American football

Table of Contents

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

”Father of American Football”

Brainguard helmet

Dartmouth's football team

Watch the highlights of the Sugar Bowl games from January 1946

See highlights of gridiron football games from October 27, 1956

For Students

gridiron football summary

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

Clouds of smoke rise from fires at the World Trade Center Towers as a result of terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Photographed 9:54 am in Lower Manhattan.

Timeline of the September 11 Attacks

Turtle, tortoise, reptile. Uses assets 88582 & 89606

What’s the Difference Between a Turtle and a Tortoise?

Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society

12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”

Shadow of a man holding large knife in his hand inside of some dark, spooky buiding

7 of History's Most Notorious Serial Killers

The Fortune-Teller, oil on canvas by Georges de La Tour, probably the 1630s; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. (101.9 x 123.5 cm.) (The Fortune Teller)

10 Paintings You Should See at the Met in New York City

Illustration for Demystified "How Dangerous is Quicksand"

How Deadly Is Quicksand?

Estimated battle casualties, Normandy invasion, World War II. WWII, D-Day

Estimated Battle Casualties During the Normandy Invasion and Campaign to Liberate Paris (June–August 1944)

American football: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	the gridiron sport • gridiron football

Photos and Videos

”Father of American Football”

Dartmouth's football team

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 →

Topics

postseason game college football Concessionary Rules sack Green Bay sweep West Coast offense V trick T-formation single-wing formation Notre Dame box baseball boxing golf cricket basketball tennis ice hockey horse racing snowboarding fencing

Key People

Y. A. Tittle

American football player

Paul Tagliabue

American football commissioner

Jim Marshall

American football player

Fritz Crisler

American football coach

Fran Tarkenton

American football player

Frank Gifford

American football player and broadcaster

Joe Gibbs

American football coach

Drew Bledsoe

American football player

Paul Warfield

American football player

Herb Adderley

American football player

Don Meredith

American football player and broadcaster

Jim Langer

American football player

Dan Fouts

American football player

Art Shell

American football player and coach

Don Maynard

American football player

Tony Gonzalez

American football player

Len Dawson

American football player

Forrest Gregg

American football player and coach

Jim Kelly

American football player

Tim Mara

American businessman

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