Suspicion of America’s federal government runs rampant. Organizations that once enjoyed broad support, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), now suffer from diminished public confidence.1 Despite growing skepticism, however, two out of three Americans recognize that faith in the federal government must be restored to confront national challenges.2
How should policymakers spruce up the federal government’s image? America’s most popular sporting league may offer inspiration.
The NFL has aged well since its inception in 1920.3 Boasting an average viewership of 17.5 million per regular season game in 2024, the NFL offers fans thrilling experiences that bridge generational, racial, and political divides.4 Characterized by its organizational strength and commitment to quality, the NFL has maintained relevance for over a century.
A Fraught Start
Late-19th century America was navigating the brutalities of a rapidly industrializing society. Early football was a product of its time. Games routinely ended in violence: The 1905 season was scarred with eighteen deaths. Calls to outlaw the sport were gaining traction. President Theodore Roosevelt, whose sons played football, intervened, meeting with college coaches to improve the sport’s safety. The Intercollegiate Athletic Association, incorporated in 1905, carried forward the torch of protecting young athletes.5
President Roosevelt’s timely intervention demonstrates moral authority, an overlooked form of presidential power. Roosevelt lacked direct authority to compel athletics programs to improve; however, he shared the coaches’ belief that football encouraged male development and wielded the bully pulpit to steer the young sport onto a brighter path.5
Fourteen teams started the NFL as the American Professional Football Association in 1920.6 The organization was based on collegiate rules until it formed the Rules Committee in 1932. Today’s Competition Committee, the successor of the Rules Committee, engages players, coaches, medical experts, and owners to suggest changes. Bearing responsibility for upholding the NFL’s reputation, the Competition Committee assesses controversial plays to propose amendments that improve the quality of the game.7
Mission-Ready Personnel
The authors of a 1940 Rules Committee report used no uncertain terms to describe the league’s primary obligation. “Rules and officials” were responsible for “provid[ing] a maximum of entertainment” in each game.7 In 1938, the NFL began professionalizing its staffing. Each official’s responsibilities were narrowed, encouraging technical proficiency. Hugh “Shorty” Ray, hired as a technical adviser, raised the standards for officiating. Ray drafted a “play situation book,” still in use today, and systematically reviewed NFL rules for fan-centricity. Art McNally, who led the NFL’s officiating programs from the ‘60s to the ‘90s, upped the rigor of the training and evaluation programs for officials.8
America’s government has recruited outside technical experts to propose operational improvements. President Trump tasked entrepreneur Elon Musk with streamlining government processes. Musk pursued this agenda by shuttering federal agencies and impounding funds through the president. As the NFL indicates, however, personnel development may be a better starting point for government reform efforts than significant headcount reduction. Unnecessary positions should certainly be eliminated; however, federal employees must be provided with adequate infrastructure, technology and oversight, to elevate their productivity and render better public services with a smaller workforce. Hugh Ray and Art McNally didn’t provide a better experience for fans by explicitly seeking to reduce the number of poorly trained officiators; instead, they established new processes that filtered out low performers.
Hands-Off Approach Drives Growth
Though official NFL rules provided guardrails on game conduct, the league allowed coaches to develop innovative plays. This laissez-faire approach to the rulebook grew the league’s popularity. In 1933, the NFL relaxed a requirement that passes be thrown from at least 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage, boosting scoring. As statistician Hugh Ray later proved, increased offensive dynamism correlated positively with attendance.7 The flexibility afforded to coaches produced thrilling plays: Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers electrified audiences in the 1960s with his offensive line’s “power sweeps”.9
In the early 1970s, the Competition Committee weighed in to fend off the growing popularity of the World Football League, whose rules were more amenable to offense. Though the WFL quickly disbanded, it forced the NFL to reevaluate its practices, culminating in a 1974 package of amendments. These changes encouraged scoring by touchdowns rather than field goals.7
NFL governance takes a reactive stance: The Competition Committee only intervenes when external pressure or rulebook controversies threaten to derail the league from its mission. Should government learn to be more reactive?
Well-intentioned analysts make the case for proactive governance. Consider the COVID-19 pandemic. Jackson et al. argue for greater coordination between jurisdictions to contain the spread of disease. This proposal includes pre-emptive lockdowns in jurisdictions adjacent to hotspots.10 There is no denying that certain proactive steps are beneficial: Developing herd immunity through vaccination programs inevitably slows infections. However, proactive governance is susceptible to inertia. During the pandemic, major cities imposed quarantine measures lasting far longer than necessary, wreaking economic havoc and setting back educational attainment goals by 20 years.11
The NFL illustrates another valuable lesson about governance: Adding or removing regulations can render desirable outcomes. There just needs to be a rational basis for policy changes. In 1933, the NFL voided a rule, and in 1974, it added rules, successfully improving fan experience.
Sometimes, the NFL is uncertain about the consequences of a rule change. In such cases, the Competition Committee uses preseason to evaluate the outcome. Today, instant replay is the go-to tool to clarify uncertainties, but the NFL only approved it for use after evaluating it during the 1978 preseason.7
Can government be more experimental in policymaking? Delegating more authority to state and local governments through federal block grants to implement novel programs would allow policymakers to gather data points from across the country. Voters would weigh in directly on the success of programs through ballot measures, offering national elected officials an understanding of the political salience of their proposals.
Conclusion
The federal government operates at a scale that dwarfs the NFL, and it executes a far broader range of responsibilities. But that doesn’t mean it can’t learn from a successful private organization that has faced many of the same challenges: Navigating demographic changes, integrating technology fairly, and offering a unique contribution to America’s national identity. Government shouldn’t just be technocratic but savvy.
2 https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/trend/archive/fall-2024/americans-deepening-mistrust-of-institutions
3 https://www.profootballhof.com/news/2016/09/four-downs-of-pro-football-history-founding-of-the-nfl/
4 https://www.nfl.com/news/super-bowl-lix-averages-record-audience-of-127-7-million-viewers
6 https://www.nfl.com/100/original-towns/
7 https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/evolution-of-the-nfl-rules
8 https://operations.nfl.com/officiating/the-officials/history-of-the-official/
9 https://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/19-05-712.pdf