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.

American football originated from English soccer and rugby in the mid-19th century. While these sports influenced its early form, American football’s distinct evolution occurred in the U.S., especially within universities. Walter Camp, considered the “Father of American Football,” made significant contributions to its unique rules and gameplay.

Walter Camp. Walter Camp (1859–1925) virtually invented American football, splitting it off from British rugby by such changes as devising the position and signal-calling role of quarterback, cutting team size to 11 from 15, and replacing the somewhat more boisterous free-for-all of the scrum with the scrimmage.