The History, Evolution and Importance of Football Equipment

Helmet

The original form of the football helmet came into existence in 1896, and was known as a head harness. It was a soft leather helmet primarily created to cover the ears. In 1915, padding was added to the head harnesses for protection, and ear holes were cut into them to help improve communication between players on the field. In 1917, the helmet was redesigned in such a way that it no longer sat directly on the players head.

During the 1920's and 1930's, a form of the teardrop shape was developed, and the head harnesses were being made of a harder leather. In the 1930's, a wire mask covered in rubber was the first facemask used on a football helmet.

It was not until 1939, when it finally became a requirement to wear helmets in college football, that the first plastic helmet was introduced. Just a year later, in 1940, the first chinstrap was introduced. The year 1943 saw the requirement of the use of football helmets in the National Football League, or the NFL, and in 1949, use of the plastic helmet became a requirement.

From the 1950's to today, football helmets have evolved tremendously. Not only are they made of a much harder, polycarbonate alloy plastic, but players can also choose from a variety of facemasks, and even visors, for their helmets.

Shoulder Pads

Shoulder pads were not a popular staple of football equipment until the 1950's. Originally, and like the early football helmets, shoulder pads were made of leather. Foam and plastic took over in the 1960's, and in 2002, a lighter, more durable design was developed using synthetic fibres that were originally created by NASA.

Today, shoulder pads work to absorb the shock from a high-impact tackle, and they protect the shoulders, chest and ribs. Different positions call for different styles of shoulder pads. For example, the quarterback would wear a more lightweight style in order to have the ability to move around more freely.

Other Pads

During a football game, the use of thigh, knee and hip pads originated in the 1890's. Initially made of a light material, thigh and kneepads eventually evolved into foam, with all three finally evolving into a form of plastic. Today, some football players even wear tailbone pads, which are also made from plastic.

Athletic Supporter

Developed in 1874, the athletic supporter was initially created for use by bicycle riding jockeys. The year 1927 saw the addition of the plastic cup, which was meant to protect player's private parts from harm or injury. With the use of compression shorts taking over in the 1980's and 1990's, it is rare these days to see any amateur or professional football player wearing an athletic supporter.

Mouth Guard

The mouth guard, or athletic mouthpiece, is a dental piece of equipment, which is made from plastic, that when worn by the football player, it works to protect their teeth, tongue and other tissues from high-impact tackles. Mouth guards are also thought to aid in the reduction of certain head injuries, like concussions.

Uniform

A football player's uniform consists of a jersey, pants, shoes and possibly gloves. The jersey will display the player's number and their team's colours. The pants will also display the team colours, they have pockets, which house their pads, and the pants have a fly that laces up.

A football players shoes are special shoes that contain spikes on the soles, these are in place to prevent slipping on the field, and they are known as cleats. Linemen and receivers generally wear gloves. The gloves a lineman wears are padded and thick to protect their hands and fingers, while the gloves a receiver wears are lighter, and manufactured to aid in catching the ball.

Learning the history, evolution and importance of football equipment throughout the many epochs of the sport are important factors to understanding this timeless tradition.

Football equipment is an imperative piece of the football puzzle. Today, protective gear is a requirement. However, the wearing of protective gear was not always enforced.

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This release was published on openPR.