Introduction
American Football stands out as one of the most popular sports in the US today. It has more popularity than soccer in the US compared to any other part of the world. The largest annual football event is the Super Bowl. It is the most-watched and anticipated yearly sports event of the year. Football is rooted in the rich culture of the gridiron sport, whose history is richly intertwined with the history of football. Today, American Football is predominantly played in the US and Canada. It is played from elementary, secondary, college, and professional levels. However, the sport’s most serious recruitment and popularity are at the college level, with the best players consequently being drafted to join professional teams. The National Football League (NFL) is the most popular sport, with the highest attendance and support ranging from ticket sales, sponsorships, lucrative sporting deals, and fitness, equipment, and gear support (Curry et al., 241). It also sets rules that are a core aspect to guiding how the sport is played. My research will examine the historical roots of football and its development through the years.
From Rugby to Football
Football developed after rugby and borrowed a bit from soccer, combining rules and methods from both games. However, football is played by two teams consisting of eleven players. According to Hollaus et al. (4), the goal is for the offensive team to take the ball run across the field while passing the ball to team members until the team crosses the opponents’ goal posts. The ball is predominantly passed by hand, but it could be kicked at times. On the other hand, the defensive team has to try and prevent the advance while simultaneously trying to counter the offensive effort and attack. However, the sport has not always been like this. The first-ever game was played on November 6, 1869, between the Rutgers and Princeton College football teams (Cohen, 56). Burns et al. (5) confirm that each team had about 25 players, and the ball was shaped round. The objective was to advance to the opposition’s goalposts, and the ballad could thus be picked, kicked, or even batted with players using their hands and feet. John and Ainissa (30) confirm that the colleges made rules as there was no independent body that controlled the sport initially. This trend would continue for several years as the sport grew popular within the second half of the 19th century.
In 1873 the most prominent colleges in the US included Princeton, Columbia, Yale, and Rutgers. These colleges met in October of 1873 to deliberate and create standard rules to enhance the sport and make it better. Harvard, however, had not expressed interest in the sport and soured rugby which was also a popular sport that football seemed to be a variant. The number of players per team was thus reduced to 20. The standard field size was 122 by 76 meters (Victory Football Education). After an assessment by Harvard examining these rules and comparing them to the Canadian rules, it viewed the Canadian rule as the best. These involved the use of an oblong ball that replaced the round ball. Instead of 20 players, the new Canadian rules preferred using 11 players per team, and the strategy involved running the ball, tackling, and a forward pass. A game would be played using these rules in 1875 between Harvard and Yale (Gleason, 68). Princeton witnessed it and was fascinated by the sport, gradually adapting their style to resemble this game.
The Contributions of Walter Camp
This was then followed by the colleges coming together to form a scoring system and modify the existing rules to promote competition and make the sport more popular. They created the Intercollegiate Football Association to preside and rule over the sport in the same year. The game would then begin to grow in popularity and started growing at a faster pace. Whenever a scrum occurred, a punt would be introduced to break it (Gleason, 67). This meant that a team could indefinitely hold onto the ball and prevent the opponent from having it. However, this effect made the game more of a “block game” where both teams would play defensively, holding onto the ball, and it became highly unpopular among the fans and players of the sport. Walter Camp, who is now termed the father of American Football, is known for pioneering some of the most significant rule changes that shaped the football sport into today (Tamte, 45). He introduced snap to replace scrum, which was called chaotic and inconsistent. He also pushed for the reduction of players per team from 15 to 11.
Other rules proposed by Camp include that each team had to be limited to three tackles to advance the ball 4.6 meters. If a team would not have advanced the ball this distance within the three tackles, it automatically lost it to its opponents, a reel that made it stand out from rugby. The proposed field size was also reduced to 100.6 by 48.8 meters (Tamte, 45). The scoring system also changed and awarded 4 points for a touchdown. A safety had two points followed by a goal after touchdown. A goal scored from within the field had 5 points. The Intercollegiate Football Association legalized tackling below the waistline as the scrimmage line was instituted (Victory Football Education). Despite these changes, the sport had retained its violent nature. Players crashed into each other. Concussions were more frequent, and fatal injuries. The rules had to be changed to reduce these injuries. In 1905, the game even caught the attention of then-president Theodore Roosevelt, who wanted to abolish the game unless changes were made (Burns, 12). In 1905, the sport experienced 19 fatalities over 12 months, with many additional life-threatening injuries.
Significant Changes that define Modern Football
Many changes had to be engineered to reduce dangerous play and injuries. As a result, the game’s playtime was gradually reduced from 70 to 60 minutes, while the first-down distance was reduced from 4.6 to 9.1 meters (Hollaus et al., 13). Also, Harvard created a neutral zone along the pitch width just before the snap. Additionally, the field goal points were reduced from 5 to 3 points while touchdown points rose to 6 from 3. The field size was also gradually reduced to 91 meters with two 9.1 m long end zones while four downs were accepted to help advance the ball 9.1 m. The penalty was introduced in 1918. It stated that the eligible player was allowed to catch the ball anywhere within the field. Around this time, too, players had begun being paid to play. Players played out of passion, and payment had been frowned upon (John and Ainissa, 15). Indirect benefits had been the compensations, while most were motivated by trophies. The 20th century saw the rise of the sport to professional levels, with players being paid to play. Players began shifting teams, and money became an incentive.
The NFL
By 1920, the National Football League (NFL) was formed. Its main aim was to solve the issue of money in the sport and facilitate its move to a professional sport. Its goals included putting an end to the bidding wars over players, eliminating the use of college players, and paying players to leave their teams (History extra, n.p.). However, this move to professional sports had not been well seen as a serious endeavour until 1925. The NFL was seen as a competitive league and sought to rival the more popular college football. The real boost and rise of its legitimacy came in 1925 when the Pottsville Maroons beat Notre Dame All-stars (Curry and Eric, 245). The NFL professional game was different and insisted on more effective techniques, including the passing game, and more teams joined the NFL as it grew in size leading up to the 1958 NFL championship game. By this time, the game was even televised and watched by millions of viewers on television in the US. The Baltimore Colts would then beat the New York Giants 23-17 to win (Curry and Eric, 245).
In 1933, the forward pass became legal from any position behind the line of scrimmage. This led to lateral and swing passes designed to get athletes in place within the shortest time possible. In I938, a rule was introduced as “roughing the passer. “The quarterback had to be protected by the teammates after making a throw. There was a rising and increased value placed on quarterbacks within the game, and they provided a valuable asset to the team’s offensive line and attack. After an entire season on a play under these rules, the 1942-43 season was a relatively amazing one, and Sammy Baugh became the highest scorer of the league-leading in passing interception and punting (Mccollum, 56). Many changes followed, too, and 1947 saw the addition of the back judge to the officials surrounding the field, a change that made the field surrounded by referees all through. According to Gleason et al. (67), this made the referees able to watch a small section each. There had been unlimited substitutions rules that allowed three players to be substituted at a time (John and Ainissa, 35). This had evolved to using personnel sets that are decided on down and distance. Game plans have become more reliant on short yardage, pounds, and the goal line to increase their game plan creativity.
1950 saw an era of significant rule changes, and the first had been that no centre or tackle guard was allowed to catch a pass. The rule was not much appreciated among the football player community. Steve (n.p.) asserts that 1952 saw the last teams dropping the single-wing offence and changing their formation. Clarity was set in 1955 when a rule change helped establish that the ball was dead if a player is down, touched by a defender, and a part of their body hit the ground, including feet or an arm. 1972 saw the movement of the hash marks from the 15 to 23 yards from the sideline. The hash line has enabled the ball to be placed there once it is run out of bounds. From this, the offence has 35.6 yards to run the field’s open side (History Extra, n.p.). The game is now played more centrally in the field than before, and the defense can successfully cover 53 yards. The West Coast offense was born as a result and enabled creative play that exposed teams horizontally, and the game would change significantly as a result.
The Rise of Competition and the birth of the super bowl
The popularity of the sport and its potential attracted other people into investing in it. This saw the entry of the American Football league (AFL) that sought to bring on innovation and rule changes that the NFL had failed to address. An intense rivalry was born between these two teams as they struggled to expand and attain more dominance over the sport. The AFL is credited for some of the most innovative changes: using a scoreboard clock rather than the referee keeping time using a watch in his pocket (Steve, n.p.). Also, the two-point conversions by run or pass after touchdowns were optional. Jerseys were made to include player names. The league also actively recruited even minors. Contracts became the means for acquiring whatever was needed. History Extra (n.p.) asserts that the AFL was an aggressive and fierce completion and even went on to sign a five-year $ 40 million contract with NBC television. The AFL would also sign players at record-breaking fees from NFL teams, and a bidding war was born. The two associations, later on, merged in 1970 and agreed on a typical annual draft and a world championship game held between the champions of then two leagues annually.
Innovations and Developments
New positions in the open play were introduced due to the rising innovativeness. There was a need to create more rules to make the game enjoyable, and as a result, wide receivers were introduced. Contact and collision with eligible receivers were restricted as they ran downfield (Lee and Kris, 5). Receivers were now more focused on stretching the field rather than dodging defenders. The 5-yard contact rule was also introduced to reduce contact and make the play more of sports and less combatant. Lee and Kris (5) assert that this rule stated that a defensive linebacker could not contact a receiver outside the 5 yards line from the line of scrimmage. Wide receivers became lighter and fast as the play exploded with passing yards. This has led to heavy investment by teams on offensive play, ranging from fast players, intensive training equipment and strategic game planning, and an insistence on offensive play styles.
Several leagues and tournaments are held throughout the annual calendar that participates in the sport. The NFL and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are currently the most popular league. The NFL holds the most significant football league average attendances with some of the biggest clubs and tournaments, with the Super Bowl being the largest one. (Gleason et al., 69). The winner of the super bowl is usually awarded the Lombardi trophy. The NCAA follows closely as the second most popular league in football, focusing mainly on college sports. Divisions I, II, and III (Mccollum, 547). Division, I is divided into the Football Bowl and the Football Championship subdivisions. The champions of each of these levels are determined after team four playoffs. The National Federation for State High School Associations (NFHS) is the high school football body. It supports the sport at the high school level, where over 1.1 million students participate annually. Despite its widespread popularity, the sport has only one female football association. There are several leagues of the sport formed over time to support it.
Positions and Play Formations
Consequently, rules have been developed and changed to allow fair play and support effectiveness within the pitch. Each team has to have 11 players on the field at any specific time, and these can be substituted. There are also guidelines on substitution that include a limitation, the number of substitutes, and the substitution times. Each player must be identifiable using a number and their name. Mccollum (548) states a league-suggested numbering scheme for the players, and any breakage of rules is severely penalized. Each player has various positions and roles, including offense, defense, and particular unit.
The offense team is usually responsible for heading towards the opposition’s goals to score a touchdown. The players must liven up in a legal formation before snapping the balls. No team player is expected to have crossed the neutral zone until after the ball has been snapped. The interior offensive linemen should not move until after the ball has been snapped. The quarterback leads the offense and identifies the offense’s team before the lineup (Mccollum, 549). The quarterback positions himself behind the center to take the snap. The halfback or running back carries the ball on running plays. At times they may serve as receivers.
On the other hand, the fullbacks tend to be more prominent individuals who block the opponent’s defense members. They may run short yards and are not easily used as ball receivers. Hollaus et al. (6) affirm that the offensive lines have evolved to become the main blockers of the defensive line and protect the ball carrier on passing plays. The center leads this line and makes sure that the linemen play fairly. On the other hand, the wide receivers are the top receivers, and they split up near the line of scrimmage to receive passes from the quarterbacks (Hollaus, 9).
They define the role of preventing the opponent’s offense from scoring a may use interceptions and fumbles to tackle ball carriers. The defensive ends line up on the ends while tackles line up on the inside. They aim at stopping running plays to pressure the quarterback on passing plays and allow the linebackers to pass through. There are middle and outside linebackers lining the defensive line. They call defensive plays, pressure the quarterbacks, guard backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and defend runs (Lee and Kris, 10). The cornerbacks and safeties are usually the last lines of defense. The cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, generally covering a receiver. The cornerbacks then line up further back in the secondary. They aim at stopping deep passing plays and running plays. Lastly, the special teams unit specializes in kicking plays. They execute field goal attempts, punts, and also kicks. This move can be accomplished by the point–after–touchdown unit consisting of a placekicker, a long snapper, and a holder.
African Americans in Football
The history of football is closely intertwined with the history of African American players. The sport had first been introduced in the Jim Crow era, an era that did not allow the black and white people to mix, and as a result, blacks found it difficult to enter into the sport. The first-ever known black player in football was Charles Follis. He played during an era when blacks were banned from the sport, and as a result, he never played any significant position or got pushed to prosper (AAREG). He endured racism and outright hatred from both fans and other players. After his retirement, the second black player, Charles “Doc” Baker, joined the sport. Only one black player played in the league at any particular time until when Frederick “Fritz” Pollard became the first black professional coach and had under him three black players in Akron Pros (AAREG).
There followed a surge in African American players increasing in the league. They excelled greatly until 1933 when the NFL banned all the African American players from participating in the league. However, AFL’s presence seemed to have brought a new perspective, and in 1946 after their integration, it became clear that the NFL had made a regrettable decision, African American players had become the face of the game, and they led in rushing, passing, and receiving (American Football Wiki.). There was a rise in demand for black players as teams rushed to secure their signatures. By the 1970s, it had become clear that blacks were top players in the game, and their contribution was invaluable. They occupied all significant positions within the game. However, the quarterback position remained predominantly reserved for white players (NFLPA). The position was gaining huge significance, and it was being perceived as the most valuable position in the game as it is today.
However, in 1953, the first-ever black quarterback came into the game. This was Willie Thrower. Doug Williams became the only black quarterback to grace the sport and lead his team to a Super Bowl win. The excellence that blacks bring to the pitch has been known to marvel spectators and managers globally. Over 67% of the NFL players are blacks (NFLPA). Despite this success, very few blacks have been welcomed to management positions in the sport. In 2019 there was a protest against this practice as even highly qualified and experienced coaches were left out of positions because they were black (American Football Wiki.). Ozzie Newsome of Baltimore Ravens became the first-ever black manager in the NFL. The same trend has been seen regarding coaches in the sport. Currently, there are less than five nonwhite coaches in the NFL, while black players add up to a staggering 67%. Racial injustice and tensions run high in the NFL as the NFL-Players Coalition social justice platform continues to fight racism in the sport.
Legends in the Sport
The NFL has had some of the greatest legends in sports history. Major filmmakers, historians, and documentary makers have attempted to capture this history through their efforts to maintain the culture and history of this sport. However, they all agree that some of the greatest players include; The number one spot is always reserved for the greatest ever New England Patriot quarterbacks Tom Brady who is known for being the seven times super Bowl champion, five-time Super Bowl MVP, among other numerous accolades (USA today, n.p.). He currently stands as the current most recognized player in the game. The second spot goes to Jerry Rice, who played as a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers. He is the all-time leading player in touchdowns (208) and receptions (1,549). He is also the first-ever ten-times-all-team pro (Hauser, n.p.). His longevity and extended excellence in the sport have been unmatched.
Lawrence Taylor of the Ney York Giants stands out as one of the only two defensive players to earn the MVP status. He is the greatest ever defensive player in the NFL, and the 12 years he played the game cemented him as the hardest hitter in the sport. Joe Montana of the San Francisco 49ers of, popularly known as “Joe Cool,” brought the Hollywood quarterback style to life. He shaped the modern quarterback play and leveled up the game to what it is today. His stats are complete evidence of his career. The greatest Running back in NFL history was Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears. His per-game statistics and accolades are much better than many players on this list. He would be the number one player if ranks were based on “best” rather than “greatest” players of all time.
Reggie White played one of the most aggressive and violent positions. He is the greatest edge dasher of all time. He was a legend that managed to play for almost two decades in the position without modern medicine. Other honorable mentions in the sport include Johnny Unitas, who set the base and is referred to as the legend that refined Tom Brady. Payton Manning solely carried the defense of the Indianapolis Colts on his shoulders. Others include Emmit Smith, Joe Green, Ronnie Lot, John Elway, Ray Lewis, Dick Butkus, Dan Marino, Deacon Jones, Otto Graham, Randy Moss, Dick Lane, and OJ Simpson, whose case led to his NFL legendary history being forgotten (Unk, n.p.). It is evident that the majority of the people on this list are quarterbacks, a position that has become the face of any team, and the success of the team is a huge personal achievement for the quarterback.
Conclusion
Football has the richest history among the most popular sports inch the US. The rich history is primarily embedded in its evolution and development of rules over time. However, there is hope that future developments will lead to the sport becoming more advanced. There are contributive technologies and developments in virtual reality, increased sponsorships, and treatment that ensure that the sport becomes more entertaining and better into the future (Lee and Kris, 10). The more this technology advances, the more like change is likely to develop a richer history. The sport is now a multibillion investment, with player earnings being billions in salary, sponsorships, and contract signings in millions spanning over several years. Also, colleges and high school football sports are supported greatly through scholarships to top athletes and even some payments to athletes over their careers in college (Mccollum, 549). Professional players are top earners and access the best medical support and practicing facilities. This has propelled the sports and entertainment industry to one of the largest ones globally.
Future research should be focused more on improving the sport and making it better. Major pharmaceutical companies have entered into the sport to reduce the healing time of injuries, reduce player off time, and increase strategic play. Minimizing the chances of injuries is also a significant concern that should be focused on. The sport consistently grows in popularity, and the size of investment in it is also huge. The sport has given birth to increased merchandise sales over the years, supporting the garment industry, improved gaming platforms, and games based on the sport, and also an improvement that guarantees better health management. The sport is a massive contributor to charity and supporting the sport through schools and funding projects to develop talent. The future of this sport is deemed to be a bright one. It is expected to grow into a bigger one and spread to more countries in the future.
Football has come a long way, and there are signs that it is bound even to grow bigger. The Super Bowl event has become an annual family and American history marker throughout the world. The two centuries of its development have shaped it into a billion-dollar franchise and a figure of national togetherness. The sport is also building a culture around itself propagated to the lowest level of sportsmanship. The sport is played all through from grade school to a professional level. It has played a significant role in redefining sports and uniting communities. The sport has seen the rise of great legends of the sport, people that have inspired others and made it legendary. Support continues to grow for this sport, and more countries gradually embrace it.
Works Cited
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This study examines how intercollegiate football led to what football is today. It examines Yale, Harvard, and Rutgers in transforming the sport to what it is today from its earlier form.
Cohen, Rich. Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013.
This book examines the historical development of football with exquisite looks into how the sport has evolved ever since. The book mainly views the Chicago bears and how they influenced the sport.
Curry, Graham, and Eric Dunning. “The Power Game: Continued Reflections on the Early Development of Modern Football.” The International Journal of the History of Sport 33.3 2016, pp. 239-250.
This study explores the rise of football to popularity and also the cause for its development. It examines the subculture embedded in, and that defines the football sport.
Gleason, Benjamin H., James B. Kramer, and Michael H. Stone. “Agility training for American football.” Strength & Conditioning Journal 37.6, 2015, pp. 65-71.
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