Football, American Football, is most directly descended from rugby football in the UK. American football probably dates from the early 1800's when a football like game that bore little resemblance to the modern game was played at some colleges and universities. There are disputed claims that Rutgers University and Princeton University played the first game of college football on Nov. 6, 1869 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. That game was very different from today's football. The first game of American football that would be more recognizable was played between Tufts University and Harvard University on June 4, 1875. Even though recognizable, the rules and play were still quite different. It was not until 1912 that American football took on its current form.
Professional Football
Professional football developed in the American Midwest and has since grown to include a many leagues in the United States and Canada including the CFL and the NFL, various arena and indoor football leagues, and even a women's professional football league.
Outdoor Professional Football
American professional football is most commonly associated with the two outdoor professional football leagues, the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL).
National Football League (NFL) - Founded in 1920 in Canton, Ohio, the NFL is almost synonymous with American football. The NFL is the pinnacle of professional football in North America, and is the largest American football league in North America.
Canadian Football League (CFL) - The CFL holds a similar status as the pinnacle of professional football in Canada. CFL football is very similar to football of the NFL but there are many significant differences in the rules.
Both the NFL and CFL brand of football is designed to be played outdoors, although many teams do play in domed stadiums.
Arena Football / Indoor Football
Arena football or indoor football is a variation of American football with rules variations to make it suitable to play in smaller venues such as gymnasiums and ice hockey arenas. There are currently eight indoor football leagues in North America, including:
There are also a couple of women's professional football leagues in North America. Both of these leagues play games similar to the NFL in outdoor venues.
Having had its origins in colleges and universities, football is an extremely popular college sport. College football is played at four NCAA division levels (NCAA Division I-A, NCAA Division I-AA, NCAA Division II, and NCAA Division III). It is also played by teams in the the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) using NCAA rules.
Preparing for His Moment: A.J. Cooley Runs with the Big Boys in El Paso This week, the Shorter College All-American running back is preparing for the biggest moment in his football life as he will play in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 6 at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso.
DeBoer Named AFCA-NAIA National Football Coach of the Year The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) capped its 2010 convention by presenting its top coaching award -- AFCA Coach of the Year -- to five outstanding coaches today (Jan. 12).
2009 NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll - Postseason poll Sioux Falls (S.D.) becomes the first team since 2005 to be ranked No. 1 the entire season as the Cougars top the NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Postseason Poll, the NAIA announced on Monday. The top billing marks the 14th straight for USF dating back to the 2008 Top 25 Postseason poll. With all 18 first-place votes and 418 total points, the Cougars wrapped up the 2009 season with their second straight National Championship and a 15-0 record.
McKendree Remembers Standout Football Player Cory Wilson The McKendree University athletics family has once again been struck by tragedy as former Bearcat football standout Cory Wilson was among the victims of the shooting at the ABB Power facility in St. Louis on Thursday morning. Wilson was 27 years old.
Campbellsville University Record-Holder William Mulder Signs AF1 Contract The Spokane Shock, an Arena Football 1 team, announced Monday (Dec. 28) the addition of former Campbellsville (Ky.) University defensive back William Mulder to its 2010 roster. Spokane, the 2009 AF2 Champions, is one of 15 teams in the inaugural AF1 league.
Notre Dame wants to remain independent in football, but that might not matter if the Big Ten and Pac-10 decide to expand and create sweeping changes to major college sports. "Our preference is clear," Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said Tuesday. "I believe we're at a point right now where changes could be relatively small or they could be seismic." Swarbrick...
Pinstripe Bowl set for Yankee Stadium (AP) The first Pinstripe Bowl will be played at Yankee Stadium on Dec. 30 and will be televised by ESPN. The game will include the No. 3 team in the Big East and the No. 6 school in the Big 12, excluding Bowl Championship Series participants. "I think no matter what the sport, every kid who grows up wants to play at Yankee Stadium," Yankees president Randy Levine said Tuesday.
With all the first-round prospects coming out of Oklahoma for this year's NFL draft, St. Louis Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo could be getting to know the Norman campus quite well over the next month. Carrying the No. 1 pick with them, Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney visited the Sooners' pro timing day Tuesday, getting another chance to see defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, offensive...
Texas, Maryland get reprieve on new rule (AP) The NCAA has given Texas and Maryland a one-year reprieve from a new rule that limits off-campus football recruiting by a coach designated as the head coach-in-waiting. That will allow Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp and Maryland offensive coordinator James Franklin to fully participate in the critical spring evaluation period in April and May.
Stanford hires Hamilton as WRs coach (AP) Stanford has hired former Chicago Bears assistant Pep Hamilton as its new wide receivers coach. Coach Jim Harbaugh announced the move on Tuesday. Hamilton had spent the past three seasons as quarterbacks coach for the Bears. He also was an assistant in the NFL for San Francisco and the New York Jets. Hamilton began his coaching career at Howard University, where he starred as a college quarterback.
