What’s the most watched single
sports event on television most years? It’s the Super Bowl! More than 100
million people worldwide typically watch the championship game of the National
Football League (NFL).
Fall is football season in the
United States. After the football season ends, the best teams meet in bowl
games. College teams usually play 11 or 12 games during the regular football
season—before the bowl games. Professional teams play 16 games.
WHAT IS FOOTBALL?
Football is played by two teams.
Each team tries to score points by getting the ball over the other team’s goal
line, into the end zone. A team can score a touchdown by passing (throwing) the
ball to a teammate in the end zone or by running with the ball into the end
zone. It can score a field goal by kicking the ball over goalposts in the end
zone. A touchdown earns six points, and a field goal earns three points.
Only one team at a time has the
ball. That team is called the offense. The other team, called the defense, tries
to stop the offense from scoring any points. Both the offense and defense have
11 players on the field.
The offense tries to move down the
football field by throwing passes or by rushing (running with the ball).
It has four chances, or downs, to move the ball 10 yards. If it succeeds, the
offense keeps the ball for another four downs. If it doesn’t, the other team’s
offense gets its turn.
The defense tries to stop the
offense mainly by tackling (knocking down) the player with the ball. The defense
can also try to get hold of the ball by making the offense fumble the football
or by intercepting a pass.
Officials make sure the rules are
followed and the game is played fairly. They hand out penalties if rules are
broken. A penalty on the offense moves the ball farther away from the defense’s
goal line. A penalty on the defense moves it closer to their goal line.
AN ACTION-PACKED GAME
Football is a hard-fought battle.
It’s full of action and exciting plays. That’s why so many people enjoy watching
it.
Fans love to see a well-timed pass
for a touchdown. The ball sails down the field and drops into the outstretched
hands of a leaping player in the end zone.
A long run can be thrilling, too.
The running back shifts direction, twists out of tackles, and races down the
field.
An interception or recovered
fumble also can excite football fans. Such plays unexpectedly turn the ball over
to the other team, sometimes at critical moments of the game.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Football is played at hundreds of
colleges and universities across the United States and Canada. College football
dates back to 1869. Each year, the top player in college football receives an
award called the Heisman Trophy. Sportswriters vote to decide the winner.
Some schools have become
celebrated for their outstanding football teams. Three such schools are the
University of Alabama (nicknamed the Crimson Tide), the University of Nebraska
(Cornhuskers), and the University of Notre Dame (Fighting Irish).
College teams with the best
winning records are invited to play in bowl games at the end of the football
season. The bowl games help decide the national champion. The important bowl
games include the Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Fiesta
Bowl. Colorful festivities go along with the games. For example, floats
decorated with flowers take part in the Rose Parade before the Rose Bowl.
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL
Many of the best college players go
on to play football for a professional team. The most important professional
league in the United States is the National Football League (NFL). Professional
teams in Canada belong to the Canadian Football League (CFL). College athletes
can also play on professional football teams in Europe.
The NFL dates from 1922. Today, the
32 teams in the NFL play in two conferences, the National Football Conference
and the American Football Conference. NFL teams play 16 games during a season.
The best teams compete in playoffs for the conference championship at the end of
the regular season. The conference champions meet in the Super Bowl.
Only one team in NFL history has
gone through an entire season without losing a game. The Miami Dolphins went
undefeated in 1972. Don Shula was the Dolphins’ coach. Shula won more
games—347—than any other NFL coach.
FOOTBALL RECORDS
Many of the greatest stars in
football have played at the quarterback, running back, or receiver positions.
Various numbers measure a player’s success at these positions.
The quarterback calls plays and
throws most passes. Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins holds many of the lifetime
records for quarterbacks. He threw more touchdown passes—420—than any other
quarterback in NFL history.
For running backs, the key record
is for the number of yards they run with the ball. Until 2002, Walter Payton of
the Chicago Bears held the lifetime record with 16,726 yards. That year, Emmitt
Smith of the Dallas Cowboys broke Payton’s record. Smith retired after the 2004
season with 18,355 rushing yards.
The job of the receiver is to
catch passes. Jerry Rice had more receptions, or catches, than any other
receiver. Rice spent most of his career with the San Francisco 49ers. When he
retired in 2005, he had caught 1,549 passes. Rice also had the most touchdown
catches in NFL history, with 197.
HALL OF FAME
College football and professional
football each honor their greatest players in a hall of fame. The Professional
Football Hall of Fame is in Canton, Ohio. The College Football Hall of Fame is
in South Bend, Indiana.
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