9781422283080

F orming the L eague

Today, the NFL landscape glitters with money and fame. Its play- ers are icons, its team logos adorn every possible product, and its teams rake in money. The origins of this huge enterprise are much more humble, however. Here’s a brief look at how the NFL was formed and how those beginnings—and some key steps along the way—continue to have a huge impact on the sport today. The first college football game was played in 1869. The game’s popularity spread from the colleges to private athletic clubs in Ohio and Pennsylvania. In 1892, American football got its first professional player. William Walter “Pudge” Heffelfinger received $500 to play one game.

Words to Understand

adorn to decorate chaotic completely confused or disordered tainted dishonored or discredited

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