Gridiron football

Gridiron football is a family of team sports that started from rugby football. It is mainly played in the United States and Canada. The most famous version is American football, played with 11 players in the United States. Canadian football, played with 12 players, is popular in Canada. There are also other versions like arena football and flag football.

These sports began in the 19th century from older games related to association football and rugby football. The first recorded game was played between Harvard and McGill Universities in 1874. Over time, both American and Canadian football grew and shared some rules.

What makes gridiron football special are the hard plastic helmets, shoulder pads, the forward pass, the system of downs, and unique positions. Players measure distances in yards, and the ball is a distinctive brown leather shape with pointed ends. The international governing body for the sport is the International Federation of American Football (IFAF).

Etymology

The sport is often called "football" in the United States and Canada. In Europe, people usually say "American football" because "football" there means association football ("soccer").

Both American and Canadian football are sometimes called "gridiron football." This name started from an old way of marking the field. Early fields had many lines that made a pattern like a grid, like a cooking gridiron. Even though the game changed its lines later, the name "gridiron" stayed. In Australia, American football is also called "gridiron" or "American football," because "football" there usually means Australian rules football or rugby league. The group that oversees American football in Australia is Gridiron Australia.

History

Gridiron football began with informal games in North America in the 1800s. These early games had different local rules and were similar to modern rugby union and soccer. The first known game was at University College on the University of Toronto's St. George campus in November 1861.

In the 1860s, university teams started playing each other. This led to more uniform rules and the start of college football. While many U.S. schools used soccer rules from the English Football Association, Harvard University kept its traditional style. McGill University in Montreal followed rugby union rules. In 1874, Harvard and McGill played two games using each other's rules. Harvard liked McGill's rugby-style rules and began using them. These rules were used when Harvard and Yale University played their first intercollegiate sports game in 1875. After that, Yale and Princeton University also started playing this style, and it spread to other U.S. colleges.

American football teams later introduced new rules that made the game different from rugby. Important changes were led by Walter Camp, such as the line of scrimmage and the system of downs. In 1906, the forward pass was allowed, letting the quarterback throw the ball forward. Canadian football stayed closer to rugby for many years, but players in the western provinces wanted to adopt American-style changes. Over time, Canadian football added more American rules but kept some old features, like a 110-yard field, 12-player teams, and three downs instead of four. The Burnside rules helped shape the modern rules of Canadian football.

Versions

American football is the most popular type of gridiron football. It has eleven players and is played on a 100-yard field. The main professional league is the National Football League (NFL), and college teams follow rules set by the NCAA. There are also special versions like sprint football for lighter players.

Canadian football is mostly played in Canada. It has twelve players and is played on a longer field. It also has a special scoring play called a "single."

There are many other versions of the game too. Some use fewer players, like nine-man or six-man football, often played in small towns. Indoor football uses smaller fields and special rules. Flag football replaces tackling with pulling a flag from the player carrying the ball. Touch football and backyard football are informal games played for fun. There is also wheelchair football for players with mobility challenges, and women's American football, which follows the same rules as the men's game.

Professional leagues

Top players in the NFL earn very high salaries, among the highest of any athletes in the world.

Collegiate leagues

Collegiate leagues are football leagues for students at colleges and universities. These teams play exciting games that many fans enjoy watching. The best players can sometimes get scholarships, which help pay for their education. These leagues help build school spirit and bring students and communities together.

Comparison of codes

Gameplay

Main article: List of gridiron football rules

Gridiron football is a team sport. Two teams try to score points by moving the ball toward the other team's end zone. The game starts with a coin toss. The coin toss decides which team will kick the ball or catch it. Players stand on opposite sides of the field. The kicking team sends the ball to the other team. The other team can catch it and run with it or let it stop.

After the kick, play from scrimmage starts. The team with the ball is the offense. They try to move the ball closer to the other team's end zone. The other team is the defense. They try to stop the offense. The offense can run with the ball or throw it to a teammate. The play ends when the ball carrier is tackled, goes out of bounds, or a forward pass is not caught.

If a team breaks a rule, the other team gets a penalty. The penalty usually means losing a few yards. Teams have a limited number of tries, called downs, to move the ball ten yards. If they succeed, they get more downs. If not, the other team gets the ball.

There are a few ways to score points. A touchdown is worth six points. It happens when the offense gets the ball into the opponent's end zone. After a touchdown, the team can try for one or two more points. A field goal is worth three points. It is kicked through the opponent's goalposts. If a team commits a foul in its own end zone, the other team gets two points called a safety.

The game has four quarters. There is a halftime break in the middle. The team with the most points at the end wins. If the score is tied, there are special rules to decide the winner. Games usually last over three hours because of breaks and stoppages.

Injuries

See also: Health issues in American football

Some players have been hurt while playing football. They can sometimes injure their legs, arms, and lower backs.

A study found that some former players had a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This included players from different levels, like the NFL, CFL, college football, and high school football.