Why the 40 Yard Dash is Important in the World of Football

Today the 40 yard dash is the single most talked about test at the NFL combine. When a player does exceptionally well in the 40, they have a much better chance of getting drafted in a better position, for a better paying contract. But why do they use the 40 yard dash at all and why did they start originally?

When the NFL Began Using the 40

Originally the 50 yard dash was the measurement of choice for NFL tests. It was until 1960 that the distance was altered to 40 yards thanks to Gil Brandt the then director who was in charge of scouting for the Dallas Cowboys.

Brandt’s reasoning

I think in large part the Brand’ts reasoning had to do with 40 being a very even number. His test actually takes into account the 40 the 20 and the 10 yard times from the 40 yard dash. The 40 is tracked for every player who takes the test, while the 20 yard split of that test is reserved for linemen. The 10 yard start is looked at closely for any potential wide receivers because it gives scouts a little more insight into how well they can burst off the line at the start of a play.

The Significance of the 40

There may have been another line of reasoning behind the 40 that Brandt decided to use. The average distance for most punts is around 40 yards, so it would make sense to want to know how quickly players can cover that distance.

How the 40 is Measured

There are a few different ways that the 40 yard dash is typically measured at combines. Most of the time the speed is measured with a stop watching starting as soon as the player begins running and stopping as soon as he crosses the finish. The speed is also recorded with a stop watch starting when the player starts and a computer stopping the time when it sees him cross the finish. The last method uses a computer at either end of the run and it results in the slowest time out of the three methods.

The Fastest 40 Yard Dash

Chris Johnson holds the record for the fastest electronic 40 yard dash time at the NFL Combine with a time of 4.24 seconds. Keep in mind that that time has been beaten on a few occasions in other settings, and has been beaten by hand timers, but as far as the Combine goes Johnson is still the fastest. Even though the 40 yard dash isn’t the most accurate measure of how successful a player is going to be in the NFL it is still one of the most highly regarded tests at the combine and now you know why it is given so much attention.