Very few people who play football become players in the National Football League. The NFL Players Association says that only 0.2% of high school seniors playing football will end up in the NFL, or 215 out of 100,000 players. Of the 9,000 college football players, the NFL invites just 310 to its scouting combine every year. Most of them will not make it onto an NFL roster.
Overall Athletic Ability
Being an outstanding athlete is the most obvious prerequisite to be an NFL player. Few people comprehend the high level at which NFL players must compete. The difference between playing in the NFL and not making a team can be 1/100 of a second in the 40-yard dash, one inch in the vertical leap, or a few extra reps in the chest press. These abilities are tested at the NFL combine prior to the NFL draft every year. When NFL teams decide which marginal players to keep on their practice squads, they choose the best overall athletes.
Football Skills
You must have exceptional skill at your position to be an NFL player. Many college football players can compensate for being mediocre tacticians with superior athletic ability. However, in the NFL, all the players are exceptional athletes. Those who play smarter are the ones who make NFL rosters. NFL players must be smart and be able to learn complex plays quickly. A good athlete is of little use in an NFL game if he doesn't understand his assignment on every play. Players must also be coach-able and adaptable. They must be able to follow rapidly changing directions from coaches.
Image as a Role Model
The image of an NFL player has become increasingly important. The NFL has behavior standards that dictate punishment for even being accused of a wrongdoing. A player with a history of crime, substance abuse or questionable ethics will find fewer NFL teams interested in him, regardless of his skill.
Age
An NFL player must be out of high school for at least three years. The vast majority of NFL players were college football players, but some come from the Canadian Football League or other sports. Some NFL kickers played professional soccer or Australian-rules football. The average career of all NFL players is 3.3 years. Running backs have the shortest average careers at 2.57 years. Kickers have the longest average careers at 4.87 years. Most NFL players are in their 20s. A small minority are in their 30s. Only a select few are in their 40s.
Salary
An NFL player needs to understand the economics of football. Many talented players have been forced into early retirement because they demanded more money than teams were willing to pay. NFL teams are happy to pay premium players millions of dollars for their services. However, they are also happy to cut premium players to make room for others under their salary cap. NFL teams will keep players who they feel are worth the price.
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