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113-902: American football was first played in Lincolnshire in the early 1980s, with sides such as the Scunthorpe Steelers, Boston Blitz and Lincoln Bombers being the county's first exponents of the sport. The 1990s saw a period of change after Scunthorpe's demise, the Lincoln Bombers became the Lincoln Saints, going on to achieve glory by lifting the BNGL First Division title in 1993; the Boston/South Lincs Blitz would eventually merge with nearby teams in King's Lynn and Peterborough to form

226-422: A gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following a touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage

339-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless

452-648: A 0-10 record. The 2017 season saw the Lincolnshire Bombers post up their first ever winning season. Victories over the Staffordshire Surge and Halton Spartans as well as double wins over Humber Warhawks and Crewe Railroaders saw the Bombers finish with a 6-4 record. A final day 15–9 defeat to the Chester Romans was the only thing preventing them from making their first ever play-off appearance. After

565-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,

678-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along

791-519: A common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of the 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained

904-567: A feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as

1017-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are

1130-428: A game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed

1243-576: A game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of a player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits,

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1356-690: A growing group of young British talent. Competing again in the South West conference of Division 1, Saints had a strong start before running into the Premiership-bound Phoenix, and defeated all but the Tamworth-based outfit en route to a 7–3 record and a second straight playoff contest against Cambridge. The Saints were stopped short of reaching the semi-finals in a 13–7 defeat to the Cambridge Cats. 2010 and 2011 proved to be difficult years for

1469-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear

1582-553: A league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of the 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to

1695-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and

1808-579: A loss to Kent Exiles. With the experienced Wayne Mayers at quarterback, the Saints powered through the 2006 season with a 9–1 record. The Saints came from behind to beat West Coast Trojans, 29–28, and clinched the Division 2 Title. Promoted to BAFL Division 1 in 2007, the Saints finished 6–4 and 4-5-1 in 2008. In 2009, Len Scott and former London Olympian Matt Coppinger boosted the offensive coaching staff with defensive back Nick Wykes returning as player-coach after

1921-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before

2034-670: A national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on

2147-428: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If

2260-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating

2373-414: A round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create

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2486-422: A rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football a separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble

2599-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with

2712-554: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . Oxford Saints Oxford Saints American Football Club

2825-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by

2938-452: A standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for

3051-410: A swan song for head coach Chris Janes, who retired from active coaching and assumed the role of general manager. Len Scott took over as head coach and reinforced the roster. The defense was bolstered with the addition of Dean Bryan, Adam Cartwright and Clive Russell, while the offense, with coordinator Matt Coppinger, featured rookie running back Kyle Micallef alongside brothers Jay and Chris Taylor, and

3164-515: A three-year hiatus. Former Saint and PA Knight Steve Belcher returned at wide receiver and kicker, providing the highlight of the season when he landed a record 57-yard field goal as time expired to defeat Birmingham Bulls in week 7. Saints' hopes of a conference crown were dashed in the final game of the regular season by the Tamworth Phoenix. The season was concluded with a defeat by Cambridge Cats. An 8–2 mark represented huge progress and also

3277-449: A tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine

3390-608: Is a British American football club that competes in the BAFANL (British American Football Association National League). Currently the team competes at senior level (18+ mixed contact) and operates five youth teams (U11 flag, U14 flag, U17 flag, U16 contact, and U19 contact) The club is based in Abingdon and plays at Tilsley Park in Oxfordshire . Games are played at weekends from April through August. Set up in 1983, Oxford Saints are one of

3503-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or

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3616-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as

3729-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over

3842-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job

3955-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside

4068-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are

4181-589: The 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with the innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become

4294-521: The Sheffield Predators due first to a waterlogged pitch and then the inability of BAFRA to provide referees for the rescheduled match. Crewe Railroaders visited RAF Cranwell on 8 July and were soundly beaten by the Bombers, 53–8. An eleventh-hour save by the management teams at Staffordshire Surge , Lincolnshire Bombers and Crewe Railroaders allowed the return fixture between the Railroaders and

4407-462: The Shropshire Revolution . At the end of the season Jonathan Culver scooped the end of season awards but was the only American player retained for 2015, although he would be joined by quarterback Taylor Umland. The Bombers' 2015 campaign was hit and miss with a substantial amount of injuries effecting a promising and play-off chasing season. The team would finish the year with a 4–6 record in

4520-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on

4633-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to

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4746-462: The "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in

4859-515: The "Father of American Football", established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of

4972-509: The 1993 BNGL First Division Bowl with a 51–14 win against Redbridge Fire . The Haven/UCLA outfit converted to senior football at the turn of the millennium and would become known as the East Midland Saxons senior team. Having lost their facilities in 2002 the team moved to Spalding for two seasons and then, after reorganisation, moved out of the county to Peterborough. In 2005 Lincolnshire was effectively without gridiron of any sort until

5085-600: The 2012 season against the Durham County Presidents . The 2012 season will go down as one of the worst seasons, weather-wise, for British American football. Having the season shortened due to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the Olympics was issue enough but then persistent rain only made things worse when trying to reschedule matches. Unfortunately, the Bombers had to accept a 1–1 draw for their home match against

5198-531: The AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain the young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for

5311-637: The AFL. Bulldogs finished their first season with an 8-1-1 record, being defeated by the London Ravens at the quarter-final stage of the playoffs. Homes games were played at Cuttelsowe Park and the Whitehouse Ground (home of Oxford City FC). In 1989, the Bulldogs were joined by local rivals Abingdon Pharaohs, strengthening the squad and broadening its fan base. In 1992 the Oxford Bulldogs changed name to

5424-446: The Bombers first-ever home play-off game after reforming. The Bombers take their name from "Bomber County" the nickname given to Lincolnshire during World War II which was home to a large concentration of Royal Air Force and USAAF bomber stations. The Bombers were initially just called the Lincoln Bombers but prior to finding out whether or not they had made it into the BAFL for 2007, it

5537-594: The Bombers got their much needed first win against the Knottingley Raiders. This provided the momentum to give their next three wins against Crewe Railroaders , Humber Warhawks and second win against Knottingley Raiders to bring their record to 4-4. The 50-26 win against the Knottingley Raiders made the Bombers the highest scoring team in the BAFANL Division 2 South, scoring 241 points making an average of 30.125 ppg. The first playoff match in their 13 year history

5650-528: The Bombers to take place at the Longton Rugby Club on 15 July, after the weather left Crewe with a waterlogged pitch. The result of this match was a 30–30 tie. The Bombers closed out their best season to date with a win over the DC Presidents with the final score of 39–9. In 2013 Texas native Michael Etheridge took over as head coach and the following year the team would go on to add fellow Americans to

5763-576: The FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by the commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to

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5876-773: The James Benson Memorial Award is named in memoriam of James Benson, who died in October 2023. This award is handed out to the "Bombers of the Year". Quarterbacks Running Backs & Full backs Wide Receivers & Tight ends Offensive linemen Defensive linemen Special teams Linebackers Defensive backs Complete records for the club under all three identities. 1987 to 1989 as Lincoln Bombers, 1992 to 1993 as Lincoln Saints and 2006 to present day for Lincolnshire Bombers. American football American football , referred to simply as football in

5989-760: The North Sea Hurricanes. Both teams would eventually disappear in the mid nineties; however a strong youth presence would be maintained in the county with the Haven/UCLA club in Boston and the Lincoln/Doncaster merger in the UDL Longhorns. The Lincoln Saints, who evolved from the Bombers' original incarnation, participated in the British National Gridiron League between 1992 and 1993. The side won

6102-742: The Oxford Saints. Driven forward by general manager Roger Hedges, the club secured a major sponsorship deal and moved to a new home at the Oxford Stadium in Cowley. Prior to the 1994 season, Coach Steve Conner returned to the US. Richard Emerick, another experienced US coach, was appointed as his replacement. During 1995, the Saints made the playoffs and defeated the Invicta Eagles in the first round, along with victories over London Blitz and Colchester Gladiators. In

6215-464: The Saints due to various changes in the coaching staff and the departure of Head Coach Len Scott. During this time Chris Janes became the interim head coach before Andrew Day was officially appointed to the role. In 2014, Chairman John Farley retired from his role and Martin Fitzpatrick took over, with a mostly new committee. The Saints won their first four games before suffering back-to-back losses by

6328-465: The Shropshire Revolution and a loss by the Lincolnshire Bombers. The team finished the season with a 7–3 record, missing out on the playoffs due to losing a tie breaker condition between Oxford and Shropshire. 2015 saw further strong recruitment and a league realignment. With new quarterback Ben Denton, they ended the regular season with a 6–2 record and reached the quarter-finals. A week before

6441-452: The Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap the ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on

6554-579: The United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football, is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used

6667-461: The United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football , is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop

6780-455: The United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in

6893-547: The United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of the role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when

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7006-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2  psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),

7119-764: The arrival of team founder Iain Bushell. Iain had played previously for the Manchester Titans and Teesside Cougars clubs and on his relocation to Lincoln was keen to revive the sport in the county. The name "Bombers" was resurrected due to the county's continuing links with the Royal Air Force , and Bushell's personal links with the RAF Waddington base. He was initially helped in his task by former Bombers and Saints kicker, Nigel Smith. He then recruited former Haven/UCLA & East Midland GM and head coach Pat Megginson who

7232-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as

7345-478: The ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function

7458-467: The ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp ,

7571-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After

7684-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on

7797-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called

7910-430: The denial of a chance of the playoffs in the previous season, the Lincolnshire Bombers defied the odds. Going in to the middle of the 2018 season with a 0-4 record, both losses to the recently relegated Birmingham Bulls (American football) and eventual Division 2 South champions Staffordshire Surge, it was questionable as to whether they would appear. Then after an inspiring speech from their head coach, Michael Etheridge,

8023-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run

8136-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of

8249-556: The features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play

8362-468: The field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league; the NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in

8475-454: The field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance the ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play

8588-531: The final, Oxford faced the Gwent Mustangs at Leicester's Saffron Lane Stadium and claimed a 14–6 victory and championship title. In 1997 the Saints were on course for another appearance in the final round following a 9–1 season, but were defeated by the Nottingham Caesars in the semi-final. A 7-1 campaign in 2000 was followed by an impressive 8–0 season in 2001, both ending in semi final disappointment at

8701-599: The formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included

8814-579: The foundations for the Oxford Saints Women's team which began training in May 2016. Notable additions to the 2016 roster include American nationals Destin Maulding (QB/WR), Bilal Redd (FS), Marlon Mason (CB and Eric Mendoza (LB). Further in the season, Tony Glover (RB) also joined the squad. In August 2016, Ben Denton (QB) returned to the field for the first time after being diagnosed with leukemia in 2015. In

8927-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul

9040-409: The game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as the illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that

9153-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of

9266-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of

9379-528: The hands of the PA Knights and Ipswich Cardinals respectively. After a poor 2002 season Coach Janes moved upstairs as Director of Football and Phil DeMonte took over as head coach. Coach DeMonte stayed at Saints for one season but the team made the playoffs, eventually beaten by the Gateshead Senators. The Saints raced through the newly formed BAFL division 2 in 2005 with a 9–1 record, ending the season with

9492-503: The most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced the conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in

9605-539: The national play-offs. Between 1992 and 1993, The Lincoln Saints played their home games at Mulsanne Park, the home ground of association football club Nettleham F.C. Having been reformed in 2005, The Bombers played their home games at RAF Cranwell near Sleaford but moved to operate from Christ's Hospital School close to Lincoln Cathedral . In 2018 the club moved to Memorial Hall in North Hykeham for both home games & training. Former head coach, Tony Hughes

9718-433: The newly formed BAFA NFC 2. Offensive Linemen Mikey Gray, a former local wrestler would scoop all the major awards at the end of the season, while the departing Jonathan Culver was inducted into the Bombers' Hall of Fame. In 2016 The Bombers suffered an exodus of playing staff during the off-season which culminated in the loss of some of the club's better players. A fresh-faced Bombers unit heavily loaded with rookies battled to

9831-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score

9944-410: The offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance the ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking

10057-429: The offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except the center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until

10170-508: The old Boston Blitz organisation) helped strengthen the club off the pitch, along with a highly professional management team. The Bombers are now a truly county wide team, with members now representing a number of towns across Lincolnshire putting the county firmly back on the Gridiron map. After one of the longest losing streaks in British league history, the Bombers finally won on the opening day of

10283-513: The oldest American football teams in the UK. The Oxford Saints Women's American Football team operated from May 2016 until 2019. Founded by Steve Abbott in 1983, they started as the Oxford Eagles but following a Radio Oxford phone-in competition the team was renamed Oxford Bulldogs. As American football's popularity increased the first British league was formed, and in 1985 Bulldogs officially joined

10396-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and

10509-448: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this

10622-422: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as

10735-528: The quarter-final game against Sussex Thunder, quarterback Ben Denton was diagnosed with leukemia. The Saints lost to the Thunder in the opening round. During the offseason, chairman Martin Fitzpatrick stepped down from the role and vice-chairman Andrew Peart was voted in as his successor at the 2015 Annual General Meeting. Peart coordinated the relocation of home games to Tilsley Park in Abingdon, with improved facilities for players and spectators. Peart has also laid

10848-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it

10961-439: The reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams, the neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912,

11074-472: The roster. Laron Worsley (RB), Eddie Parliman (LB), Michael Brewer (DL) and Jonathan Culver (WR) The star performer would be Culver, who could operate at quarterback and running back if called upon. The team were voted the "BAFA Underdog of the Year" for the 2014 season following a 4–5–1 record in which the team pulled off impressive victories over the Oxford Saints , Sandwell Steelers, Peterborough Saxons and

11187-534: The rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as

11300-452: The second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of a round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton,

11413-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit

11526-411: The snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform the rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands

11639-523: The sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in the NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game, the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in

11752-491: The time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from the college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following

11865-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of

11978-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when

12091-402: The world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but the sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in the rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in

12204-414: Was decided that they would, from then on, be known as the Lincolnshire Bombers. Reasons include media coverage throughout the county, and the desire to represent the home towns of many of the players. The Lincolnshire Bombers Youth team, ages 14–19 began operating in the 2015 season under the stewardship of club founder, Iain Bushell. The Bombers U17 side became North East champions in 2016 and qualified for

12317-597: Was inducted into the Bombers Hall of Fame in 2014 as well as general manager Mark Harrison. Also inducted was quarter back and club founder Iain Bushell and in 2015 American wide receiver Jonathan Culver was also inducted. [REDACTED] Iain Bushell (QB) 2005-2014 [REDACTED] Jonathan Culver (WR) 2013-2015 [REDACTED] Mark Harrison (DL) 2005-2011 [REDACTED] Tony Hughes (Head Coach) 1987-1989 [REDACTED] Michael Sharp (OL) 2010-2016 [REDACTED] Kris Ashton (OL, DL) 2017-2024 Introduced in 2024,

12430-513: Was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish the game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in

12543-454: Was looking for a new challenge since leaving the (now) Peterborough-based Saxons . A healthy squad started to take shape featuring ex- Nottingham Caesars players – and one-time Lincoln juniors – Ian Askew and Neil Armitage plus former Haven/UCLA and East Midland Saxons players Nige Epton, Mat Dean and Chris Henry. Former Saints coach Tony Hughes, Herts University player/coach Jeremy Brown, Dale Bridges and David Quincey (returning to football from

12656-430: Was met with defeat from the Chester Romans with a final score of 6-46. The 2019 season saw another progression for the Bombers. A return to the play-offs would ensue following a regular season best 6-2 finish including home and away victories over the 2018 Divisional Champions Staffordshire Surge. The post-season campaign would fall short at the hands of the eventual Division 2 North Champions Inverclyde Goliaths 22-18 in

12769-519: Was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922, the NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at

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