Football Facts

Most of the most interesting football facts surround the creation of the NFL, the most important football league in the world. Here are some of the facts on football leagues:

• The American Professional Football Association, which later became the NFL, began in 1920 at a Canton, Ohio car dealership.
• The first president was Jim Thorpe.
• Players who are drafted by an NFL team cannot refuse unless they sit out the season and are drafted the next year to someone else.
• New York City, where the NFL's official office is located, no longer has an NFL stadium or team.
• Facts on football relating to awards: the NFL awards the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the team that wins the Super Bowl, the George S. Halas Trophy to the team winning the NFC Championship, and the Lamar Hunt Trophy to the team winning the AFC Championship.
• In the 1980s the USFL filed suit against the NFL claiming that the NFL was an illegal monopoly. While the NFL lost the lawsuit, they only had to pay $3 to the now-defunct USFL.
• One of the most interesting facts on football is that the NFL is the world's richest professional sports league, bringing in close to $1 billion each year.
• Facts on football values: The Dallas Cowboys, worth nearly $1.5 billion, are the most valuable sports franchise in the world.
• Cheerleaders first entered the professional football world with the Colts.

Facts on Football: Football History
If interesting football facts about the NFL are not enough for you, consider these facts on football and its unique history.

• Walter Camp is the "Father of American Football."
• The game has its origins in the game of rugby.
• Facts on football players: William "Pudge" Heffelfinger was paid $500 to play football for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club in 1892. Heffelfinger was the first professional football player.
• Facts on football players: Willie Thrower, who played for the Bears in 1953, was the first African-American quarterback in the league.

Facts on Football: College Football Facts
One of the most interesting facts on football is the fact that the game evolved primarily as a collegiate game, eventually becoming a professional sport in the early 1900s. Many college football facts point to the game's long history in American athletics.

For instance, one of the most important interesting football facts is that the first intercollegiate football game was played on November 6, 1869 at Rutgers University against Princeton University. This game resembled rugby more than American football, as carrying or throwing the ball was not allowed.

Over time, more and more colleges joined in the game, and college football facts show that the rules were standardized between 1973 and 1880. Of course, most college football facts sheets indicate that these early games were more similar to rugby than traditional football, but this is where the game got its start. Here are some more college football facts:

• One of the most interesting football facts is that Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia all met in Massachusetts in 1876 to outline a code of rules for early football games.
• This early meeting led to the formation of the Intercollegiate Football Association, which was made up of Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton.
• Most facts on football lists indicate that college football is one of the most popular sports in America.
• Ohio State, the University of Michigan, the University of Tennessee, and Penn State all have football stadiums that hold over 100,000 fans, and they typically sell out.
• One of the least known facts on football is that modern fields are smaller than they were at the beginning of the game. They have shrunk from 120 yards to 100 yards.
• In 1906 colleges considered dropping the game because it had caused so many injuries and even some deaths. President Theodore Roosevelt campaigned for keeping the game but making it safer.
• One of the most well known college football facts is that most major players receive a scholarship for school for their athletic ability. This trend started after World War II. These scholarships are funded largely from game profits and alumni donations.
• College football facts relating to tournaments: There is no college football tournament like the NCAA basketball tournament. Teams play several bowl games throughout the year.

These interesting football facts should make for interesting conversation the next time you are talking about sports.