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Soccer evolves into rugby
Over the course of a few years, soccer fell out of popularity as rugby gained momentum. American football grew out of a combination of British rugby and soccer. -
Paid to play
The first paid football player was William Heffelfinger. He was paid $500 to play on the Allegheny Athletic Association's team in a game against a rival club, and he won the game for them. -
An official pro league
Because of the changing rules, changing salaries, and players from all walks of life, the professional teams found themselves in turmoil. They decided a professional league with consistent rules was necessary, so the American Football Conference was created, -
The NFL
The American Football Conference officially changed its name on June 24, 1922. It became the National Football League. -
A merging of leagues
Longtime rivals, the NFL and the AFL, made the decision to merge leagues. They now classify teams as the American Conference and the National Conference, but play by the same set of rules with a yearly playoff at the Super Bowl.