Two teams play a game.
They run with a brown ball. They also throw the ball. One team tries to score points.
It is a fun game to watch. Do you like to play games?
Two teams play a game on a big field.
Each team has eleven players. One team has the ball. They run or throw it to move down the field.
The other team tries to stop them. They want to take the ball. The team with the ball must go ten yards. They have four tries to do this.
Players can score in two ways. They can run the ball into an end zone. They can also kick the ball through goalposts.
This game grew from soccer and rugby. It is very popular in the United States. Many people love to watch it on TV.
The team with the most points wins the game.
American football is a big team sport.
Two teams of eleven players face each other. They play on a long, rectangular field. The field has goalposts at each end.
One team is the offense. They have the oval ball. They try to move down the field. They can run with the ball. They can also throw it. The other team is the defense. They try to stop the offense. They want to take the ball away.
The offense has four plays to move ten yards. These plays are called downs. If they move ten yards, they get four more downs.
They can score a touchdown by reaching the end zone. They can also score a field goal. This means kicking the ball through the goalposts.
This game grew from soccer and rugby. A man named Walter Camp helped shape the rules. He is called the "Father of American Football." He helped create the snap and the line of scrimmage. Today, it is the most popular sport in the United States. Many people watch the Super Bowl on TV.
American football is a popular team sport played in the United States and Canada.
It is often called gridiron football because of the lines on the field. Two teams of eleven players compete on a rectangular field. Each end of the field has goalposts for scoring. One team is the offense and they hold the oval ball. They try to move down the field by running or throwing. The defense tries to stop them and take the ball.
The game works through a system of moves called downs. The offense must move the ball ten yards in four plays. If they succeed, they get a new set of four downs.
If they fail, the defense takes control of the ball. Teams score points in a few different ways. They can reach the end zone for a touchdown. They can also kick the ball through the goalposts for a field goal.
If the score is tied, the game goes into overtime.
This sport grew from soccer and rugby. The first game was played on November 6, 1869. It was between two college teams named Rutgers and Princeton.
At that time, teams had 25 players each. They used a round ball that players could not carry. Later, Harvard players helped move the game toward a rugby style. They liked using an oblong ball and running with it. This changed how the game was played forever.
A man named Walter Camp is called the "Father of American Football." He helped create many important rules starting in 1880. He introduced the snap and the line of scrimmage. He also changed the team size to eleven players.
Other rules like the forward pass were added later. In 1905, the game was very dangerous and caused injuries. This led to the creation of the NCAA to manage college sports.
Today, football is the most popular sport in the United States. Many people watch professional games and college games.
The National Football League, or NFL, is a major professional league. Its championship game is called the Super Bowl. It is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world. The sport is also growing in places like Europe and Japan.
Even flag football is heading to the 2028 Olympics.
American football, often called gridiron football, is a strategic team sport. It is played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field.
At each end of the field, there are goalposts. One team acts as the offense, holding an oval-shaped ball. They attempt to advance toward the opponent's end zone. The other team acts as the defense. Their goal is to stop the offense and take control of the ball.
The game functions through a specific system of plays called downs. The offense must advance the ball at least ten yards within four downs. If they succeed, they earn a new set of four downs to continue their drive.
If they fail to reach the ten-yard mark, the ball is turned over to the defense. Points are scored primarily through two methods. A touchdown occurs when a player carries the ball into the opposing end zone. A field goal is scored by kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts.
If the score is tied after four quarters, the game enters overtime.
American football evolved from soccer and rugby. The first recorded game took place on November 6, 1869. This match was played between Rutgers and Princeton.
At that time, teams had 25 players each. They used a round ball that could not be carried. Players could only kick or bat the ball with their hands, feet, or heads. By 1875, the sport adopted rules similar to rugby union. Harvard played a version of the game that allowed running with the ball. This style used an oblong ball instead of a round one.
Walter Camp is known as the "Father of American Football." Starting in 1880, he introduced rules that defined the modern sport. He established the snap, which is the start of a play. He also created the line of scrimmage and set team sizes to eleven players.
In 1882, Camp proposed a rule to limit teams to three downs. This was meant to stop teams from holding the ball indefinitely to prevent scoring. Later, in 1912, the rules changed again to give teams four downs. This change, along with shortening the field, helped shape the modern game.
The sport faced serious challenges regarding player safety. In 1905, dangerous formations caused many injuries and 19 fatalities.
President Theodore Roosevelt threatened to abolish the game unless rules changed. This led to a meeting in New York City by 62 colleges. They formed the Intercollegiate Athletic Association, which later became the NCAA. To make the game safer, the legal forward pass was introduced in 1906. A neutral zone was also created to reduce dirty play between teams.
Professional football grew alongside the college game. The first recorded instance of a paid player was Pudge Heffelfinger in 1892. He was paid $500 to play for the Allegheny Athletic Association.
To manage player movement and rules, the National Football League (NFL) was established in 1920. The NFL became the premier professional league by 1922. The sport's popularity surged after a 1958 championship game known as the "Greatest Game Ever Played." This game was watched by millions on television and helped football become the most popular sport in the United States.
Today, American football has a massive global and domestic presence. In 1972, 38% of Americans named football as their favorite sport. This is twice the number of people who chose baseball. The NFL's championship, the Super Bowl, is one of the most-watched sporting events globally. While most popular in North America, the sport is growing in Europe, Brazil, and Japan.
Even a variant called flag football is set to appear at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (20)
+ 8 more
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🔬 Go deeper
More advanced topics to explore
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.