How Wide Is an NFL Goal Post?
Contents
Everything you need to know about NFL goal posts, including how wide they are and why they’re different from college football goal posts.
The Width of an NFL Goal Post
The width of an NFL goal post is 23 feet, 3 inches. The goal posts are placed at the back of the end zone, and they are 10 yards from the sideline. The crossbar of the goal post is 10 feet, 6 inches above the ground, and the uprights are 30 feet, 4 inches tall.
The official width of an NFL goal post
NFL goal posts are 18 feet, 6 inches wide from inside edge to inside edge, per NFL Rule 1, Section 3, Article 1.
The pads on either side of the posts are 2 feet wide, for a total width of 22 feet, 6 inches.
The width of an NFL goal post according to the rulebook
Recent rule changes in the NFL have resulted in the goal posts being moved back to the end line, making them wider than they used to be. According to the NFL rulebook, the width of an NFL goal post is 18 feet, 6 inches.
The History of the NFL Goal Post
The NFL goal post has undergone a few changes throughout its history. The most recent change was in 2014 when the league decided to make the goal posts longer and wider. Prior to that, the last major change was in 1985 when the league made the goal posts narrower. Let’s take a look at the history of the NFL goal post.
The origins of the NFL goal post
The NFL goal post has its origins in rugby. In 1882, the Rugby Union introduced the crossbar, which was slightly higher than the posts used in soccer. This change was designed to make it more difficult for attacking players to score goals. However, it quickly became apparent that the new crossbar was too high, and it was lowered to its current height of 10 feet in 1884.
In 1910, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) adopted the goal posts used in rugby, with the crossbar set at 10 feet. These goal posts were used in college football until 1927, when they were replaced by H-shaped goal posts. The new design made it easier for fans to see if a kick had been successful, as well as making it easier to set up and take down the goal posts.
The NFL adopted the use of H-shaped goal posts in 1933. The goals were originally made of wood, but they were later replaced by metalgoalposts. In 1974, the NFL widened the goal posts from 18 feet 6 inches to 23 feet 4 inches, making them five feet wider than those used in college football. The wider goal posts were designed to make field goals more difficult and encourage teams to go for touchdowns instead.
The current dimensions of an NFL goal post are 23 feet 4 inches wide and 10 feet high. The crossbar is made of steel and is 14 inches in diameter.
How the width of the NFL goal post has changed over time
The goal posts used in the National Football League have changed considerably over the years. Originally, they were much wider than they are today, and they were also placed at different spots on the field.
The first major change to the goal posts came in 1932, when the NFL decided to move them from the front of the end zone to the back. This was done in order to make it more difficult for teams to score on extra point attempts. The posts were also narrowed from 23 feet to 18 feet 6 inches.
In 1974, the posts were moved again, this time to the back of the end zone. The rationale for this change was that it would make it easier for fans in the stands to see if a field goal was good or not. The width of the posts remained at 18 feet 6 inches.
In 1999, the NFL made another change to the goal posts, moving them from the back of the end zone to their current location at the front. The reason for this was that it made it more difficult for teams to execute onside kicks. The width of the posts also increased slightly, from 18 feet 6 inches to 19 feet 6 inches.
The most recent change came in 2015, when the NFL decided to narrow the uprights from 24 inches wide to 20 inches wide. This was done in order to increase scoring and make extra point attempts more challenging.
The Significance of the Width of an NFL Goal Post
The width of an NFL goal post has been a source of debate for a long time. Some people say that the width of the goal post should be wider, while others say that it should be narrower. Let’s take a look at the width of an NFL goal post and see what the debate is all about.
How the width of an NFL goal post affects the game
The width of the goal posts in the National Football League has been 14 feet wide since the league’s inception in 1920. The posts were originally placed at the front of each end zone, but they were moved back to the back of the end zone in 1927. The goal posts were moved back to the front of the end zone again in 1974, but they were moved back to the back of the end zone in 1984.
The width of the goal posts has a significant effect on the outcome of games. A wider goal post makes it easier for a kicker to make a field goal, but it also makes it easier for a receiver to catch a touchdown pass. A narrower goal post makes it more difficult for a kicker to make a field goal, but it also makes it more difficult for a receiver to catch a touchdown pass.
The width of the goal posts also affects how teams play offense and defense. A wider goal post gives offenses an advantage because it is easier for receivers to catch passes and score touchdowns. A narrower goal post gives defenses an advantage because it is more difficult for receivers to catch passes and score touchdowns.
The importance of the width of an NFL goal post for safety
The width of an NFL goal post is important for several reasons. Firstly, it provides a wider target for the kicker to aim at, which can help to increase accuracy. Secondly, it also provides a margin of error in case the ball is kicked slightly off-center. Thirdly, the wider width can help to prevent blocked kicks, as defenders will have a harder time getting their hands on the ball. Finally, the increased width can also help to reduce the chances of injuries, as players will be less likely to collide with each other while going for the ball.