American football is a sport played and watched all over the world. Whether it is college football or the NFL or even high school, fans watch it any chance they can get. The game is constantly changing every year from how it originated, so a quick walk down football history lane is worth a read.
1869: The First Football Game
On Nov. 6, 1869, the first-ever football game was played. It all started with a college soccer football game between Rutgers and Princeton. The players used and changed some of the rules from the London Football Association. Along with this, the sport of rugby started to gain popularity. This is where the more modern football game we know stemmed from.
1876: Development of American Football
During the Massasoit Convention, this is where the football rules were written into history. Taking place at Massasoit House in Springfield, MA, The convention was a pivotal meeting that transitioned the game from soccer-style rules to Rugby Union rules. This convention is where Walter Camp, a player from Yale and later a coach, grew into the public eye. Camp was labeled as the “Father of American football,” due to the innovations he added, including the line of scrimmage, 11 man teams, quarterback, and downs.
1892-1897: Turning Pro
With many club teams playing football, there wasn’t anything labeled as “professional,” yet about the game The first professional football player ever was William “Pudge” Heffelfinger, who was an All-American guard for Yale. He would also be the first player to be paid for playing football, making $500 to play in a game for the Allegheny Athletic Association (AAA) against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club (PAC). In 1896-97, the Allegheny Athletic Association was the first team to be entirely professional.
1902: Start of NFL
In an attempt to start the first professional football league, the baseball teams Philadelphia Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, and Pittsburgh Stars all came together to make the National Football League (NFL). All three teams won the pro championship that year, but League President Dave Berry crowned the Pittsburgh Stars champion.
1906-1912: The Game We know Today
In 1906, the forward pass was legalized. Being a run or toss game from the start, the first forward pass was completed from quarterback George Parratt to end Dan Riley. While they may not have known it, this was revolutionary for football, as today there is a more pass-heavy style of play. In 1909, the field goal was reduced from four points to three, and in 1912, a touchdown was increased from 5 points to 6 points. Both of these changes have stuck to this day.
1933-1943: New Rules
The NFL finally switched from college rules to its own interpretation. Inbound lines, hashmarks, goal posts on the goal lines, as well as divisions were added. In 1935, the NFL listened to the Philadelphia Eagles owner, Bert Bell’s proposal to hold an annual draft of college players. In 1943, free substitution was adopted, as well as wearing helmets. In 1951, it was made illegal for an offensive lineman to catch a forward pass. A sudden death overtime rule was used for overtime in 1955. That same year, they implemented the rule that if the ball carrier touched the ground with any body part except their hands or feet, the ball would be dead immediately.
1967: Super Bowl
With tension over the AFL and NFL at their peak, they decided to join together and face off in the first-ever Super Bowl. The Green Bay Packers represented the NFL and beat the Chiefs representing the AFL. This started the tradition of the biggest game of the year for football fans.
1967-Now: Today’s Game
After 1967, there were no major changes to the NFL, only minor rule changes regarding penalties. The popularity of football has grown bigger than the pioneers would’ve ever thought. Playing over in different countries around the world, American Football is more than just an American sport. For more information on the history of football, go to https://www.profootballhof.com/football-history.
