Photo: USA Today Sports

Immaculate Grid is a newer game in the mold of Wordle for sports fans. Players are given a grid with nine potential answers. A new puzzle arrives daily.

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— Immaculate Grid (@immaculategrid) July 21, 2023

Sports Reference recently acquired the game, bringing a playable game mode into their content offerings. The game recently launched a football version after debuting as a baseball game.

This is a quick guide, giving an overview of the game mode, introducing players who can provide frequent combinations and tips on achieving a low score. Each completed game is scored on rarity, rare combinations are better, and similar to golf, players are targeting a low score.

HOW TO PLAY IMMACULATE GRID FOOTBALL

The rules from the website:

• Select a player for each cell that matches the criteria for that cell's row and column.
• You have nine guesses to fill out the grid.
• Each guess, whether correct or incorrect, counts as a guess.
• There is a new grid every day at 9:00 am ET.
• A player cannot be used twice.
• Players may be active or inactive (NFL, AFL, or AAFC).
• Previous names of franchises will qualify. For example, Houston Oilers players will match for the Tennessee Titans, and St. Louis Rams players will match for the Los Angeles Rams.
• For player and team cell: The player must have played at least one game (in the regular season or playoffs) for that team.
• For team and award cell: The player must have won the award in a season he appeared for that team.
• Super Bowl winners must have appeared in a game for the team (regular season or playoff game) during the Super Bowl-winning season to qualify.
• For team and season stat: The player must have recorded the stat while on that team. For players who played on multiple teams in a season, the stat must have been recorded with that team. For example, in 2022, Christian McCaffrey rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season split between Carolina and San Francisco. He would not match for 1,000 rushing yards for either team because he ran for 393 with Carolina and 746 for San Francisco.
• For two stat/awards cells: The player did not necessarily need to accomplish the stats/awards in the same season. For example, Lamar Miller would qualify for 1,000+ rushing yards and Pro Bowl.

Tips and Tricks

• Games are much more fun when you use your knowledge, but there are resources if you are inclined.
• If you are really inclined to "use your resources," Pro Football Reference has a tool to match any two franchises.
• Pro Football Reference also has a large award section.
• A great way to think of connections between teams are via coaches. Coaches frequently bring players they know from one franchise to the next.
• Kicker Jose Cortez is the only player in NFL history to play for all four division teams, a feat he accomplished with the NFC East in the early 2000s.

Players To Know

First, veteran journeymen quarterbacks and special teams contributors are cheat codes for this game mode. Because of the nature of the positions allowing longevity and the specialization of the positions keeping players in the league, many have an opportunity to hit several different franchises in their careers.

For quarterbacks, ask yourself the question, "Did he play quarterback for the Browns or Bears?" Ten Browns quarterbacks in the last 30 years have played for five teams or more. Ten Bears quarterbacks in the same timeframe have also played for five or more teams.

A handful of other quarterbacks have played for six or more teams.

There are several names that will be very familiar to fantasy players. These players are likely to score higher in rarity, though, given the very well-known nature, but some of the more obscure combinations, like Adrian Peterson for the Seahawks and Cardinals, can still score well.

Special teamers are a great cheat code as well, given they are less likely to be regularly picked. Shayne Graham tops the list with ten different teams, but there are multiple other choices who have played for six or more teams.

Browns Quarterbacks

• Josh McCown (8): New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals
• Brian Hoyer (7): New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
• Vinny Testaverde (7): New York Jets, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers
• Josh Johnson (7): New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers
• Case Keenum (7): Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams
• Tyrod Taylor (6): Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants
• Ty Detmer (5): Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers
• Trent Dilfer (5): Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers
• Jeff Garcia (5): Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers
• Colt McCoy (5): Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers

Bears Quarterbacks

• Chris Chandler (7): Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals
• Jeff Blake (7): New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals
• Nick Foles (6): Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams
• Chase Daniel (6): Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints
• Mike Glennon (6): Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals
• Jim McMahon (6): Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals
• Dave Krieg (6): Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals
• Kyle Orton (5): Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears

Other Journeymen Quarterbacks

• Ryan Fitzpatrick (9): Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams
• Gus Frerotte (7): Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams
• Matt Cassel (7): New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings
• Steve Bono (7): Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams
• Kerry Collins (6): Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints
• Steve Beuerlein (6): Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals

Fantasy Players

• Adrian Peterson (7): Tennessee Titans, Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals
• Andre Rison (7): Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons
• Eric Metcalf (7): Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals
• Brandon Marshall (6): Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks
• DeSean Jackson (6): Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams
• Jared Cook (6): Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams
• Ricky Proehl (6): Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks
• Desmond Howard (5): Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions
• Wes Welker (5): New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams
• James Lofton (5): Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams
• Sammy Watkins (5): Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams
• Reggie Bush (5): Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers
• Randy Moss (5): New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers
• Terrell Owens (5): Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers

Defenders Are People Too

• Ted Washington (7): Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers
• Tim McKyer (7): Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers
• Dwight Freeney (6): Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (6): Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Arizona Cardinals
• Deion Sanders (5): Baltimore Ravens, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers

Special Teamers

• Shayne Graham (10): Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints
• Mike Nugent (8): New York Jets, New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals
• John Carney (7): Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers
• Eddie Murray (7): Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Jay Feely (6): New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals
• Mark Royals (8): Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams
• Andre Roberts (9): Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals