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nfl-data

NFL data via ESPN public endpoints — scores, standings, rosters, schedules, game summaries, play-by-play, win probability, injuries, transactions, futures, depth charts, team/player stats, leaders, and news. Zero config, no API keys. Use when: user asks about NFL scores, standings, team rosters, schedules, game stats, box scores, play-by-play, injuries, transactions, betting futures, depth charts, team/player statistics, or NFL news. Don't use when: user asks about football/soccer (use football-data), college football (use cfb-data), or other sports.

personAuthor: jakexiaohubgithub
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NFL Data

Before writing queries, consult references/api-reference.md for endpoints, ID conventions, and data shapes.

Setup

Before first use, check if the CLI is available:

which sports-skills || pip install sports-skills

If pip install fails (package not found or Python version error), install from GitHub:

pip install git+https://github.com/machina-sports/sports-skills.git

The package requires Python 3.10+. If your default Python is older, use a specific version:

python3 --version  # check version
# If < 3.10, try: python3.12 -m pip install sports-skills
# On macOS with Homebrew: /opt/homebrew/bin/python3.12 -m pip install sports-skills

No API keys required.

Quick Start

Prefer the CLI — it avoids Python import path issues:

sports-skills nfl get_scoreboard
sports-skills nfl get_standings --season=2025
sports-skills nfl get_teams

Python SDK (alternative):

from sports_skills import nfl

scores = nfl.get_scoreboard({})
standings = nfl.get_standings({"params": {"season": "2025"}})

CRITICAL: Before Any Query

CRITICAL: Before calling any data endpoint, verify:

  • Season year is derived from the system prompt's currentDate — never hardcoded.
  • If only a team name is provided, call get_teams to resolve the team ID before using team-specific commands.

Choosing the Season

Derive the current year from the system prompt's date (e.g., currentDate: 2026-02-16 → current year is 2026).

  • If the user specifies a season, use it as-is.
  • If the user says "current", "this season", or doesn't specify: The NFL season runs September–February. If the current month is March–August, use season = current_year (upcoming season). If September–February, the active season started in the previous calendar year if you're in Jan/Feb, otherwise current year.

Commands

| Command | Description | |---|---| | get_scoreboard | Live/recent NFL scores | | get_standings | Standings by conference and division | | get_teams | All 32 NFL teams | | get_team_roster | Full roster for a team | | get_team_schedule | Schedule for a specific team | | get_game_summary | Detailed box score and scoring plays | | get_leaders | NFL statistical leaders | | get_news | NFL news articles | | get_play_by_play | Full play-by-play for a game | | get_win_probability | Win probability chart data | | get_schedule | Season schedule by week | | get_injuries | Injury reports across all teams | | get_transactions | Recent transactions | | get_futures | Futures/odds markets | | get_depth_chart | Depth chart for a team | | get_team_stats | Team statistical profile | | get_player_stats | Player statistical profile |

See references/api-reference.md for full parameter lists and return shapes.

Examples

Example 1: Today's scores User says: "What are today's NFL scores?" Actions:

  1. Call get_scoreboard() Result: All live and recent NFL games with scores and status

Example 2: Conference standings User says: "Show me the AFC standings" Actions:

  1. Derive season year from currentDate
  2. Call get_standings(season=<derived_year>)
  3. Filter results for AFC conference Result: AFC standings table with W-L-T, PCT, PF, PA per team

Example 3: Team roster User says: "Who's on the Chiefs roster?" Actions:

  1. Call get_team_roster(team_id="12") Result: Full Chiefs roster with name, position, jersey number, height, weight

Example 4: Super Bowl box score User says: "How did the Super Bowl go?" Actions:

  1. Call get_schedule(week=23) to find the Super Bowl event_id
  2. Call get_game_summary(event_id=<id>) for full box score Result: Complete box score with passing/rushing/receiving stats and scoring plays

Example 5: Injury report User says: "Who's injured on the Chiefs?" Actions:

  1. Call get_injuries()
  2. Filter results for Kansas City Chiefs (team_id=12) Result: Chiefs injury list with player name, position, status, and injury type

Example 6: Player statistics User says: "Show me Patrick Mahomes' stats this season" Actions:

  1. Derive season year from currentDate
  2. Call get_player_stats(player_id="3139477", season_year=<derived_year>) Result: Season stats by category with value, rank, and per-game averages

Commands that DO NOT exist — never call these

  • ~~get_odds~~ / ~~get_betting_odds~~ — not available. For prediction market odds, use the polymarket or kalshi skill.
  • ~~search_teams~~ — does not exist. Use get_teams instead.
  • ~~get_box_score~~ — does not exist. Use get_game_summary instead.
  • ~~get_player_ratings~~ — does not exist. Use get_player_stats instead.

If a command is not listed in the Commands table above, it does not exist.

Error Handling

When a command fails, do not surface raw errors to the user. Instead:

  1. Catch silently and try alternatives
  2. If team name given instead of ID, use get_teams to find the ID first
  3. Only report failure with a clean message after exhausting alternatives

Troubleshooting

Error: sports-skills command not found Cause: Package not installed Solution: Run pip install sports-skills. If not on PyPI, install from GitHub: pip install git+https://github.com/machina-sports/sports-skills.git

Error: Team not found by ID Cause: Wrong or outdated ESPN team ID used Solution: Call get_teams to get the current list of all 32 NFL teams with their IDs

Error: No data returned for a future game Cause: ESPN only returns data for completed or in-progress games Solution: Use get_schedule to see upcoming game details; get_scoreboard only covers active/recent games

Error: Postseason week number returns no results Cause: Postseason uses unified week numbers (19-23) that differ from regular season Solution: Use week 19 for Wild Card, 20 for Divisional, 21 for Conference Championship, 23 for Super Bowl