A Brief History of American Football: From College Roots to the NFL
Football is the most popular sport in America. According to a Gallup survey, 41% of adults say football is their favorite sport to watch. Its appeal dwarfs its competitors. About 10% of people say they prefer to view baseball and 9% list basketball as their favorite sport. Football’s popularity skyrocketed when the Super Bowl was introduced. Unlike most other professional sports, football has a winner-take-all championship. The Super Bowl, played on the second Sunday in February, is a cultural event attracting a diverse cross-section of fans. The hardcore fans are interested in the action on the field, but other viewers tune in for the Super Bowl ads and the half-time entertainment.
The Early Beginnings of American Football
A version of American football started to evolve in the mid-19th century. There wasn’t a standardized format for the rules and how the games were played in the beginning and initially, American football was derived from rugby and soccer. Some schools played a game that mostly resembled soccer while others played something like rugby. There were other schools that played a game that was a combination of rugby and soccer.
On November 6, 1869, a college football game between Rutgers and Princeton was played using a version of the London Football Association Rules (LFAR). Rutgers defeated Princeton 6-4 in that first game, according to the New York Times. In that game:
Each team had 25 players.
The field was 360 feet long and 225 feet wide.
Players couldn’t run or throw the ball.
Scoring occurred by kicking or butting the ball with your head into your opponent’s goal. The first team to reach 6 goals was the winner.
Players could bat the ball with their hands, feet, or sides.
In 1870, Columbia, Princeton, Yale, and Rutgers started to play football that resembled soccer. Other schools followed, joining the Cornell Football Association (CFA). In 1872, Yale created a different kind of football that used mostly rugby principles. It was led by David Schley Schaff, who had played rugby in England. In 1874, Harvard played McGill University using the rules from the CFA and the Yale rules. The Harvard players, who had played the soccer version of football, liked the rugby style better. That was a pivotal development for what would become modern football. In 1876, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia met at the Massasoit Convention and created rules based on rugby principles. This was the start of today’s version of modern American football.
Walter Camp & the Creation of Modern Football
Walter Camp, often called the “Father of Football,” was a rugby player at Yale from 1876 to 1882. During that time, Camp, the head of the football rules committee, defined and created the principles of football, many of which are still true today. Below are some of the fundamental changes he made to the rules:
Team Numbers: Reducing the number of players on each side from 15 to 11. In part, college administrators agreed to the smaller number because they would have to pay less for travel.
Possession: Possession is when the ball is placed on the ground, and it’s snapped back to the quarterback. Before that rule, there wasn’t a quarterback. Possession followed rugby’s rule. In rugby, the team that recovers the ball or makes a tackle has possession of the football. That team can hold the ball indefinitely. The new rule instituted conditions to keeping the ball.
Downs: In the initial games, teams could hold the ball for a whole half on offense. Because that wasn’t exciting to watch, the concept of downs was instituted. Initially, teams had 3 downs to gain 5 yards, or they’d lose possession. Today, it’s 4 downs to gain 10 yards.
Scoring: In 1883, scoring was established. A safety was worth 1 point, a touchdown 2 points, a goal from a try 4 points, and a goal from the field was worth 5 points. A goal from a try is now considered the 2-point conversation. The 2-point conversion is when a team crosses into the endzone from 3 yards after a TD is scored. A TD is now worth 6 points. A safety is when the ball carrier is tackled in their own end zone. That’s worth 2 points.
Formation: Camp is credited with creating the offensive line, which generally consists of 6 linemen up front who block for the quarterback. He also created the formation of running backs in the backfield.
Besides helping to create the modern rules and formations, Camp relentlessly promoted football, writing 30 books and 250 articles. His persistent and dogged advocation for the sport elevated its popularity. Since 1972, football has polled as the No.1 spectator sport.
The Birth of Professional Football
The first professional football game was played on Nov. 12, 1892 between the Allegheny Athletic Association (AAA) and the Pittsburgh Athletic Club (PAC) at Exposition Park in Allegheny. The two teams had been bitter rivals. Three weeks before the Nov. 12th game, they had played each other and split gate receipts of $1,200. William “Pudge” Hefflefinger, a college All-American at Yale, was paid $500 to play in the game for AAA. Hefflefinger ran a loose football back 35 yards for a TD to lead AAA to a 4-0 victory.
In 1920, the National Football League (NFL), which was then called the American Professional Football Association, was founded. There were 14 teams originally, 3 of which still exist: the New York Giants, the Chicago Bears, and the Green Bay Packers. From 1892 to 1920, pro football was played regionally without a unifying set of rules.
Modern pro football began in 1932 with the first championship game. There were 8 teams in the league. The Bears beat the Portsmouth Spartans 9-0 in an extra game because the teams had the same winning percentage during the regular season. In 1933, the NFL was divided into the East and West Divisions. That year, the winners met in the championship game, where the Bears defeated the Giants 23-21, making this the first true playoff game.
In 1960, the American Football League (AFL) started. A rival to the NFL, the AFL and NFL operated separately, with each league crowning its own champion. The NFL and AFL merged in 1970, creating 2 conferences: the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The merger led to the Super Bowl, a championship game between the NFC and AFC. The Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1967. The first 4 Super Bowls were played before the merger. Currently, the NFL has 16 teams in each conference. Fourteen teams make the playoffs, and the winner of the conference playoffs goes to the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is considered the most successful single sports championship event in America.
Football’s Evolution in the 20th Century
Standard equipment for the early professional football games included a leather helmet, cleats, work pants, and football jackets. Below is a timeline for the introduction of equipment:
1920: Hard helmets and leather pads started being used.
1930: Foam pads and face masks were added.
1940: Chin Straps and chest and shoulder pads made their debut.
1950: Helmets with padding were introduced.
1975: Birdcage facemasks were used.
1998: Face shields became an option.
The latest equipment innovations include state-of-the-art equipment that is designed to focus on player safety. Offensively, football moved from emphasizing running the football to an approach that is an equal combination of running and passing. Teams often aim for balance, meaning they have the same amount of passing and running plays in each game.
Defensively, teams had to switch from defending primarily against the run to guarding against the pass and run. This required fewer players near the line of scrimmage, and more speed in the defensive backfield to guard wide receivers. For years, some players lined up both on offense and defense. It’s rare to see a 2-way player now. Specialists have emerged. Coaches substitute players for certain situations, like when they anticipate a pass or a run, to fortify their defensive attack.
Football has a strong hold on American sports fans. It’ll certainly continue to evolve and adapt to its immense fan base. It has steadily grown into a multibillion-dollar business that shows no sign of slowing down.