American Football History

The roaring of the crowd on November 17 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC finally fell silent late in the fourth quarter after star linebacker Luke Kuechly was slow to get off the field after a huge hit to the head. American’s live to be entertained, and the football field is one of the main sources of enjoyment for many. Immediately after Kuechly’s hit, it was quiet in the stadium for the first time that day. The fans watched in fear, waiting to see if their star player could finish the game and bring out the win. However, they all became disappointed as Kuechly shed tears while being carted off the field, not because they were worried about the player and his head but because they feared about losing the game. Americans want excitement,

Next, on November 12, 1892 came the first professional level game played between the Allegheny Athletic Association and the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. Finally, in 1920, the American Professional Football Association became the country’s first organized football league. Back then, the game resembled rugby more than the current game of football. Over time, the rules have been constantly changing in order to boost the excitement level and increase the game’s safety. The first of safety rules came in 1938 when they established roughing the passer, which prevented the defense from hitting the passer after he threw the ball. This was directly to protect the quarterback. Next, in 1943, helmets became mandatory for all players on the field. This was the first step to helping protect the wellness of the players’ heads, even though they were unaware of the seriousness of hits to the head and any long term

Football is a culture and within that culture is the desire to make money. In the 2014-2015 season, the NFL made $7.24 billion. Many dedicated fans travel to the stadium on a Sunday afternoon to experience the culture of football: the tailgate in the parking lot, the hundreds of dollars they pay to publicly display their favorite team’s gear, the front row seats to the game for them and their best buddy, the hotdogs and beer from the concussion stands. Many fans will participate in the NFL’s lifestyle every week. But the question is, do they really care about the actual sport or is it just the comradery and entertainment that it