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Ellis was the first person noted for picking up the ball during the soccer game and running with it, breaking and changing the rules.
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At the Massosoit convention, the the first attempts at writing down the rules of American football were made.
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The American Professional Football Association becomes the country's first organized professional football league.
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Hardened leather helmets were used in the 1920s.
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The APFA becomes the National Football League.
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Hashmarks are drawn ten yards from the sidelines.
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The Roughing of a passer after the ball has left his hand is unnecessary roughness. Previously, the passer was protected after the pass had been made if he was "obviously out of the play."
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Helments become mandatory equipment.
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A back judge to the offciating crew.
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The Chicago Bears', Willie Thrower, becomes the first black player to throw a pass as quarterback in the modern NFL.
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Grasping the facemask of any opponent except a runner is ilegal use of hands. Penalty: 5 yards.
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The ball is dead immediately if a runner touches the ground with any part of his body except his hands or feet after being contactede by a defensive player.
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Facemasks with plastic were worn.
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A defender cannot place a hold or hands on a teammate to gain additional height in an atempt to block a kick.
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The use of a " quick whistle" by the referee whenever the quaterback is in the grasp and control of a tracker applies only behind the line.
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All mandatory player equipment must be designed and made by a professional manufacturer and can't be altered, except by the direction of the team physician.
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During the last two minutes of a half, the play ends when a quaterback kneels or simtulates kneeling on the ground.
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The ball is dead when any runner slides to the ground feet first, thereby declaring himself down.
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Adefender (approaching from any direction) who has unrestricted path to the quaterback is prohibited from flagrantly hitting him in the area of the knees.
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Officals will whistle the play dead whenever a defensive lineman clearly penetrates beyond the neutral zone before the ball is snapped and continues unabated toward the quaterback.
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When a defensive player runs foward and leaps in an attempt to block an extra point or a field goal, it is a foul only if the leaping player lands on other players.
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It is not intentional grounding when a passer, while out of the pocket and facing an imminent loss of yardage, throws a pass that lands beyond the line of scrimmage, even if no offensive player has a realistic chance to catch the ball.
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It's ilegal to hit a quarterback helmet-to-helmet any time after a change of possesion.
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A kicker/punter must not be unncessarily contacted by the receving team through the end of position. An opponent may not unecessarily intiate helmet-to-helmet contact to the kicker/punter during the kick or during the return.
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During a free kick, at least four kicking team players must be on each side of the kicker when the ball is kicked.
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Personal or unsportsmanlike conduct fouls that occur during halftime or during intermission between fourth period and overtime period will be penalized on the ensuing kickoff.
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During a feild-goal attempt or a try, a defensive player who is within on yard of the line of scrimmage at the snap must have his helmet outside the snapper's shoulder pad.
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Teams are not permittedd to intentionally form a wedge of more tahn two players on a kickoff return in an attempt to block for the runner. Penalty: 15 yards.
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It's an ilegal hit on a defenseless reciever if the intial force of the contact by the defender's helmet, forearm, or shoulder is to the head or neck area of the receiver. Penailty: 15 yards.
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(a) A defender can't intiate a roll or lunge and forcibly hit the passer in the knee area or below, even if he is being contacted bu another player.
(b) It's not a foul if the defender swipes, wraps, or grabs a passer in the knee area or below in an attempt to tackle him. -
Helmet-to-Helmet contact (Personal Foul) becomes stirctly enforced and heavily fined.
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In 2010 a player who has just completed a catch is protected from blows to the head or neck by an opponent who launches.
In 2011 the list of "defensive players" is expanded to include a kicker/ punter during the kick or during the return, a QB at any time after a change of possesion , and a player who recieves a "blindside" block when the blocker is moving toward his own endline and approaches the opponent from behind of from the side. -
The ball is declared at the spot if a runner's helmet comes completely off.
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2013 Helmets.