American football wikipedia

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Highest governing bodyInternational Federation of American Football
NicknamesFootball · gridiron
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football
American football - Wikipedia
American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with possession of the oval-shaped football, attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball o… See more
Timeline
1869
Soccer was the original football, with players using their feet to move the ball over a field. It is still called football in many countries today.
1870
Over the course of a few years, soccer fell out of popularity as rugby gained momentum. American football grew out of a combination of British rugby and soccer.
1876
As the game became more popular, players and fans knew it was time to set a few official rules. Walter Camp wrote a set of rules during the Massasoit Convention, and he later became known as the father of American football.
1892
The first paid football player was William Heffelfinger. He was paid $500 to play on the Allegheny Athletic Association's team in a game against a rival club, and he won the game for them.

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Etymology and names
In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season, when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style … See more
History
American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer. Rugby, like American football, is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the oppone… See more
Teams and positions
A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on the field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" s… See more
Rules
In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in America… See more
Safety and brain health
Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear a set … See more
Leagues and tournaments
The National Football League (NFL) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are the most popular football leagues in the United States. The National Football League was founded in 1920 and has since b… See more
Popularity and cultural influence
"Baseball is still called the national pastime, but football is by far the more popular sport in American society", according to ESPN.com's Sean McAdam. In a 2014 poll conducted by Harris Interactive, professiona… See more
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Table of Contents
Quick Facts
Etymology and names
History
Teams and positions
Rules
Safety and brain health
Leagues and tournaments