Have You Seen This? How NFL footballs are made

(The New York Times/YouTube)


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THE FOOTBALL FACTORY — With Super Bowl Sunday just days away and Deflategate still making waves what better time to get an inside look at how NFL footballs are made.

The New York Times went into the Wilson Sporting Goods factory and got a first-hand look at the handmade NFL footballs.

It may not sound that interesting, and the making of the footballs themselves really isn’t, but it’s the story that’s told in this video that’s worth the trip.

The New York Times interviewed recently retired Jane Helser, who worked for Wilson for nearly 50 years and sewed footballs day in and day out. Helser gives us some insight into how these balls are made, but she also gives us a very small peek into what we may have thought was just a run-of-the-mill career, but something about her sincerity and energy makes us realize that there’s something in her story that’s special.

Helser didn’t revolutionize the football-making industry, nor was she the voice of Wilson, she’s just a humble, hard-working American. There’s something refreshing to see the leather balls that drive the multimillion-dollar contracts and billion-dollar stadiums and the tiny hands that created them.

This may seem a little too sentimental over a four-minute video about making footballs, but watch it and I think you’ll find something special in there as well.


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About the Author: John Clyde ----------------------------

John has been writing about movies, news, sports and pretty much anything awesome for more than five years. John is the co-host of the Flix Junkies podcast and will always entertain you with his stories. John is an alumnus of both Utah Valley University and BYU. He, his wife and their two children call Salt Lake City home.

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