American football | Definition, History, Leagues, Rules, & Facts
www.britannica.com › sports › American-footballJul 6, 2023 · American football, also called gridiron football, version of the sport of football that evolved from English rugby and soccer (association football); it differs from soccer chiefly in allowing players to touch, throw, and carry the ball with their hands, and it differs from rugby in allowing each side to control the ball in alternating possessions.