How Long Is Halftime In The NFL? | The US Sun

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

THE NFL loves to draw out their games as much as possible, but the same cannot be said for their halftime breaks.

NFL games are dominated by short and aggressive bursts of play often lasting little more than a few seconds.

Sign up for the Sport newsletter

Thank you!

Email address

Please provide a valid email.

Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy

You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email.

Despite this, a single game can often last for well over three hours.

Advertisement

Here is our guide to NFL halftimes.

How long is each half?

An NFL game is 60 minutes long, and is made up of four quarters of 15 minutes a piece with the clock counting down – unlike in say soccer.

Each of the 32 teams that comprise the NFL will play 17 regular-season games this year for a total of 272 games.

READ MORE on Football

FINAL MINUTE

How long is an NFL game?

PRIME TIME

How many games in an NFL season?

How long is halftime?

Between the first and second quarter, and the third and fourth there is a two-minute break to switch sides.

But between the second and third quarter there is a twelve-minute break which, for viewers at home, is a chance to hear breakdowns of the game by analysts alongside yet more commercials.

The Super Bowl exception

The Super Bowl is the ultimate prize in the NFL and represents the champions of the American Football Conference and National Football Conference facing off at a pre-determined stadium.

This annual game is one of the most highly-anticipated and profitable sporting events in the world.

Most read in Sport

FLAVOR FAVOR

Team USA women's ice hockey heroes ACCEPT Flavor Flav's Las Vegas party offer

JACK OF ALL TRADES

Olympics hero Jack Hughes speaks out over women's White House rejection

GAME ON

Mexico make decision on World Cup 2026 warm-up game after Cartel chaos

HEATING UP

NFL trade rumors swirl with Maxx Crosby and AJ Brown tipped for shock moves away

To put it into perspective, it attracted 112.3 million viewers in 2022 alone, according to the NFL.

Advertisement

One major difference between the Super Bowl and any other NFL game is that halftime is lengthened anywhere up to half an hour to accommodate a star-studded musical performance.

This year saw Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, and Anderson .Paak all perform during the break at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

How is the regular season structured?

The 272 game regular season runs from September through January.

It consists of 32 teams split equally between the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference.

Within these conferences, teams are subdivided into four divisions – North, East, South, and West.

Advertisement

Each team will play seventeen regular season games across eighteen weeks, including a BYE week which they will take off.

Fourteen teams will then qualify for the playoffs which are made up of a further thirteen games.

The final playoff game is the Super Bowl, in which the champions from each conference face off for the title of World Champion.

Most read in NFL

BRUTAL CUT

Patriots announces $13.8m running back has been cut weeks after Super Bowl loss

HEATING UP

NFL trade rumors swirl with Maxx Crosby and AJ Brown tipped for shock moves away

'WHAT A GUY'

NFL star and college national champion announces retirement in shock statement

NEW STAFF

LA Rams tipped to pick $84m QB Matthew Stafford's successor in 2026 NFL Draft