[FUN FACTS] Why is American football called football?


This may sound a bit ridiculous, but have you ever wondered: “Why is American football called football?” while this sport does not use legs. Of course, everything happens for a reason, and there is a chain of events to explain how did American football get its name. Are you curious about the answer? Let’s find out with Scott Fujita!

1. Why is American football called football?


You can see that the game called American Football does not refer to the fact that it is a ball game mainly played with feet. Yes, there is kick in the game of American football but its name is a sport that derives from its origins as a form of Rugby. Although a game that has evolved into a significantly different form of American football. Let’s immediately refer to the how long is a football game.

There was reasons why American football is called football

There was reasons why American football is called football from rugby style

Like the game itself, the word “soccer” is of foreign origin. Back to its two European cousins, soccer and rugby, historians trace American football. Both started as a kick game.

Soccer – the most popular sport played on foot only – was originally called “association football”. Newspapers looking for a shorter phrase began calling it “assoc.” That name was quickly shortened to “soc” and then evolved back a bit to “soccer”.

While rugby also began as a football game, in 1823 something happened that changed the game of rugby football forever. A player named William Webb Ellis, instead of kicking the ball over the goal line, picked it up and crossed it. 

At first, the observers didn’t know what to think. In the end, everyone agreed that it was a good idea. The game was played at School of Rugby and was known as rugby football, which was later shortened to rugby.

Both soccer and rugby football have finally found their way to America. The result is a combination of two American games. It was not until much later (1906) that transitions were allowed. So, because the American game is really just another form of the football games in Europe, it’s also called football.

View more: 

Soccer can also be called football, but American football is not called soccer

First of all, let’s learn a little bit about how these two sports work. The sport of soccer which is only played on foot through all the games. Foul play considers any use of your hands. That’s where the original term – football – comes from. You are controlling the ball with your feet.

Better yet, the official term for football is the Football Association, which was founded by the Football Association, which was founded in the 19th century (1863).

Where does the word football come from? It is difficult to determine. Overtime, football slang was created, mainly used by North Americans, to simply be the game. It is hypothesized that the word comes from the word ‘Association’.

By controlling the foot ball with your hands, American football is mainly played. So people often wonder where this name comes from if you don’t play with your feet.

American football is played mainly by hand

American football is played mainly by hand

American football is related to rugby, which was related to soccer (association football)

It doesn’t mean that football came first and then rugby. They are a strange grid that actually makes up a football game. Rugby and football both originated in England, but it was not until the late 19th century that the games were fully codified and differentiated. That’s when the two games split into what they’re called today.

After the systematization and creation of the Football Association, the followers of the Rugby game increased and refused to let it be ‘wiped out’ by the establishment of the Association.

As a result, about 10 years later the Association was born, the Rugby League came. After this point, the two games gradually drifted away from each other. American football is derived from rugby football, which is where it is called football.

Some reasons why American football is called football

If you analyze the word “football”, we can understand two roots: foot and ball. Your feet are part of your body, and the ball is what the players use to play with. Looking at the gameplay of American Rugby, we can see that using the foot to kick an egg is not common. So why is it not called American rugby?

The first reason for American football name

Some parts of history say that the name football is derived from European football, which Americans call football and they have left it that way because of tradition. Another highlight is that Americans want to distinguish their football from European football. It is called the word soccer (association football – Europe), American football (America).

Some people say that they don’t want to change their name at all. Hence change the name of Europe to football to overcome the difference between the two.

The second reason for American football name

Another reason is a bit more analysis. This establishes that the name is due to the division of two roots, the foot and the shadow. The foot this time refers to the measurement rule used in the United States and its length is about 1 foot.

The word ball refers to the thing they play with, the ball and its length are approximately one foot. But of course, unlike other balls in other sports, the foot ball is not rounded. It is egg shaped. But the length of an ovoid is approximately one foot.

As a result, American football is called football not only because of its European roots. But more analytically because of the combination of the length of the football and the football itself. It’s not as simple as it seems, but it’s not as irrelevant as many people think.

2. How it become American and International sport

The rugby football become more and more popular now

The rugby football become more and more popular now

Origins of the football called rugby

Back in the 19th century, British public schools played many of the same ball games as football and rugby today. 

While all of these involve two teams and one ball, there are a lot of differences in everything, such as how one’s hands are used and how one can handle an opponent. Because of this, there is no uniform set of rules by which one rugby school can play against another.

Several major public schools in England met in 1863 to make this right. The majority of the participating schools agreed to a standard of regulation and these set of rules and regulations formed the basis of what is now known as the Football Association, also known as football.

However, a small number of schools present did not like the agreed rules, mainly because the new game lacked harsh measures. So, led by Rugby School, they came up with their own set of rules that allowed for harder ball handling, more ball handling.

The use of an oblong ball that was easier to throw than a round ball as in Soccer (association football). Of course, this sport became the sport we know today as Rugby, officially known as Rugby Football.

The spread of the game known as rugby football to America country

Just like football, rugby style is becoming increasingly popular, especially in UK public schools, and is exported around the world. However, unlike football, which can maintain a standard set of rules around the world, rugby football is subject to a number of different interpretations of the game.

Firstly, inside the UK there was a split between those who wanted to play football professionally and those who wanted to maintain the amateur status of the game. Leading to a split between the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football League. Other major interpretations of the game were played in the United States.

In 1869, Rutgers University played Princeton in a game with two teams of 25 players. A round ball that could not be picked up or carried but could be hit with hands and feet for the purpose of scoring by kicking or running the ball into the goal area.

Various college games in the US continued. As such with the game being played by the home team’s own rules. Until officials from Rutgers, Columbia, Yale and Princeton met and came up with a set of rules

The foundation of the modern American football games

However, after a match between Harvard and Yale was played in 1875 and watched by Princeton officials, the modern sport of American Football began to develop. 

The rules of this game were similar to the original game of Football. It was under these set of rules that the main colleges of the United States finally decided to register and henceforth the modern sport of Ball. American football developed, originally piloted by Yale Camp player Walter, dubbed the ‘father of American football’.

3. Fun facts about American football

Some fun facts about American football and football games

Some fun facts about American football and football games

What is American football called in Canada?

Gridiron football, also known as North American football or in North America, simply football, is a group of team sports primarily played in the United States and Canada.

Is Canadian football the same as American football?

The biggest difference between Canadian football and American football is the size of the playing field. In Canada, football fields are 110 meters long and 65 meters wide.

In the United States, football fields are 100 yards long, 53 feet wide, and a third of a meter wide. Canadian football has three instead of four as in the American game.

Why don’t NFL balls have stripes?

The NFL used an all-white ball for a while. For better visibility during night games, then switched to a white ball with black stripes. The paint used for the stripes gave the ball a ball, so the NFL ended up removing the stripes altogether.

Can NFL fans keep the football?

In general, fans can keep the ball, unless it is a special occasion. This would be something like a player’s 200th catch or playoff winning point. A fan may voluntarily return the ball in exchange for another team’s merchandise and the chance to meet a favorite player.

Who designed the football shape?

Until the 19th century, soccer (association football) and rugby were all played with a plum or pear-shaped ball made of leather. It is wrapped in an inflated animal bladder. In Europe, the first proper football was invented by two shoemakers: Richard Lindon and William Gilbert, who invented round and oval balls.

Final Thoughts

So, why is football called football? Through this article, we can realize that there has been a long history of transformation from soccer (association football) and rugby. Hopefully after this article by ScottFujita, you have learned interesting information and answers for the question “why is american football called football”. 

Leave a Reply