In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, chicken, and ranch dressing mix.

Place cheese ball mixture onto a sheet of waxed paper and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Use your hands and the plastic wrap to form the mixture into an oblong football shape.

Spread the chopped pecans onto a clean sheet of waxed paper. Roll the ball in the pecans until it is fully coated. Be sure to maintain the football shape.

Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Unwrap the football cheese ball and place it on a serving platter.

Use a sharp knife to cut four strips of the cheese about 1/2-inch wide each. Place two strips end to end and lay over each end of the cheeseball to look like the stripes on a football.

Cut one long strip of cheese about 1/4-inch wide. Cut four strips of cheese 1/4-inch wide by 1 1/2-inches long. Lay the small strips down the middle of the cheeseball to look like the laces on a football.