Grade 3 Football Two-Step Word Problems Worksheet + Answer Key

This free Grade 3 football two step word problems worksheet uses real Seahawks and Patriots statistics to practice two-step word problems. It is part 3 of LitZone's eight-part football math series. The student PDF has 6 questions on one page, with a separate one-page answer key. Both carry the LitZone logo and are free for home, homeschool and classroom use.

Download the student worksheet (PDF)

Download the separate answer key (PDF)

Download all eight student worksheets (PDF) | Download all eight answer keys (PDF)

Print the student page on US Letter paper at actual size, or use fit-to-page on A4. Keep the answer key separate. A pencil and an eraser are enough; the graph activity also benefits from a ruler. Start with a short conversation about the skill, then let the child work at a comfortable pace. No account, email address or payment is needed to download these printables.

The real game behind the worksheet

Seattle played New England on February 8, 2026, at Levi's Stadium in California. Seattle won Super Bowl LX, 29-13. SEA means Seattle; NE means New England. These are historical results from the official NFL gamebook, not September 2026 results, forecasts or current roster claims. Player abbreviations show the teams they represented in that game. A carry is a run with the ball; a catch is also called a reception. Yardage tells us how much distance was credited to a player or team.

The game provides the numbers, but students do not need to have watched it. Read the directions together and identify what each number measures before starting. Keep yards, catches and scoreboard points distinct: a yard total is not a point total.

Plan both steps before calculating

This page has six problems so students have room for two equations. Each problem requires exactly two arithmetic operations. The operations include addition followed by comparison, multiplication followed by subtraction, and multiplication followed by addition. Read the final question first, then ask which missing quantity must be found before answering it.

For the first problem, Kenneth Walker III's rushing and receiving yards must be combined before comparing that total with Mack Hollins's receiving yards. Students may know that "how many more" suggests subtraction, but immediately subtracting any two visible numbers will not answer the question. Have the child label the first result "combined yards" before moving to the difference. This makes the purpose of the intermediate answer visible.

An equation with a box or letter for the unknown is welcome. Students can also draw a bar model with two parts for the combined quantity and a second bar for the comparison. Ask them to explain why the two quantities use the same unit. These problems compare distances; they do not determine which athlete played better or suggest that rushing and receiving are identical football tasks.

Keep scoreboard points and team yards accurate

The scoring problems provide the value of each relevant scoring play. The Seattle problem first finds points from five field goals, then subtracts that amount from the final score. The remaining points include a defensive touchdown. That is why this problem asks about points from other scoring plays instead of calling the remainder offensive touchdown points.

The New England problem combines two touchdowns worth six points each with one successful extra point. Students perform one multiplication and one addition. They do not need to infer whether all touchdown attempts produced the same extra-point outcome. The question gives exactly the scoring information required.

The team-yard problems use passing yards after sack losses, which are the figures used with rushing yards to calculate total team offense. Individual quarterback passing totals use a different convention. The worksheet supplies the correct team values so children can concentrate on addition and subtraction.

Check reasoning as well as the final number

A child who obtains four yards on the last two questions should still show both steps. The two questions approach the same difference from opposite directions: Seattle had more, and New England had fewer. Discuss why those descriptions can agree. If a child subtracts in the wrong order, have them identify the larger complete total before calculating. For a quick reasonableness check, estimate each team total to the nearest ten and ask whether the exact difference should be large or small. That check supports the solution; it is not an additional required step on the student page.

Try the worksheet questions

Solve each problem. Write both steps and label your answer. Rushing means running with the ball. Receiving means gaining yards on catches.

1. Kenneth Walker III (SEA) had 135 rushing yards and 26 receiving yards. Mack Hollins (NE) had 78 receiving yards. How many more yards was Walker's combined total?

2. Rhamondre Stevenson (NE) had 23 rushing yards and 40 receiving yards. Cooper Kupp (SEA) had 61 receiving yards. How many more yards was Stevenson's combined total?

3. Seattle made 5 field goals. Each was worth 3 points. Seattle scored 29 points in all. How many points came from other scoring plays?

4. New England scored 2 touchdowns worth 6 points each and made 1 extra point. How many points did New England score?

5. Seattle had 141 rushing yards and 194 team passing yards after sack losses. New England had 331 total yards. How many more total yards did Seattle have?

6. New England had 79 rushing yards and 252 team passing yards after sack losses. Seattle had 335 total yards. How many fewer total yards did New England have?

Answer key and checking work

Try the student questions before opening these worked answers. The separate answer PDF uses the same numbering.

1. 135 + 26 = 161; 161 - 78 = 83 yards

2. 23 + 40 = 63; 63 - 61 = 2 yards

3. 5 x 3 = 15; 29 - 15 = 14 points

4. 2 x 6 = 12; 12 + 1 = 13 points

5. 141 + 194 = 335; 335 - 331 = 4 yards

6. 79 + 252 = 331; 335 - 331 = 4 yards

Grade 3 skill and classroom use

This activity practices 3.OA.D.8 within the Grade 3 Common Core mathematics standards. It is focused practice for that skill, not a complete assessment of everything in the standard. For example, a correct numeric answer alone does not show how a learner reasoned. Ask the child to explain one choice with words, a drawing or a written equation.

For a small group, have students solve independently first, then compare methods with a partner. One learner can read a question while the other identifies the useful numbers; swap roles on the next question. If a learner makes an error, return to the unit and the operation before correcting the arithmetic. Keep a brief note of the kind of support needed so the next practice session addresses it.

Continue the Grade 3 football math series

Choose the next skill your learner is practicing. Each post includes its own student PDF, worked answers and teaching suggestions.

• Multiplication practice
• Division practice
• Addition within 1,000
• Subtraction within 1,000
• Rounding practice
• Fractions practice
• Bar graph practice

Build your own team in LitZone

When the worksheet is finished, build your own team in LitZone with a parent or teacher. Choose real NFL players and give the team a name. You can also explore our football math activities and fantasy football lesson plans for another classroom session. The PDFs in this series remain free to download and use.