The idle game for American football.
Gridiron Idle is a free idle tycoon game for iPhone, iPad and Android. Sign backs, centers, receivers and quarterbacks, keep the footballs moving, find the weak link in your offense and climb from the Backyard to the Hall of Fame.
1st & 10 · What it is
Every idle football game was soccer. So this one isn't.
Idle games are one of the biggest genres on mobile, but search for an idle football game and you get soccer. Gridiron Idle is the one built around American football: the snap, the carry, the touchdown, the passing game and the playbook.
You don't control players with a joystick. You run the program. Your offense plays on its own, touchdowns pay cash, and you decide what to spend it on: another running back, another center, more footballs, or a play that changes how the whole offense runs.
It starts in a backyard with one free running back and a 40-yard field. It ends in the Hall of Fame with a crowded field and a full playbook.
2nd & 6 · How it plays
A drive is a production line.
A center snaps a ball from the pile. A running back carries it to the end zone. The touchdown pays. Then a ball boy has to throw that ball back to the line before anyone can use it again.
That chain is the game. If every football is lying in the end zone, a tenth running back just stands at the line. Hire a ball boy and the whole field wakes up. Every card in the shop tells you what that hire would add right now, so reading the field is the skill.
The roster
Six things to buy. One of them is holding you back.
- Running back. Carries a ball to the end zone. Your first one is free.
- Center. Fetches balls and snaps them into play.
- Ball boy. Throws dead balls from the end zone back to the line.
- Game ball. One more football in circulation.
- Quarterback. Throws to receivers waiting downfield. From High School.
- Wide receiver. Catches passes and runs them in. From High School.
Play at your own pace. Leave it running, or get involved: tap a runner for a burst of speed, catch the golden football when it appears, and fire off a two-minute drill when you want everything faster.
3rd & 2 · The climb
From the Backyard to the Hall of Fame.
Ten levels, each with its own team colours. The field grows from 40 to 80 to 100 yards, every score pays more, and at High School the passing game opens with quarterbacks and receivers. Fill the bar to move up a level. Along the way, win championships for rings: each ring adds 2% to every touchdown's cash, for good.
- LEVEL 1Backyard
- LEVEL 2Peewee League
- LEVEL 3High School
- LEVEL 4Juco
- LEVEL 5Small College
- LEVEL 6Power Conference
- LEVEL 7Developmental League
- LEVEL 8The Pro League
- LEVEL 9Dynasty
- LEVEL 10Hall of Fame
The Playbook
19 plays. Every one changes the field.
Plays are permanent upgrades with real football names. Four of them:
Hurry-Up
Plays start 20% faster
No huddle. The offense lines up and snaps.
Ground and Pound
Backs 25% faster both ways
Run it down their throats, all game long.
Air It Out
Receivers 25% faster, QBs 2x
Let it fly on every down.
Script the First 15
First 15 scores pay 3x cash
The first fifteen plays, planned in the week.
Find your way in
Pick your starting position.
Idle football game
How an idle football game works, and why the wrong purchase does nothing.
Like running things?Football tycoon
The tycoon side: hires, cash, championships, rings and the climb.
Here for the Xs and Os?Playbook & strategy
All 19 plays in the Playbook and what each one does.
Just downloaded it?Beginner's guide
First buys, the ball-boy bottleneck and the two-minute drill.
Watching the game?For football fans
A football game you can check between downs on Sunday.
Tired of forced ads?No forced ads
What the ads are, when they appear, and why nothing is for sale.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What is Gridiron Idle?
Gridiron Idle is an idle game about American football for iPhone, iPad and Android. You sign running backs, centers, ball boys, quarterbacks and receivers, keep the footballs moving from snap to touchdown, and spend what you earn on more players and a playbook of permanent upgrades. There are ten levels, from the Backyard to the Hall of Fame.
Is there an idle game for American football, not soccer?
Yes. Search the app stores for "idle football" and nearly everything you find is soccer. Gridiron Idle is built around American football: snaps, carries, touchdowns, a passing game and a playbook.
Is Gridiron Idle free?
Yes, and there is nothing to buy. The only ads are optional rewarded ads: you tap one when you want a boost, such as a two-minute drill or a bag of extra balls. There are no banner ads and no ads that interrupt play.
Which phones and tablets can play it?
iPhone and iPad through the App Store, and Android phones through Google Play. It plays in portrait with one thumb.
Does the team keep earning when the app is closed?
No. Your offense plays on its own while the game is open, and you can leave it running and watch. Time away earns nothing, but nothing is lost either: nothing expires while you are gone.
Is it OK for kids?
It is rated 4+ on the App Store. There is no chat, no account, no in-app purchases, and ads only play when the player taps to watch one.
Does it have real NFL teams or players?
No. Gridiron Idle is not licensed by any league. Your team is your own, and it changes kit each time you move up a level.