Every football game lasts four quarters, no matter what level, division, or league. But how long are football games? Each quarter lasts 15 minutes in the NFL, but then there are penalties, injuries, challenges, timeouts, and commercial breaks. This means the game lasts much longer than just one hour, especially considering there’s a halftime break for players to catch their breath.
We’ll break down the typical length of an NFL football game, including commercial breaks and halftime procedures.
Related: NFL games today: Stay up to date on the entire NFL schedule
How long is a football game?
No two football games are the same. But the average length for an NFL game is roughly three hours. As mentioned, this can vary greatly, and if there’s an overtime period due to a tie score after four quarters, the game is sure to last longer than three hours.
Why is a football game three hours? Even though there are just 60 minutes of timed play, there are several times when the game clock gets paused, such as after each incomplete pass, change of possession, or when players go out of bounds in the last two minutes of a half. This is in addition to timeouts, injuries, commercials, and other unique breaks throughout the game.
Related: Super Bowl odds: Updated championship futures for all 32 NFL teams
How much live action is there in an NFL game?
NFL games typically last a little over three hours in length, but how much time is action actually occurring? Estimates suggest there are between 15 and 20 minutes of live action in an individual NFL game, which sees roughly 100 plays in total. This is why you can watch an entire game after it’s played in about 30 minutes once commercials and replays are cut out.
Related: Predicting NFL playoff bracket and Super Bowl 2024 winner
How long is halftime in a football game?
NFL halftimes last about 12 minutes. In college football, halftime last about 20 minutes. However, Super Bowl halftime shows are much lengthier due to the addition of a musical performance. A typical Super Bowl halftime show lasts roughly 30 minutes.
Related: NFL QB Rankings: Who’s the NFL’s worst starter?
How many commercials are there in a football game?
An average NFL game features about 50 minutes of commercials or 25% of the total game time. Each quarter has about 15 to 25 commercials. The NFL requires at least 16 commercial breaks per game, with eight in each half. Each break takes about one or two minutes and sometimes as short as 30 to 45 seconds.