Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
American football
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
Jalen Hurts ”Father of American Football”
Brainguard helmet
Dartmouth's football team Fielding Yost Red Grange
Watch the highlights of the Sugar Bowl games from January 1946
See highlights of gridiron football games from October 27, 1956
Jim Thorpe Sammy Baugh
For Students
gridiron football summary
Quizzes
Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)
Great Moments in Sports Quiz
Cricket bat and ball. cricket sport of cricket.Homepage blog 2011, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics
Sports Quiz
Rugby players on team, France.
All Things Football
Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.
American Sports Nicknames
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 16: Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on December 16, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. Playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl Quiz
Read Next
GAINESVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 9: More than 88,000 people attend the UF home game as the Gators host the LSU Tigers in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in a SEC football match on October 9, 2010 at Gainseville, FL. football
The 24 Days of College Football Bowls
Car with a pickle design in the Zagreb Red Bull Soapbox Race, Zagreb, Croatia, September 14, 2019. (games, races, sports)
10 Unusual Sports
Discover
US Marines firing at Fallujah, Iraq, during the Second Battle of Fallujah in November 2004. Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq War.
Timeline of the 2000s
King Cobra snake in Malaysia. (reptile)
9 of the World’s Deadliest Snakes
Happy, smiling, flying pig
7 Everyday English Idioms and Where They Come From
Aurochs. Bos primigenius. Skeleton. Extinct animal. Skeleton of an Aurochs, an extinct wild ox.
6 Animals We Ate Into Extinction
Dancers at a Cinco de Mayo festival at the Mission District, San Francisco, California. (Photo dated 2019.) holidays
Is Cinco de Mayo Mexico's Independence Day?
Internet http://www blue screen. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, media news television, crowd opinion protest, In the News 2009, breaking news
Who Invented the Internet?
Poker game. Card game. Royal Flush in poker. Hearts suit gambling
Poker Hands Ranked

American football: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/American-football
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As the gridiron sport • gridiron football

Photos and Videos

Jalen Hurts
”Father of American Football”
Dartmouth's football team
Fielding Yost
Red Grange
Jim Thorpe
Sammy Baugh
Fritz Pollard
George Halas
Lawrence Taylor
Brainguard helmet
Watch the highlights of the Sugar Bowl games from January 1946
See highlights of gridiron football games from October 27, 1956
Witness the victory of the New York Giants over the Green Bay Packers, November 19, 1944
Vince Lombardi smiles at reporters, while another man wearing a suit holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics

Key People

Herb Adderley
American football player
Bob Griese
American football player
Drew Bledsoe
American football player
Don Maynard
American football player
Frank Gifford
American football player and broadcaster
Dan Fouts
American football player
Y. A. Tittle
American football player
Tim Mara
American businessman
Jim Marshall
American football player
Len Dawson
American football player
Fritz Crisler
American football coach
Art Shell
American football player and coach
Jim Kelly
American football player
Forrest Gregg
American football player and coach
Don Meredith
American football player and broadcaster
Fran Tarkenton
American football player
Joe Gibbs
American football coach
Paul Warfield
American football player
Paul Tagliabue
American football commissioner
Jim Langer
American football player

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
American football players. Carry football, run, push, jump.
Football Frenzy
Bobby Riggs (bottom) and Billie Jean King during the "Battle of the Sexes" match at the Houston Astrodome, Texas, September 20, 1973. (tennis)
Sports Moments Nicknames Quiz
Cricket bat and ball. cricket sport of cricket.Homepage blog 2011, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics
Sports Quiz
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 16: Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on December 16, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. Playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl Quiz
American football players. Carry football, run, push, jump.
Football Frenzy
Rich Harden no. 40 of the Chicago Cubs pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers. July 31, 2008 at Miller Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Cubs defeated the Brewers 11-4. Major League Baseball (MLB).
Sports Firsts Through the Ages Quiz
Serena Williams poses with the Daphne Akhurst Trophy after winning the Women's Singles final against Venus Williams of the United States on day 13 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (tennis, sports)
Great Moments in Sports Quiz
Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.
American Sports Nicknames
Rugby players on team, France.
All Things Football
List
Car with a pickle design in the Zagreb Red Bull Soapbox Race, Zagreb, Croatia, September 14, 2019. (games, races, sports)
10 Unusual Sports