What nickname is stamped on every official NFL football? All the details explained

What nickname is stamped on every official NFL football? All the details explained

Sospeter Itolondo
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:22 PM

As the game keeps growing, more and more people are curious about the game's rules, meanings and markings. American football has many markings that have specific meanings, from the jerseys to the balls to the fields, and curiosity led them to wondering what nickname is written on every football. So, what nickname is stamped on every official NFL football? Keep on reading to find out.

What nickname is stamped on every official NFL football?
Wilson footballs prior to the Sunday afternoon NFL game between the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons on October 30, 2022, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Photo: David J. Griffin
Source: Getty Images

The NFL football is one of the most unique balls in sports despite its similarity to the rugby ball. Its markings and stamps differentiate it from the others, and as it turns out, they have a meaning which will surprise many. It is also important to note that every NFL football is carefully handcrafted by professionals. So, what nickname is stamped on every NFL football, and what does it mean?

What nickname is stamped on every official NFL football?

So, what nickname is written on every NFL football? The nickname stamped on every official NFL football is "The Duke". This name is printed on the leather panel of the football. The name came in honour of Wellington Mara, a legend of the game and one of the pioneers. This came after his death in 2005.

what nickname is written on every NFL football
Owner Wellington Mara of the New York Giants stands at the newly built Giants Stadium on June 15, 1978, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Photo: Ross Lewis
Source: Getty Images

The nickname had been scrapped, and a new logo was embedded in 1970 after the NFL and the American Football League merged to form one league. However, the original logo was reinstated after the pioneer's death. He was also the New York Giants owner.

Wellington had earned the nickname "Duke" as his father had named him after the Duke of Wellington. The Giants' players nicknamed him as he was the team ball boy in 1925. Tim Mara later arranged for an agreement that made Wilson Sporting Goods Company the official supplier and maker of the ball. Their factory is located in Ada, Ohio.

what nickname is written on every football
Jane Helser sews a football in a Wilson Sporting Goods Company facility in Ada, Ohio, U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008. Photo: Ty Wright
Source: Getty Images

Do all NFL footballs say, Duke? Yes, they do. Every try in the history of the NFL has been made using this ball, immortalizing the life and works of Tim Mara Wellington. Every NFL football is handcrafted to ensure the quality remains intact at the Wilson Sports Goods Company.

When did the NFL start putting names on jerseys?

The NFL only started putting the athletes' names on the jerseys in 1970. The American Football League, however, was already ahead as they had the players' names. The reasons for this were to allow the players more publicity while making them easily identifiable during television broadcasts, which was a good idea.

When did the NFL start putting names on jerseys?
Jim Otto leads the Oakland Raiders offensive line in Oakland, California, on the 7th of August 1964. Photo: Media News Group
Source: Getty Images

Some NFL fans were against this, but the fans and players adored it hence the change. The only player to wear his name on the jersey's front, back and sides was Hall of Famer Jim Otto. He wore the number 00, which made it even easier for him. In an interview, he said,

"I can remember in training camp when the first Raiders got together, the guys used to call me 'Ought' instead of Otto. It was, 'C'mon over here, Ought.' And ought was a zero. I thought it was our equipment manager who said, 'Why don't you have an ought put on your shirt?' As we were sitting there talking, somebody says, 'Why don't you have it ought-oh, which would be two zeros.' I thought that sounded interesting, so we did it. We had to get permission from the league."

What NFL teams have their names on their helmets?

Only three teams in the NFL have their names on helmets. They are the New York Jets, The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders. The Steelers and the Raiders have an additional pictorial design on their helmets. Most teams have their logo, with 13 teams having the team initials on the helmet.

what nickname is written on every football
An NFL football and a Pittsburgh football helmet during the NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons on December 4th, 2022, in Atlanta, GA. Photo: Rich von Biberstein
Source: Getty Images

What is the nickname for a football?

What nickname is printed on the official Wilson NFL football? The nickname for a football is "The Duke". It was decided in honour of Tim Mara Wellington, who was named after the Duke of Wellington by his father, and he later adopted the nickname the Duke.

Many have asked what nickname is stamped on every official NFL football. The answer is "The Duke"; as we have seen, the name holds sentimental value. It is in remembrance of the life and works of Tim Mara Wellington, named after the Duke of Wellington.

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Sospeter Itolondo
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