The NFL is more than just a game. How the best American football league in the world came to be and how it got to its current form.
American football has enormous importance in the USA, which can be aptly described with a well-known quote: “Football is to Texas what religion is to the priest”. These words come from Tom Landry, who was head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. Texas is part of the “Bible Belt,” a region where Protestantism is deeply rooted in the culture. However, Landry’s statement can be applied to the entire country.
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The origins of American football go back over 150 years
For many Americans, football is more than just a sport; it is a kind of religion. This passion has long since reached Europe, where NFL game days generate great enthusiasm. In addition to the Super Bowl, the highlight of each season, there are numerous watch parties that take place both virtually and in person. This provides an opportunity to look into the origins, history and special features of the NFL.
The origins of American football go back over 150 years. In the 1870s the sport developed from a mixture of rugby and football. However, the first set of rules was not introduced by the NFL until the 1930s, which makes it difficult to determine the exact influences. Nevertheless, the “kicking games” of the 19th century are considered forerunners.
A significant date in the history of American football is November 6, 1869. On this day, Princeton and Rutgers universities in New Jersey competed against each other for the first time. At that time, the rules were more similar to football, as there were no specific rules for American football. More games followed in 1874 between the Harvard and Montreal rugby teams.
The NFL has had its current name since 1922
In August 1920, the “American Professional Football Association” was founded, which organized the first league operations. Two years later, in 1922, the name was changed to the “National Football League” (NFL). At the beginning, however, there was only sporadic gaming operations.
It was only with the advent of television in the late 1950s that new sources of income emerged that made professional gaming possible even in smaller cities. During this time, professional football was able to match the popularity of college football and professional baseball for the first time.
In the NFL, teams must cover ten yards on four plays, known as downs, to retain possession of the ball. If this is not successful, possession of the ball changes. A touchdown, which scores six points, is scored when the end zone is reached. After a touchdown, the team can score one or two extra points. One point is scored by a kick from 15 yards away, while two points can be scored by another run into the end zone from the two-yard line.
If a team does not manage to score a touchdown, it can also try to score three points via a field goal. The kicker shoots the ball through the opposing goalposts from the spot where the last move ended. A game lasts 60 minutes, divided into four quarters of 15 minutes each. If there is a tie, an extension of ten minutes follows.
New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are the most successful teams in NFL history
Rule violations in the NFL are signaled by yellow flags. The referees throw these in place of the offence. Penalties often result in a loss of space of five, ten or 15 yards. In addition, the defending team can be penalized with an “automatic first down,” giving the attacking team another four plays to gain ten yards.
According to NFL rules, a team can take six timeouts of two minutes each during a game, three per half. However, two consecutive timeouts are considered unfair and result in a loss of space of five yards. Although American football is considered a tough sport, not all actions are allowed. What is prohibited are, among other things, holding an opponent, tackling the opponent’s head with the helmet, attacks on the abdomen, insulting the referees and mocking the opponent.
The greatest legends in NFL history
The NFL has produced numerous legends whose names are closely linked to the history of the sport. Tom Brady is considered the most successful quarterback of all time with seven Super Bowl victories (six with the Patriots, one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and numerous records. Other famous quarterbacks include Joe Montana (San Francisco 49ers), Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos), Brett Favre (Green Bay Packers), John Elway (Denver Broncos) and Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins).
Among the wide receivers, Jerry Rice stands out, who is considered the best pass receiver in NFL history with 208 regular-season touchdowns and numerous other records. Running back legends like Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Jim Brown and Barry Sanders have shaped the sport, as have defensive icons Ray Lewis, Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White.
NDC, AFC and the Super Bowl
The NFL consists of 32 franchises organized into the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). Both conferences, which emerged from the NFL and AFL leagues that were combined in 1970, are each divided into four divisions with four teams. The Green Bay Packers are the most successful team in NFL history with 13 titles. In the Super Bowl era (since 1967), the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots lead with six titles each.
The Super Bowl, the finale of each NFL season, is played between the winners of the AFC and the NFC. These teams are also the champions of their respective conference. The Super Bowl is considered the largest single sporting event in the world and is known for its spectacular halftime show. Artists such as Usher, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez and The Weeknd have already made impressive appearances there. In 2024, the average cost of a 30-second Super Bowl commercial on US television was 6.5 million euros. (Marcel Schwenk)
