I researched fascinating facts about football.

First, I bet you didn’t know that football evolved from soccer and rugby by Walter Camp in 1869. Camp played European football at Yale University but proposed American football rules.

Second, until 1943, NFL players didn’t need to wear protective gear. But due to changing safety standards with contact sports, it was decided that football players had to wear protective gear when playing and practicing.

Third, the first game of football was played between Rutgers and Princeton colleges on November 6, 1869. However, the rules weren’t codified until the 1880s when Walter Camp, a famous rugby player, pioneered the new rules that transformed the game.

Fourth, the first football games were arranged between amateur clubs and college athletic departments, both of which were anxious to get the best players. Athletic clubs began the practice of “rewarding” their best players with gifts and “illegal” remuneration.