Football Amerika

This article is about the American variation of gridiron football. For a broader usage of the name, see American football (disambiguation). American football Larry Fitzgerald catches a pass at the 2009 Pro Bowl Nickname(s) Football, gridiron First played November 6, 1869, Princeton vs. Rutgers Characteristics Contact Full-contact Team members 11 per side Both teams can substitute players freely between downs Categorization Team sport, ball game Equipment Football Football helmet Pads (shoulder and knee) Venue Football field (or gridiron) Olympic No; demonstrated at the 1932 Summer Olympics [1] American football (known as football in the United States and gridiron in some other countries) is a sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field 120 yards long by 53.3 yards wide with goalposts at each end. The offense attempts to advance an oval ball, [2] , the football, down the field by running with or passing it. They must advance it at least ten yards in four downs to receive a new set of four downs and continue the drive; if not, they turn over the ball to the opposing team. Points are scored by advancing the ball into the end zone for a touchdown, kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal or by the defense tackling the ball carrier in the offense's end zone for a safety. American football evolved from rugby. The first game of American football was played on November 6, 1869 between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton, under rules resembling rugby and soccer. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp, the "Father of American Football", established the snap, eleven-player teams and the concept of downs, and later rule changes legalized the forward pass, created the neutral zone and specified the size and shape of the football. American football as a whole is the most popular sport in the United States; professional football and college football are the most popular forms of the game, with the other major levels being high school and youth football. The NFL's championship game, the Super Bowl, is among the most-watched sporting events in the world. Read in another language Last modified 22 hours ago History Etymology and names Teams and positions Equipment Safety Rules Leagues and tournaments Variations and related sports See also Footnotes References