The question of why American football is called “football” despite the prominent use of hands is a common one, especially for those unfamiliar with the sport’s history. It seems counterintuitive to name a game “football” when feet appear to play a secondary role to hands. To understand this apparent contradiction, we need to delve into the historical roots of the game and the evolution of football codes.
The term “football” itself has a long and varied history, predating the specific sports we recognize today as American football or soccer. One prevailing theory suggests that “football” originally referred to games played on foot, as opposed to equestrian sports favored by the nobility in medieval times. This broad definition encompassed various games played on foot, often involving a ball.
Around 150 years ago, the landscape of football was quite different. Formalized rules were largely absent, and variations of football were played across different regions and schools, each with their own set of local customs. Rugby Football, played at Rugby School in England, was among the first to establish written rules. However, even Rugby’s rules took years to solidify into a definitive code. Following Rugby’s lead, other forms of football began to codify their rules as well. Association Football, which we know today as soccer, emerged during this period.
In America, Rugby Football gained popularity. However, Walter Camp, considered the “father of American Football,” began to modify aspects of rugby that he found less appealing. His innovations led to the development of American Football. Initially, it was simply referred to as “football” in America. A pivotal moment in American Football’s divergence from rugby was the introduction of the forward pass. This innovation significantly altered the game’s dynamics and trajectory, leading it down a path distinct from rugby and other football codes.
As a result of this evolution, we now have several distinct types of “football” around the world. These include American Football, Association Football (soccer), Australian Rules Football, Canadian Football, Gaelic Football, Rugby League, and Rugby Union. Historically, they all share a common lineage and thus, a claim to the name “football.”
However, English-speaking countries diverged in their naming conventions. In British English, “football” and “soccer” were initially used somewhat interchangeably to refer to Association Football. In contrast, American English adopted “football” to specifically denote Walter Camp’s adaptation of rugby. This left the term “soccer” to designate Association Football, effectively creating a clear distinction between the two sports in American vocabulary.
It’s also important to note that “soccer” is not an American invention, despite common misconceptions. The term “soccer” originated in England in the 1880s as a shortened, colloquial version of “Association Football.” It is believed to have been popularized by Charles Wreford Brown, an Oxford University student. While “soccer” might be less frequently used in modern British English, it remains a widely understood term globally and is still commonly used in countries like Australia to differentiate soccer from Australian Rules Football. Historically, “soccer” was even pronounced “so-ser,” reflecting its derivation from “association.” Similarly, “rugger” emerged as a diminutive for “rugby.”
In conclusion, American football is called “football” because it evolved from earlier forms of football, sharing historical roots with games where the term “football” broadly applied to foot-based games. The American adaptation retained the “football” moniker, while “soccer” was adopted to refer to Association Football, creating a clear distinction in American English. Therefore, while the name might seem paradoxical given the gameplay, it is firmly grounded in the historical evolution of football codes and naming conventions.
