Cardiovascular and Health Benefits
Football involves running, sprinting and drills that require generous energy expenditure and engage the cardiovascular system. Regularly participating in aerobic exercise such as football offers benefits such as increased longevity, as well as reduced susceptibility to heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and other chronic diseases, reports the Harvard School of Public Health. It can also foster weight loss and weight management; a 155-pound person burns nearly 600 calories per hour playing football, according to Harvard Medical School. Football players, particularly those who are overweight, may lose 15 to 20 pounds in a single season, according to Dave Cisar, who is the founder and president of the Screaming Eagles Youth Football Organization in Omaha, Nebraska.