NFL Roster Sizes Through The Years

NFL roster sizes have fluctuated greatly over the years. During the league’s first decade, teams had only 16-18 players on the roster. That’s about a third of today’s bloated rosters. Those early days were the days of single-platoon football. 11 players played offense, defense, and special teams. The league adopted unlimited substitution in 1950. That essentially ended the single platoon-era. By that point, NFL roster sizes had about doubled from that first decade to 32 players. Since then, NFL roster sizes crept up to the current 53 players with 47 or 48 active on game day. Here’s a look roster sizes through the 126 years of the NFL.

NFL Roster Sizes Through The Years

1920: ? - I guess the league was more focused on teams making it to their next game than monitoring how many players were on the roster.

1921: 18

1922: 18

1923: 16

1924: 18

1925: 16

1926: 18

1927: 18

1928: 18

1929: 18

1930: 20

1931: 22

1932: 20

1933: 22

1934: 22

1935: 24

1936: 23

1937: 25

1938: 30

1939: 30

1940: 33

1941: 33

1942: 33

1943: 28

1944: 28

1945: 33

1946: 33

1947: 34

1948: 35

1949: 32

1950: 32

1951: 33

1952: 33

1953: 33

1954: 33

1955: 33

1956: 33

1957: 35

1958: 35

1959: 36

1960: 38

1961: 36

1962: 36

1963: 37

1964-1973: 40

1974: 47

1975: 43

1976: 43

1977: 43

1978-1990: 45

1991-2010: 45+emergency QB

2011-2019: 46

2020-present: 47/48

The era of inactives:

From 1988-92, NFL roster size was actually 47 players. Two of those players were declared inactive on game day.

From 1993-2010, NFL roster size was 53 players. Eight of those players were declared inactive on game day.

From 2011-2019, NFL roster size was 53 players. Seven of those players were declared inactive on game day.

From 2020-present, NFL roster size was still 53 players but game day actives got a little more complicated. It’s 48 players if eight of those players are offensive linemen. It’s 47 players if fewer than eight of those players are offensive linemen.