Some big name National Football League (NFL) players are facing major legal troubles, and a popular question has become: Have we seen the peak of the NFL? With players, such as Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, being in the national spotlight for their actions off the field, do they affect the popularity of the NFL?

Is it possible that with all the trouble we have reached a breaking point where fans will stop watching? While this might be the case, if America is the football obsessed country that we seem to be, it’s unlikely that we will be deterred from watching this sport.

When it comes to popularity, the NFL is the clear cut king because their viewership numbers triumph all others. If one needs any factual proof the numbers don’t lie, as 111.5 million people tuned in to watch the Super Bowl, whereas the World Cup Final this year only drew 26.5 million viewers. With all the other major sports leagues playing serieses to determine their champions, it becomes difficult to properly compare their viewership numbers but through everything, one thing remains the same; America loves their football.

With numbers like this, one may question if there is even a possibility that the NFL could see a fall from power. However, the two major factors of NFL players and their legal troubles, along with the rise in concussion awareness, has led to the question of when is it going to be considered unacceptable.

“I still look up to some of them, because certain players have good personalities on and off the field, but players like Ray Rice I don’t look up to anymore, because it was uncalled for what he did,” Sophomore Zach Greene said. This shows the effects of the players actions off the field are having effects on their popularity with their fans, and how they are perceived as role models to younger players.

This, in addition to the fact that many parents don’t want their children playing a game where there are concussions, may lead to the NFL losing it’s large fanbase.

Despite these reasons, the NFL may be losing its dominance in American sports. This is because none of the other major sports leagues fascinate fans the way that football does the American people. Despite the reasons, the NFL could see a decrease in popularity.