it wrong, he throws a red flag onto the field where the referee will see it.The referee (who, as you know from a previous post, is the head official) will then come over to the coach, who will explain what, exactly, he is challenging.The coach needs to be clear about what his challenge is because the referee must confine his review of the play to that issue.
Once the referee hears the coach’s complaint and determines that the challenge can be considered, he will then step over to a covered video monitor where he will watch replays of the play in question.Note I said that the referee has to determine that the challenge can be considered.A coach cannot challenge certain rulings, such as a penalty or an instance when a penalty was not called but maybe should have been.
If the referee confirms the ruling, the team that raised the challenge will lose one of its timeouts.Therefore, a team must still have at least one timeout remaining for the coach to make a challenge. The coach also needs to decide whether it is worth the risk of losing a timeout.If the ruling is reversed, however, the team does not lose a timeout.If a coach uses both of his allotted challenges, and is correct on both, he will earn a third challenge for that game.
And so we come across another reason for calling a timeout.A team might call a timeout to buy time to decide whether it should challenge the last play.Most teams now have an assistant in their booth in the press box who will look at the replays and determine whether the coach should challenge.A timeout gives them time to make this decision.
Coaches may not use their challenges in the last two minutes of the second and fourth quarters.Instead, officials in the press box will review a close play before the next play starts and page the referee to let him know that he needs to review that play.Thus, another reason to call a timeout; a coach may want to give those officials time to see the replays.
2011 CHANGE TO REVIEWS
The NFL has changed its procedure for reviews.Starting this season, every touchdown is being reviewed by the off-field replay officials.Once they review a touchdown, they send a page to the referee to tell him that the score is confirmed or that the referee must review it.
Two thoughts on this change.First, this is too conservative.In my opinion, the League is moving too far in taking the human element out of the officiating.Most judgments made by the field officials are based on events that take place in mere seconds, and often only fractions of a second.That there may be mistakes in the course of a game is a fact of life and teams must be able to overcome this element of chance to be real contenders.
Second, this will impact how coaches decide to use their challenges.For example, I would expect we'll see a dramatic decrease in the number of challenges used over touchdowns.If a coach knows that a touchdown is already getting a second look, he is more likely to save his challenges for other situations.Also, most coaches will probably accept the call from the reviewing officials once they send their message to the referee.To me, this takes a considerable amount of the drama out of the game, which isn’t really a good thing.
But that’s just my humble opinion.We’ll have to see how it goes, but with this and other rules changes this year (see the post on kickoffs), I’m already missing the old days.
Your education of NFL history continues today with a discussion of the NFL’s top team dynasties.Generally speaking, any sports dynasty is one that dominates its sport and wins multiple championships in either consecutive years or in a short span of time.Though this seems like a fairly simple formula, what can be considered a dynasty may be the subject of debate among experts and fans.For example, people might say that a team was dominant only because of one star player that carried the team.Or, a team might be considered a dynasty even though it never won a championship (one of these will be discussed below).As with my post on great QBs in history, I don’t claim to be the final judge on the status of these teams as “dynasties.”However, there is not much debate on most of these teams, and you should be able to recognize them if the subject arises.
NFL DYNASTIES THROUGH HISTORY (by decade)
1.1940s Chicago Bears(champions in 1940, 1941, 1943 and 1946):Under coach George Halas, the Bears dominated the ‘40s while also helping to develop passing in football.In the 1940 championship, the Bears walloped the Washington Redskins 73-0.
2.1950s Cleveland Browns (champs in 1950, 1954 and 1955):Coached by Paul Brown, the Browns didn’t join the NFL until 1950 (until then they were in the now-defunct All-America Football Conference), so this doesn’t count the championships they earned before that season.
3.1960s Green Bay Packers (champs in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966 and 1967):The Packers of the ‘60s benefitted from a stash of superb talent, such as QB Bart Starr, and a coach who is widely regarded as the greatest ever: Vince Lombardi.He is known for his vast wealth of football knowledge and wisdom which he combined with his tell-it-like-it-is, no-holds-barred rhetoric.You can’t go into a sports memorabilia store or flip through a motivational products catalog without seeing a bevy of posters and coffee mugs with his quotations on them.
4.1970s Miami Dolphins (champs in 1972): OK, so the Dolphins only won one championship in the ‘70s.However, they must be mentioned because they had three straight Super Bowl appearances (’71, ’72 and ’73).More importantly, though, the ’72 championship capped off the NFL’s only perfect season, a feat that has not been repeated since, though the New England Patriots came very close in 2007, losing only in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants.A core group of ’72 Dolphins players famously drink a champagne toast each season when the last undefeated team in the League suffers its first loss.
5.1970s Pittsburgh Steelers (champs in 1974, 1975, 1978 and 1979):The Steelers might also be able to tout itself as the team with the greatest concentration of personalities to play football.Just to name a few, the Steelers were led on offense by Hall of Famers QB Terry Bradshaw and wide receiver Lynn Swann.On defense, the Steelers fielded the punishing “Steel Curtain” anchored by the legendary Hall of Famer “Mean” Joe Greene.Greene, you may recall, is the football player featured in the iconic Coca-Cola commercial in which he was handed a Coke by a young fan who received Greene’s jersey in return (“Hey, kid. Catch!”).
6.1980s San Francisco 49ers (champs in 1981, 1984, 1988 and 1989):Coach Bill Walsh dominated the League during the ‘80s with the support of Hall of Famers QB Joe Montana (architect of “The Catch”) and Wide Receiver Jerry Rice.
7.1990s Buffalo Bills (no championships in the 1990s):This is one of those debatable additions to the list.The Bills didn’t win a championship in that decade, but under coach Marv Levy, they appeared in four straight Super Bowls in the early ‘90s (1990-93), the only team to have ever done so.
8.1990s Dallas Cowboys (champs in 1992, 1993 and 1995):Built, in part, by trading away college great RB Herschel Walker, the Cowboys built an unstoppable force in the ‘90s led by Hall of Famers QB Troy Aikman and running back Emmitt Smith.
9.2000s New England Patriots (champs in 2001, 2003 and 2004):Coached by Bill Belichick, widely regarded as the greatest coach currently in the League, the Patriots have built a dynasty around future Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady.The supporting cast on offense and defense has changed considerably from year-to-year, but this coach-QB combination makes the Pats hard to beat every season.
Well, there you have it.The greatest NFL dynasties in history.Now go forth and impress your friends with your knowledge!
Today’s lesson is your formal introduction to the defense.I’ve been putting this off because it seems so much easier to describe the offense.The goal of offense and how it meets that goal are obvious:it wants to score points and it does that by moving the ball forward down the field.While the defense may just seem like a bunch of guys trying to react to what the offense does and stop the player with the ball, there is much more to it than that.
In fact, the defense has three goals:
1.Keep the offense from scoring;
2.Gain possession of the ball (i.e., take the ball from the offense); and
3.Score.That’s right; the defense can score points.I will leave that for a later discussion.
Even though it doesn’t know what plays the offense will run (although it may have suspicions based on the situation and which offensive players are of the field), the defense still has its own plays that govern what its players will do.
As with my post on the offensive line and quarterback, I will first focus on those players that begin each play at, or just behind, their side of the line of scrimmage (LOS): the defensive linemen and the linebackers.I describe these positions in the context of a basic defensive formation, called the 4-3 defense, to illustrate how these players are used on the field.Coaches use the 4-3 defense because it gives the players flexibility to adjust their positions based on the offense’s formation.Both runs and passes are well covered, so it is up to the players to match their speed and strength with the offense.
Defensive Linemen
Position:Before the snap of the football and the start of the play, the defensive linemen (DLs) are positioned facing the offensive linemen on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage.The DLs are typically squatting in a three- or four-point “stance,” with both feet and either one or both hands on the ground.If there are three or five defensive linemen in a play, the nose tackle will line up across from the center; next to him are the left and right tackles; and on the other side of the tackles are the left and right defensive ends (or just “ends”).In the 4-3 defense, however, there is no nose tackle; only the tackles and ends.
Responsibilities:In general, the responsibilities of the DLs are: (1) to rush, or put pressure on, the quarterback, disrupting his ability to execute the play; and (2) stop running plays, by tackling the runner as close to the LOS as possible (or, better yet, behind it for a loss of yards).
Linebackers
Position:The linebackers (LBs) are positioned behind the DLs, within five yards of the LOS.In the 4-3 defense, there are three linebackers: right, middle and left.So, can you see why it’s called the 4-3?There are four defensive linemen and three linebackers.The remaining four players on the field make up the secondary and their roles will be described in a future post.Linebackers are typically in a “two-point” stance; that is, with no hands on the ground.
Responsibilities:The LBs have the same responsibilities as the DLs: to pressure the quarterback and defend running plays.However, because the 4-3 allows the defensive linemen to carry out these functions as well, LBs are also able to drop back further from the LOS and try to disrupt passes from the quarterback to his receivers.
The defensive players are not subject to the false start penalty like offensive players.The purpose of the false start penalty is to prevent the offense from moving in a way that makes the defense believe that the play has started.This would cause the defense to move forward across the LOS, committing one of a variety of penalties themselves.Since the defense has no prohibition on moving before the snap as long as it stays on its side of the LOS, you will often see one or more LBs and DLs shifting positions and stepping up to and back from the LOS.This is either because they are making adjustments based on the offense’s formation, trying to make the OLs flinch and commit a false start penalty, or just trying to intimidate the quarterback and the rest of the offense.
When the play starts, the DLs, and those LBs who are rushing the QB on that play, will advance toward the line of scrimmage.When a defensive player makes contact with an offensive lineman or other player, they try to break past that player to pursue the quarterback or the runner (the player with the ball).There are three legal ways to do this: (1) use brute force to push the offensive player back from the LOS; (2) jam the offensive player and try to go around him, usually with a spin move; or (3) use a “swim” technique to ward off the player’s hands and push through the line of humanity in front of him.
Though most people are watching on the quarterback and the ball when a play is going on, try every once in a while to focus on the battle going on in the “trenches” between the offensive and defensive lines.This is truly where the majority of physical struggle is taking place and you’ll wonder why they willingly get up and do it all over again just a few seconds later.
Two years ago today, my father, Wally, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.He served in the Merchant Marines during World War II and briefly in the Army after the war.* Dad passed away at the age of 82, having developed an inoperable brain tumor.Naptime Huddle honors Dad today with his mouth-watering, stick-to-your-ribs chili recipe.I hope you will enjoy it and remember to thank any service man or woman, and any surviving member of our Greatest Generation, you see.
Wally’s Wonderful Chili
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds ground sirloin 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine 2 large cans diced tomatoes 1 or 2 cans pinto beans (depending on your taste for beans) Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Melt butter in a large pan.Cook onions in butter until they are clear and set them aside in a separate dish.Brown meat, with chili powder, and drain grease from pan.Return the onions to the pan and add the minced garlic.Add all other ingredients (including additional chili powder, if desired) and bring to a boil.Cover and simmer for one hour, stirring often.
So easy your dad could make it!
*It is surprising that, despite suffering the highest casualty rate of any other branch during WWII, Merchant Marines were only recently granted the same benefits as veterans of the other branches.
Today’s lesson explains the term “special teams.”If you have been watching preseason football or listened to any talking heads discussing team personnel decisions, you may have heard this term several times by now.It’s time you got the basics on what makes certain players “special.”
Generally speaking, special team refers to the group of players not involved in the offense or defense, but rather in kicking situations:kickoffs, punts and extra point attempts.They are “special” because they are not the players that are on the field for a typical down (or play) (although some can also be on offense or defense).The reason special teams are significant to personnel decisions is that many players who might not otherwise make a team’s roster (usually rookies) will make the team when that team has a need on in its special team.Over time, that player may impress the coaches enough to become a starter on offense or defense.
For this post, I want to focus on the kickoff. Of the other types of special team plays, the kickoff looks most different from other plays, and there are some significant rule changes to kickoffs this year that you need to learn.I have already discussed extra point attempts in a previous post. A punt occurs if a team elects not to go for a first down on fourth down, and is very similar to a kickoff except that the formation looks more like a typical down and the kicker is called a punter instead of the place kicker.
KICKOFFS
As I have explained previously, the first and third quarters of every game start with a kickoff.A kickoff also occurs after a team has scored.For kickoffs, the special team that is kicking the ball consists of the place kicker and the cover players.The team receiving the ball will have one or two returners located deep on their end of the field where they will attempt to catch the ball; the rest of the players are blockers for the returners.The place kicker places the ball upright on a tee in the middle of the 35-yard line.*He will then back up about ten yards or so and raise his hand when he is ready to make the kick.The cover players will line up along the 30 yard line and begin running forward when the kicker reaches the 30-yard line to kick the ball.
Once the ball is kicked, one of three things will happen:(1) a runback; (2) a touchback; or (3) the ball goes out of bounds before it reaches the end zone.
Runback: A "runback" is when a returner catches the ball and runs toward the opposite end zone. In a runback, the cover players (the team that kicked the ball) will attempt to cover the distance to the returner and tackle him.The returner’s blockers will attempt to block the cover players’ progress.The goal for the returner, of course, is to run the whole length of the field and score a touchdown at the other end.However, this is rare, and the spot where he is eventually tackled by the cover players, or goes out of bounds, is where his team will begin its drive toward the other end of the field.There are, however, two players—Devin Hester (Chicago Bears) and Josh Cribbs (Cleveland Browns)—that have a particular talent for kick returns.So much so that kickers often employ the strategy of aiming the football away from them.
Touchback: On a kickoff, a "touchback" occurs in one of two ways: (1) the ball goes through the end zone and out of bounds; or (2) a returner catches or picks up the ball in the end zone and kneels to the ground (called "downing" the ball).In a touchback, the ball is brought out to the 20-yard line on that end of the field and that is where the team that received the kick will begin their drive to the opposite end zone.
If the ball goes out of bounds before it reaches the end zone, and the receiving team hasn’t touched it, the kicking team gets a penalty.Stay tuned for a further explanation of this and other kickoff-related penalties.
You may have also heard about changes to the rules regarding kickoffs this season, and it’s important for you to understand them and their impact.Before this season, the ball was kicked from the 30-yard line and the cover players were allowed a ten-yard head start to run before reaching the point where the ball had been.Now, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line and the cover players are only allowed a five-yard head start.The purpose of the rule change is to reduce the risk of injury caused by the high velocity impacts occurring as the two teams charge toward each other.There is quite a bit of controversy surrounding these rules.First, there is a concern that more kickoffs will result in touchbacks than ever before, which takes the excitement out of kickoffs and neutralizes the impact of players like Hester and Cribbs.Second, the new rules may change the way teams make special team personnel decisions.They may decide that they no longer need return specialists because there are so many more touchbacks, or that they don’t need a specialty kicker who is able to aim the ball short of the end zone.
*Note that the ball will be teed on the 35-yard line unless either team committed a foul, such as unsportsmanlike conduct, on the scoring play that preceded the kickoff. If that is the case, the location of the ball for the kickoff reflects the yardage penalty associated with the foul.
Today’s lesson is intended to educate you on a bit of NFL history, as well as acquaint you with some of the top stars in today’s NFL.This is the first in a series of posts where I will talk about the current stars in each position, and some of the people that have played that position in the past.Which players are the “best ever” can be debated endlessly, and is largely subjective.I’m not trying to do that here; I’ll leave that to your judgment.However, there are certain names every football fan should know, and I’m hoping to enlighten you on who they are.
First up, the quarterbacks:
Today’s Stars:
Tom Brady:New England Patriots, 2000-present.Brady attended the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) where he (inexplicably) shared the quarterback job with Drew Henson.He was drafted by the Patriots with the 199th pick overall (the sixth round of the draft).He got the starting position after veteran Drew Bledsoe was injured in the second game of the 2001 season, and he’s been their starting quarterback ever since.He has won an incredible three Super Bowls and holds the record for, among other things, the most touchdown passes in a regular season.
Peyton Manning:Indianapolis Colts, 1998-present.Manning attended the University of Tennessee and is the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, and the older brother of Eli Manning, the current quarterback for the New York Giants.Peyton’s records include the most NFL Most Valuable Player (“MVP”) awards with four.He is also an advertising giant, appearing in numerous commercials for a wide variety of products.It is estimated he earned $15 million in endorsement money in 2010.*
Great Quarterbacks in History
Johnny Unitas:Unitas played most of his career for the Baltimore Colts and his career spanned three decades, from the 1950’s into the 70’s.In 1958, the Colts beat the New York Giants for the championship in sudden death overtime, the first overtime game in the NFL and referred to as the “greatest game ever played.”He set several records during his career, and his 47-game touchdown streak still stands as the best.
Joe Namath:New York Jets, 1964-1977.Namath attended the University of Alabama and was drafted by the New York Jets (he spent his last season with the then-Los Angeles Rams.Namath was a brash, charismatic player. He won two championships and is famous for guaranteeing (and delivering) a championship victory against the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, 1969 (against Johnny Unitas).
Roger Staubach:Dallas Cowboys, 1969-1979.Staubach attended the U.S. Naval Academy and was drafted by the Cowboys in 1964 (he didn’t play until 1969 because of his military commitment).He played under the legendary Cowboys coach Tom Landry and led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl victories, and four total Super Bowl appearances.
Joe Montana:San Francisco 49ers, 1979-1992 (retired 1994).Montana played for Notre Dame and was drafted by the 49ers in 1979.Montana won an incredible four Super Bowls for the 49ers, establishing the 49ers as the dominant team of the 1980s.The most significant single play of Montana’s career is referred to simply as “The Catch.” At the end of the NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys, Montana engineered a game-winning 89-yard drive that culminated in a pass to receiver Dwight Clark, who made a spectacular leaping catch at the back of the end zone.
John Elway:Denver Broncos, 1983**-1999.Elway attended Stanford University and was drafted number one overall by the Baltimore Colts, who traded him to the Broncos.Elway won two Super Bowls, and appeared in five.Though he had many incredible games and statistics, his standout highlight was his execution of “The Drive” on January 11, 1987, in which he led the Broncos on a 98-yard, five-minute drive in the AFC Championship game against the Cleveland Browns.The resulting touchdown tied the game and the Broncos went on to win the game by a field goal in overtime.
Dan Marino:Miami Dolphins, 1983-2000.Marino attended the University of Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Dolphins.He spent his entire career in Miami, and although he never won a Super Bowl, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, holding at one time most of the passing records a quarterback can achieve.
Brett Favre:Green Bay Packers, 1991-2011.Favre (pronounced like “starve”) attended the University of Southern Mississippi and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, but traded to Green Bay in 1992 where he was quarterback and local hero until 2007.Favre has been the subject of much criticism in recent years.When he retired from the Green Bay Packers after the 2007 season, the Packers moved on, grooming Aaron Rodgers to take over as quarterback.However, just before the start of the 2008 season, Favre wanted back into football.He was hired by the New York Jets and then the Minnesota Vikings.The move to the Vikings was difficult for Packers fans as the Vikings are in the same division as the Packers and therefore a big rival for several decades.However, no one can dispute that Favre is one of the all-time greatest quarterbacks.Over a 20-year career, Favre won one Super Bowl, appeared in two and won an incredible eight NFC North division championships.He holds several records, including most career touchdown passes, most career passing yards, and most consecutive starts at 297, a record which many people feel will never be broken.Because of his sometimes reckless approach to the position of quarterback, Favre also holds the record for most fumbles and times sacked.
**The NFL draft in 1983 is often referred to as the Quarterback Class of 1983 because an incredible six quarterbacks were selected in the first round.Despite the importance of the quarterback position, it is rare to have more than two or three picked in the first round of the draft.This is due, in part, to the longevity of quarterbacks compared to other positions; many can play 10 to 15 years or more, while other players, like running backs, last only 5 or 7 years.
