Changes

In particular, the introduction of the line of scrimmage and the number of players that had to align there has its origin in this crisis. At times in the 1910s, American football was severely criticized for its excessive violence and what appeared to be overly competitive behavior that emphasized winning at all costs. World War I, however, in a way made those sentiments less important, as competition and athletics were seen as ways for men to become better soldiers. This helped to make the game once again very popular and allowed it to survive its crises years regarding safety.<ref>Watterson, John Sayle. 2000. <i>College Football: History, Spectacle, Controversy</i>. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, p. 143.</ref>

What ultimately became the National Football League originated in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA).<ref> For more on the emergence of modern professional American football, see: Delaney, Tim, and Tim Madigan. 2009. <i>Sports: Why People Love Them!</i> Lanham, Md: University Press of America, pg. 45.</ref> Fourteen teams were the founding members but it soon expanded to twenty-two. The collegiate game, however, continued to influence how the game was played. By 1922, the NFL was formally named. By the 1930s, passing rules were modified further that arguably made the game more like the modern one. The removal of a penalty or loss of five yards for a second incomplete pass and a loss of possession for an incomplete pass in the end zone now made passing a more important factor in American football. This helped to open up the game and subsequent rule changes helped to facilitate passing.