Humans have entertained themselves by tossing and kicking balls around for centuries, but it wasn’t until 1892 when American football was officially recognized as a sport. Since then, cities across the nation have united to cheer on their home teams and tune into every game. Televised sports broadcasts have made it possible to never miss a throw.
Whether you love watching football or you enjoy spending quality time with friends and family while eating tasty snacks, football games are a blast for everyone. With football season in full swing now, you could be attending football parties every week.
If you want to impress even the most die-hard football fans, you need to come prepared with interesting football facts. Check out these 15 unique facts about America’s beloved sport.
1. Viewers Enjoy Players’ Pain
This is one of the strangest facts about football. Perhaps enjoy isn’t the most accurate term, but injuries are similar to watching a car crash. We can’t seem to look away. Injuries get roughly 6 seconds more of screen time than players who are celebrating a success. In other words, pain is more entertaining than winning.
2. If You Want to Be Rich, Own a Football Team
While you have to find the funds to buy the team initially, once you spend money, you make money. Did you know that one NFL football team can have a worth of over a billion dollars?
3. Baltimore Is a Huge Fan of the Writer Poe
If you love the Baltimore Ravens, you should also love Edgar Allan Poe. Poe, who penned the famous poem “The Raven,” lived in Baltimore during his heyday. If the team’s namesake isn’t enough of an homage to their writer, their mascots are also named Edgar, Allan, and Poe. Quoth the Baltimore Ravens, ‘Nevermore!’
4. The First Televised Football Game Aired in 1939
If you’re looking for neat football history facts, look no further. Although football was established in 1892, the first professional game wasn’t aired on television until October 22, 1939. You can thank the National Broadcasting Company for pioneering televised football games.
In modern day, we’re fortunate enough to be able to watch anything at any time regardless of when the program initially aired. Check out Link Football for more info on how you can keep track of every game this football season.
5. Soccer Players Would’ve Been Great at Traditional Football
Here’s an interesting fact about football. If you were a soccer player back in the 19th century, you would’ve been the most valuable football player. In modern football, touchdowns are worth 6 points while field goals are only worth 3. Back when football started, field goals were worth 5 points and touchdowns were 4.
6. Cows with Football Aspirations Have Bad Odds
One interesting football fact is that a cow has a 1 out of 17,420,000 chance of becoming a Super Bowl football. To put things into perspective, it takes 600 cows to create enough footballs for one NFL season.
7. A Deaf Man Invented the Huddle
Everyone knows some good stuff is about to go down when teammates gather in an intense huddle. We can thank Paul Hubbard, a deaf quarterback from Gallaudet University, for this epic stance. Hubbard didn’t invent this move to intimidate his opponents or rile the audience. He gathered all the players close together so his hand signals could be secret.
8. The Longest Football Throw Is More Impressive Than Aany Basketball Half-Court Shot
You can’t deny how astonishing it is when a basketball player sinks a half-court shot. However, this throw is only made from a little more than 15 meters from the hoop. The longest successful field goal was kicked 64 yards away. Sure, the target may be bigger, but that’s an impressive display of leg power.
9. If You Want to Play Pro, You Better Have a Ton of Balls
Footballs, obviously. Did you know that each NFL home team has to have 36 footballs available for referee inspection before a game? The stakes are a little lower if you’re playing inside. Indoor games only require 24 footballs.
10. Football Facts About the White House: Football Was Almost Illegal
Football is one of the most dangerous contact sports out there. Before helmets and other safety gear became normalized, you could imagine how many nasty injuries were sustained.
Theodore Roosevelt was sick of seeing young men destroy their lives, so he demanded for safer rules to be in place. He threatened to ban football if there couldn’t be better ways to play. Thanks to Teddy, the forward pass was born.
11. The Highest Earning NFL Player Is Worth $250 Million
If you’re a Colts or Broncos fan, then you may idolize Peyton Manning. Over the 18 seasons he’s played, he’s earned $248.7 million. He’s currently the highest paid NFL player of all time. The second highest earning NFL player is actually Peyton’s little brother, Eli, who has earned $219.3 million.
12. Only One NFL Team Has Been Undefeated
You win some, you lose some. That’s the rule of life.
Although some football teams have impressive stats, only one team has been able to play an undefeated season. In 1972, the Miami Dolphins were the first and last team to have an unbeatable winning streak. If you had to draft your dream team, which football players would you choose?
13. Hey Arnold Could’ve Had a Different Name
Cartoon lovers will think this is one of the most interesting facts about football. If you’re a 90s kid, you probably grew up watching the adventures of Arnold, who was commonly referred to as Football Head.
However, if you want to accurately describe the shape of a football, you’d call it a prolate spheroid. Instead of using this term, everyone uses the word football to describe an object’s shape. You have to admit that Prolate Spheroid Head is a lot less charming than Football Head.
14. It’s Hard Being a Delivery Driver
If you deliver pizzas, watch out for Super Bowl Sunday. Pizza delivery drivers get into more car accidents on this day than any other day on record.
15. This Beer Fact Will Give You a Hangover
Americans collectively drink more than 50 million cases on Super Bowl Sunday. If you want to pick up the tab, your wallet better be fat. Super Bowl Sunday costs $10.8 billion for beer alone.
Hungry for More?
Have these football facts whet your appetite for more interesting information? Curiosity Human is the ultimate resource for all fascinating things. For more sports articles, check out our blog.
