Football Overview

What is Football?

In American football, the field is rectangular and grassed or turfed, and there are 11 players on each team at a time. It is the main objective of each team to score points by kicking the ball through an upright goal post (field goal) or reaching the opponent’s end zone (touchdown).

During offense, players move the ball down the field through strategic passes and runs. During defense, players try to block, tackle, or intercept the ball to prevent their opponents from scoring or reaching the end zone. At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.

Because of the vertical painted yard lines on the field, football is sometimes called gridiron football to differentiate it from soccer.

How Was Football Invented?

As early as the 19th century, football was played in the United States. However, the rules were quite similar to rugby. It wasn’t until the 1880s that the rules of football were adjusted to make it uniquely American.

How was football invented?

Walter Camp is often called the “Father of American Football.” He was one of the most important leaders in establishing the rules of football as we know them today through the Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA).

An Overview of Football History

Gridiron football was developed in the United States during the mid-1800s.

In colleges in the Northeast region of the United States, this game incorporates elements from two popular English sports: soccer (also known as association football) and rugby.

Princeton and Rutgers played the first official college football game on November 6, 1869. However, the game was not like what we know today. In the early days, players were unable to pick up the ball; instead, they kicked it or swiped at it with their hands to move it down the field. As a result, there were more players on the field, and injuries were frequent. Due to its chaotic and somewhat violent nature at the time, the game was often dubbed “mob football.“

Adjustments to the Rules

There was a need for a universal rulebook since many colleges used different guidelines when playing football. The Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA) was established in 1873. When Walter Camp joined the IFA in the 1880s, significant progress had been made toward standardizing the game’s rules. From 1876 to 1881, he played football at Yale as an undergraduate and as a medical student. As a member of the IFA rules board, he developed some key elements of the game that are still used today, including:

• 11 players per side

• Quarterback position

• Line of scrimmage

• Blocking

• Downs

• Scoring rules

• Field size

The gameplay in football games improved after this point, but the players were still subjected to a lot of brutality.

It was reported that in 1904, there were 159 serious injuries and 18 deaths among prep school football players. Some colleges even dropped football from their athletics program and reverted to rugby instead. Ultimately, President Theodore Roosevelt spoke out against the violent nature of the game. Although he was a huge fan of football, he recognized some rule changes were needed. The intercollegiate conference responded by changing some game rules, including:

• Legalizing the forward pass

• Creating a neutral zone between the offense and defense

• Double the distance of the first down to 10 yards

• Eliminating dangerous scrums

• Shortening the matches

However, significant protective gear was still years away. Helmets were not required for college players until 1939. The NFL began requiring them in 1943.

Professional Football

Throughout the 19th century, the game grew in popularity.

William “Pudge” Heffelfinger became the first official professional football player on November 12, 1892. He was paid $500 to play in an Allegheny Athletic Association game.

Latrobe Athletic Association and Jeannette Athletic Club played the first professional game in September 1895. With the payment of their players for the entire 1897 season, the Latrobe Athletic Association became the first fully professional team.

During the early 20th century, more professional teams emerged, many of which were sponsored by athletic associations. The first professional league, the National Football League (which is different from today’s NFL), was formed in 1902 with three teams from Pennsylvania.

Due to players changing teams frequently in response to higher pay offers, professional football struggled in the first two decades of the century. In addition, some players were still attending college. These problems were resolved by regulating the rules by a number of teams.

They formed the American Professional Football Association (APFA) in 1920. The original teams were:

• Akron Pros

• Buffalo All-Americans

• Canton Bulldogs

• Chicago Tigers

• Cleveland Indians

• Columbus Panhandle

• Dayton Triangles

• Decatur Staleys

• Detroit Herald

• Hammond Pros

• Muncie Flyers

• Racine Cardinals

• Rochester Jeffersons

• Rock Island Independents

The group changed its name to the National Football League (NFL) two years later.

After the Chicago Bears tied for the best record at the end of the regular season in 1932, the NFL held its first playoff game. The Chicago Bears won the game, and the popular matchup inspired the league to create two divisions for the following season in 1933, with the winners scheduled to meet in an annual NFL Championship Game. New players were drafted annually by the NFL beginning in 1936.

In the years that followed, the game continued to grow in popularity. A new professional league, the American Football League (AFL), was formed in 1959. Some games were televised, resulting in new fans following the sport. Eight teams joined the AFL for its inaugural season in 1960:

• Dallas Texans

• Houston Oilers

• Boston Patriots

• Buffalo Bills

• New York Titans

• Oakland Raiders

• Denver Broncos

• Los Angeles Chargers

In 1967, the AFL and NFL World Championship was held. It would be the first of a series of annual games known as the Super Bowl. Vince Lombardi, the Packers’ coach when they won the first ever Super Bowl, would later name the championship trophy the Lombardi trophy.

In 1970, the NFL and AFL officially merged. While there are other professional football leagues in the world, the NFL remains the most popular in the world, and gridiron football remains uniquely American.

College Football

It was in the 1930s that the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Cotton Bowl made their debuts, just as it was in the early 20th century when professional football exploded. The popularity of the first Rose Bowl on January 1, 1923 led other regions to create their own bowl games.

College football was broadcast on radio for the first time on October 8, 1921. College football matches were broadcast on television for the first time on September 30, 1939. College football became increasingly commercialized as a result of these milestones, along with the popularity of championship bowl matches.

On many campuses, football continues to be an integral part of the college experience, and alumni and students form strong ties with their teams. As a result of increased TV coverage, college football has gained popularity in recent decades, and it is often televised during the fall season on Saturdays. The bowl games at the end of the year and regional rivalries draw a great deal of attention.

The Basic Rules & Gameplay of Football

How Does Football Achieve Its Goals?

A field goal or touchdown is the goal of the game. The offense can throw the ball or carry it down the field. On defense, players try to intercept or block passes or tackle players running down the field with the ball. It is possible for the defense to force a turnover by stripping the ball carrier of the football.

In order for a play to end, the ball carrier must be tackled to the ground, score a touchdown, run out of bounds, or cause a pass incompletion.

At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.

Football: What Are the Basic Rules?

• Team size – Each team has 11 players on the field at a time. Substitutions are permitted between downs, and coaches often use this to their advantage to execute particular plays.

• Game periods – College and professional football games are played in four 15-minute quarters for a total time of 60 minutes.

  • Overtime: When the score is tied at the end of four quarters, the game goes into overtime. Rules for overtime vary based on the league, with a sudden death model used for pro games.

  • Timeouts: Each team gets three timeouts per half. Additional timeouts are allotted if the game goes into overtime.

• Scoring – There are four ways to score in a football game:

  • Touchdown: A team crosses their opponent’s goal line while in possession of the ball or catches the ball in the opponent’s end zone. A touchdown is worth six points.

  • Extra points: After scoring a touchdown, a team gets one opportunity to score additional points. They can earn one point for kicking the ball through the goal posts or two points, also known as a two-point conversion, for taking the ball into the end zone again.

  • Field goal: The ball is kicked through the goal posts. This is usually done on fourth down if the team decides not to attempt a touchdown. A field goal is worth three points.

  • Safety: The defensive team is awarded a safety if they tackle an offensive player holding the ball in his own end zone. A safety is worth two points.

• Downs – The team on offense is required to move the ball ahead by 10 yards in order to retain possession. They get four chances to do so, and each chance is called a down. Each down ends when the player with the ball is tackled, the ball touches the ground as incomplete, or the ball carrier goes out of bounds.

  • If the offensive team succeeds in moving ahead 10 yards within four downs, they get to start over with another first down. They must again move the ball 10 yards down the field within four downs to maintain possession. The name of each down is called: first down, second down, third down, fourth down.

  • If the offensive team fails to move ahead 10 yards within four downs, they must surrender possession to the other team. Most teams punt the ball to the defending team on fourth down.

• Plays – Teams use a variety of plays while on offense in order to try to move the ball down the field or attempt a touchdown. On defense, plays are used to try to stop the opponent from moving the ball forward. A play requires specific movements for each player on the team and is typically called by either the coach or the quarterback.

• Fumble – A fumble occurs when an offensive player holding the ball drops it before the play is called dead. The fumble may be recovered by a player on either team.

• Penalties & Fouls – There are a number of fouls that can be called in football, many of which involve illegal contact between players. The penalty for most fouls is a loss of 5, 10, or 15 yards.

Some of the most common fouls include:

• Holding: A player illegally grabs, pulls on, or tackles an opponent who is not holding the ball.

  • False start: A player moves from their set position before the snap.

  • Pass interference: A defensive player makes contact with an opponent before the ball is caught that impedes their ability to catch the pass.

  • Unnecessary roughness: A player makes rough contact with one who is ruled defenseless, such as a player that just threw a pass or ran out of bounds.

• Officiating – A crew of three or more people officiates each football game. In college and professional games, there are typically seven officials. A head referee makes most of the calls on the field and acts as the leader of the team of officials.

The Roster of a Football Team

Each team has 11 players on the field at a time. On offense, the positions are:

• Quarterback

• Center

• Tight end

• Fullback

• Running back

• 2 wide receivers

• 2 tackles

• 2 guards

In defense, the positions are:

• 2 cornerbacks

• 2 defensive ends

• 4 linebackers

• Defensive tackle

• Free safety

• Strong safety

There are also special teams consisting of players that come in only for specific types of plays. Some of the special teams positions include:

• Kicker

• Holder

• Long snapper

• Punter

• Kick returner

The Basic Equipment in Football

A leather football must have an ovoid shape and be 11 to 11 ¼ inches long and 21 to 21 ¼ inches in circumference at the center.

Players must wear a short-sleeve jersey and pants along with a variety of protective equipment, including:

• Helmet with a face mask, chin strap, and mouth guard

• Pads for the shoulders, arms, elbows, rubs, hips, thighs, and knees

• Gloves

• Cleats

Football Field

A gridiron football field features grass or artificial turf. It measures 160 feet wide and 120 yards long, including two 10-yard end zones. The measurements are clearly marked every 10 yards down the field, with smaller hashmarks indicating individual yards.

Goal posts are positioned at the center of each end line. The crossbar is 10 feet high with vertical uprights at either end. Pads are placed around the bottom of each goal post to prevent injuries.