Hey, it’s Allison again! Former Eagles cheerleading captain with degrees in biology and chemistry. I’m back to help introduce the 8th of ten Science of NFL Football segment, produced by NBC Sports and NBC Learn in partnership with the National Science Foundation and the National Football League. Science Cheerleader is an official partner brought on to extend this series to young women everywhere!

In this segment, NBC News’ Lester Holt explains that an NFL kicker needs more than a strong leg! Turns out one of the key laws of physics plays a major role when a kicker kicks the football. Know what that law is? It’s Newton’s Second Law of Motion!
Check this out:

If you’re an educator, be sure to visit NBC Learn to download free supplemental educators’ guides. Goooo science! And Goooo National Science Foundation for making this possible. Previous Science of NFL Football segments can be found here.

From Discover Magazine! Pop quiz: Which former NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year is a (literally) big fan of science, and this magazine in particular? That’s right, defensive end Hugh Douglas. See Philly Eagles and 76ers Science Cheerleaders here.

Recently, as part of an ongoing effort to playfully engage the public in science, he chatted with DISCOVER contributor Darlene Cavalier  (who moonlights as the Science Cheerleader) and shared his thoughts on the Large Hadron Collider, spiral galaxies, ROS suppression, and more.