Why do NFL games often last more than three hours despite having 60 minutes of playing time?

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Jalen Hurts, wearing number 1 for the Philadelphia Eagles, winds up to throw a football during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII against the Kansas City Chiefs. — American football Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts during Super Bowl LVII, 2023; the team lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.

While NFL games consist of 60 minutes of regulation play, they routinely exceed three hours due to several factors that stop the clock.

The game clock is not continuous; it is automatically stopped for a variety of reasons during play, including incomplete passes, players going out of bounds, and after scoring plays. Additionally, teams are permitted a specific number of optional time-outs to manage the game clock. The clock also stops at the end of the first and third quarters when teams switch ends of the field.

Furthermore, in televised NFL contests, the game is paused for commercial breaks. These frequent stoppages, combined with the time required for officials to administer penalties and manage the flow between downs, result in a total broadcast time that extends well beyond the actual 60 minutes of game action.1