Abstract: A football includes an inflatable bladder; a layer of wound filament fibers surrounding the inflatable bladder; a carcass surrounding the layer of wound filament fibers, including raised areas and recessed areas and a plurality of panels positioned within the recessed areas of the carcass. An outer surface of the plurality of panels is flush with an outer surface of the raised areas of the carcass, which includes the appearance of at least one of stitching, seams and a pebbled outer surface. A method of manufacturing a football includes providing an inflatable bladder, winding filament fibers around the bladder and molding a carcass around the fibers. The carcass is molded to include recessed areas, raised areas and the appearance of at least one of seams, stitching and a pebbled surface on the raised areas. Panels are then laminated to the recessed areas of the carcass.