NFL: Live action or scripted television?

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Mason Steinhoff, Staff Reporter

The National Football League (NFL) has
been around for more than one hundred
years. It was first known as the American
Professional Sports Association back in 1920
and is now known as the NFL of course. Its
history speaks for itself. The NFL has
given me entertainment for a lifetime.
Throughout the leagues successes,
however, also bring questions from
those within the NFL universe.
Theories of the National Football
League being scripted have been
brought to light in the past months.
Former NFL running back Arian
Foster started tossing around the idea
and went as far to say that players
receive “scripts” during training
camps and then have to practice them. My
thoughts on that-I think that is absurd. If this
were true, I believe these ideas would’ve been
talked about years back. I just cannot bring

myself to think that all of that blood, sweat,
and those tears shred back in high school and
college would not pay off once players get to
the pros.
Back in February of this year, the Kansas
City Chiefs defeated the
Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 after
what I thought was a weak
holding call by officials in Super
Bowl 57. Because of this call by
referees, fans were outraged and
disappointed with the late game
decision. The call also, and once
again, ignited people to talk about
how the league may be scripted.
One Twitter user stated,
“I never believed in the ‘scripted’
NFL conspiracy theory until this Super
Bowl.”
Look, referees have a really tough job taking
the heat from coaches, players, and fans. I can

see how this call had people
questioning a lot of things.
I’ll admit, I wondered too.
It just wouldn’t make sense
if it were factual though. It
would be a huge let down if
the rumor came to be true,
and that’s why it’s not.
At first I seriously
considered that this league
possibly could have lines to
follow after watching Super
Bowl 57. Though that was
just because of my dislike
of the Kansas City Chiefs in
a normal, friendly, fan-like
way. I joked around with
the scripted idea and so did
players in the league.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons
gave a funny response on Twitter about these

theories floating around.
“Smh, I might show the
script from the playoffs!!,”
he said.
Let’s face reality
in all seriousness though.
An opportunity like the
NFL requires everything
from an athlete wishing to
be there. That is why the
league is not scripted. You
and I can make jokes with
the idea all we want. But
when it comes down to
solemnity, this league was
created to raise standards
within American football
in all ways possible. It’s an
experience like no other,
for us as fans, and for the players who grind it
out each and every day.