- American football traces its origins to two sports: soccer and rugby. In particular, Americans got ideas for the sport from England, where soccer and rugby involved kicking a ball at a goal and/or running one over a line.
- In 1867, Princeton University began to introduce rules for the sport, gaining inspiration from the association regulations in English sports. On Nov. 6, 1869, Princeton and neighboring Rutgers University played what is considered the first official American football game. Rutgers won, 6 to 4.
- In 1876, Princeton, Rutgers, Columbia and Yale established the Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA). From there, the game spread to other campuses, and modifications were made over the next few years, usually to curb the increasing levels of violence.
- Walter Camp (1859 to 1925), who played for Yale, is considered the father of American football. He created the line of scrimmage and the quarterback position, among other innovations.
- The National Football League was formed 1920 as football's professional arm. It would become the pre-eminent football association in the U.S. as the 20th century witnessed the modernization of the sport.
