The man most responsible for the transition from this rugby-like game to the sport of football we know today was Walter Camp, known as the “Father of American Football.” As a Yale undergraduate and medical student from 1876 to 1881, Camp played halfback and served as team captain, equivalent to head coach at the time.

Walter Camp invented American Football. He, often dubbed the “Father of American Football,” significantly shaped its rules in the late 19th century.

A rugby player from Yale named Walter Camp created football in America. This highly popular game was invented in the late 1800s and has become a huge hit over the last 150 years. Read on to learn more about the creator of football and the sport’s early days. Who Invented Football? Walter Camp is considered the founder of American football.