Football may refer to one of a number of team sports which all involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball with the foot to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer". Unqualified, the word ''football'' applies to whichever form of football is the most popular in the regional context in which the word appears, including American football, Australian rules football, Canadian football, Gaelic football, rugby league, rugby union and other related games. These variations of football are known as football "codes".

Common elements

The various codes of football share the following common elements:

Two ''teams'' of usually between 11 and 18 players; some variations that have fewer players (five or more per team) are also popular.

A clearly defined area in which to play the game.

''Scoring'' ''goals'' or ''points'', by moving the ball to an opposing team's end of the field and either into a goal area, or over a line.

Goals or points resulting from players putting the ball between two ''goalposts''.

The goal or line being ''defended'' by the opposing team.

Players being required to move the ball—depending on the code—by kicking, carrying, or hand-passing the ball.

Players using only their body to move the ball.

In most codes, there are rules restricting the movement of players ''offside'', and players scoring a goal must put the ball either under or over a ''crossbar'' between the goalposts. Other features common to several football codes include: points being mostly scored by players carrying the ball across the goal line; and players receiving a ''free kick'' after they ''take a mark or make a fair catch''.

Peoples from around the world have played games which involved kicking or carrying a ball, since ancient times. However, most of the modern codes of football have their origins in England.

Etymology

While it is widely assumed that the word "football" (or "foot ball") references the action of the foot kicking a ball, there is a historical explanation, which is that football originally referred to a variety of games in medieval Europe, which were played ''on foot''. These games were usually played by peasants, as opposed to the horse-riding sports often played by aristocrats. There is no conclusive evidence for either explanation, and the word football has always implied a variety of games played on foot, not just those that involved kicking a ball. In some cases, the word football has even been applied to games which have specifically outlawed kicking the ball.

Early history

Ancient games

The Ancient Greeks and Romans are known to have played many ball games, some of which involved the use of the feet. The Roman game ''harpastum'' is believed to have been adapted from a Greek team game known as "ἐπίσκυρος" (''episkyros'') or "φαινίνδα" (''phaininda''), which is mentioned by a Greek playwright, Antiphanes (388–311 BC) and later referred to by the Christian theologian Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215 AD). These games appear to have resembled rugby football. The Roman politician Cicero (106–43 BC) describes the case of a man who was killed whilst having a shave when a ball was kicked into a barber's shop. Roman ball games already knew the air-filled ball, the follis.

Documented evidence of an activity resembling football can be found in the Chinese military manual Zhan Guo Ce compiled between the 3rd century and 1st century BC. It describes a practice known as ''cuju'' (蹴鞠, literally "kick ball"), which originally involved kicking a leather ball through a small hole in a piece of silk cloth which was fixed on bamboo canes and hung about 9 m above ground. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), cuju games were standardized and rules were established. Variations of this game later spread to Japan and Korea, known as ''kemari'' and ''chuk-guk'' respectively. Later, another type of goal posts emerged, consisting of just one goal post in the middle of the field.

The Japanese version of ''cuju'' is ''kemari'' (蹴鞠), and was developed during the Asuka period. This is known to have been played within the Japanese imperial court in Kyoto from about 600 AD. In ''kemari'' several people stand in a circle and kick a ball to each other, trying not to let the ball drop to the ground (much like keepie uppie). The game appears to have died out sometime before the mid-19th century. It was revived in 1903 and is now played at a number of festivals.

There are a number of references to traditional, ancient, or prehistoric ball games, played by indigenous peoples in many different parts of the world. For example, in 1586, men from a ship commanded by an English explorer named John Davis, went ashore to play a form of football with Inuit (Eskimo) people in Greenland. There are later accounts of an Inuit game played on ice, called ''Aqsaqtuk''. Each match began with two teams facing each other in parallel lines, before attempting to kick the ball through each other team's line and then at a goal. In 1610, William Strachey, a colonist at Jamestown, Virginia recorded a game played by Native Americans, called ''Pahsaheman''. On the Australian continent several tribes of indigenous people played kicking and catching games with stuffed balls which have been generalised by historians as ''Marn Grook'' (Djab Wurrung for "game ball"). The earliest historical account is an anecdote from the 1878 book by Robert Brough-Smyth, ''The Aborigines of Victoria'', in which a man called Richard Thomas is quoted as saying, in about 1841 in Victoria, Australia, that he had witnessed Aboriginal people playing the game: "Mr Thomas describes how the foremost player will drop kick a ball made from the skin of a possum and how other players leap into the air in order to catch it." Some historians have theorised that ''Marn Grook'' was one of the origins of Australian rules football.

The Māori in New Zealand played a game called Ki-o-rahi consisting of teams of seven players play on a circular field divided into zones, and score points by touching the 'pou' (boundary markers) and hitting a central 'tupu' or target.

Games played in Mesoamerica with rubber balls by indigenous peoples are also well-documented as existing since before this time, but these had more similarities to basketball or volleyball, and since their influence on modern football games is minimal, most do not class them as football. Northeastern American Indians, especially the Iroquois Confederation, played a game which made use of net racquets to throw and catch a small ball; however, although a ball-goal foot game, lacrosse (as its modern descendant is called) is likewise not usually classed as a form of "football."

These games and others may well go far back into antiquity. However, the main sources of modern football codes appear to lie in western Europe, especially England.

Medieval and early modern Europe

The Middle Ages saw a huge rise in popularity of annual Shrovetide football matches throughout Europe, particularly in England. The game played in England at this time may have arrived with the Roman occupation, but the only pre-Norman reference is to boys playing "ball games" in the 9th century Historia Brittonum. Reports of a game played in Brittany, Normandy, and Picardy, known as ''La Soule'' or ''Choule'', suggest that some of these football games could have arrived in England as a result of the Norman Conquest.

These forms of football, sometimes referred to as "mob football", would be played between neighbouring towns and villages, involving an unlimited number of players on opposing teams, who would clash in a heaving mass of people, struggling to move an item such as an inflated pig's bladder, to particular geographical points, such as their opponents' church. Shrovetide games have survived into the modern era in a number of English towns (see below).

The first detailed description of what was almost certainly football in England was given by William FitzStephen in about 1174–1183. He described the activities of London youths during the annual festival of Shrove Tuesday: :''After lunch all the youth of the city go out into the fields to take part in a ball game. The students of each school have their own ball; the workers from each city craft are also carrying their balls. Older citizens, fathers, and wealthy citizens come on horseback to watch their juniors competing, and to relive their own youth vicariously: you can see their inner passions aroused as they watch the action and get caught up in the fun being had by the carefree adolescents''.

Most of the very early references to the game speak simply of "ball play" or "playing at ball". This reinforces the idea that the games played at the time did not necessarily involve a ball being kicked.

An early reference to a ball game that was probably football comes from 1280 at Ulgham, Northumberland, England: "Henry... while playing at ball.. ran against David". Football was played in Ireland in 1308, with a documented reference to John McCrocan, a spectator at a "football game" at Newcastle, County Down being charged with accidentally stabbing a player named William Bernard. Another reference to a football game comes in 1321 at Shouldham, Norfolk, England: "[d]uring the game at ball as he kicked the ball, a lay friend of his... ran against him and wounded himself".

In 1314, Nicholas de Farndone, Lord Mayor of the City of London issued a decree banning football in the French used by the English upper classes at the time. A translation reads: "[f]orasmuch as there is great noise in the city caused by hustling over large foot balls [''rageries de grosses pelotes de pee''] in the fields of the public from which many evils might arise which God forbid: we command and forbid on behalf of the king, on pain of imprisonment, such game to be used in the city in the future." This is the earliest reference to football.

In 1363, King Edward III of England issued a proclamation banning "...handball, football, or hockey; coursing and cock-fighting, or other such idle games", showing that "football" — whatever its exact form in this case — was being differentiated from games involving other parts of the body, such as handball.

King Henry IV of England also presented one of the earliest documented uses of the English word "football", in 1409, when he issued a proclamation forbidding the levying of money for "foteball".

There is also an account in Latin from the end of the 15th century of football being played at Cawston, Nottinghamshire. This is the first description of a "kicking game" and the first description of dribbling: "[t]he game at which they had met for common recreation is called by some the foot-ball game. It is one in which young men, in country sport, propel a huge ball not by throwing it into the air but by striking it and rolling it along the ground, and that not with their hands but with their feet... kicking in opposite directions" The chronicler gives the earliest reference to a football pitch, stating that: "[t]he boundaries have been marked and the game had started.

Other firsts in the mediæval and early modern eras:

"a football", in the sense of a ball rather than a game, was first mentioned in 1486. This reference is in Dame Juliana Berners' ''Book of St Albans''. It states: "a certain rounde instrument to play with ...it is an instrument for the foote and then it is calde in Latyn 'pila pedalis', a fotebal." a pair of football boots was ordered by King Henry VIII of England in 1526. women playing a form of football was in 1580, when Sir Philip Sidney described it in one of his poems: "[a] tyme there is for all, my mother often sayes, When she, with skirts tuckt very hy, with girles at football playes." the first references to ''goals'' are in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. In 1584 and 1602 respectively, John Norden and Richard Carew referred to "goals" in Cornish hurling. Carew described how goals were made: "they pitch two bushes in the ground, some eight or ten foote asunder; and directly against them, ten or twelue [twelve] score off, other twayne in like distance, which they terme their Goales". He is also the first to describe goalkeepers and passing of the ball between players.

the first direct reference to ''scoring a goal'' is in John Day's play ''The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green'' (performed circa 1600; published 1659): "I'll play a gole at camp-ball" (an extremely violent variety of football, which was popular in East Anglia). Similarly in a poem in 1613, Michael Drayton refers to "when the Ball to throw, And drive it to the Gole, in squadrons forth they goe".

Calcio Fiorentino

In the 16th century, the city of Florence celebrated the period between Epiphany and Lent by playing a game which today is known as "''calcio storico''" ("historic kickball") in the Piazza Santa Croce. The young aristocrats of the city would dress up in fine silk costumes and embroil themselves in a violent form of football. For example, ''calcio'' players could punch, shoulder charge, and kick opponents. Blows below the belt were allowed. The game is said to have originated as a military training exercise. In 1580, Count Giovanni de' Bardi di Vernio wrote ''Discorso sopra 'l giuoco del Calcio Fiorentino''. This is sometimes said to be the earliest code of rules for any football game. The game was not played after January 1739 (until it was revived in May 1930).

Official disapproval and attempts to ban football

Numerous attempts have been made to ban football games, particularly the most rowdy and disruptive forms. This was especially the case in England and in other parts of Europe, during the Middle Ages and early modern period. Between 1324 and 1667, football was banned in England alone by more than 30 royal and local laws. The need to repeatedly proclaim such laws demonstrated the difficulty in enforcing bans on popular games. King Edward II was so troubled by the unruliness of football in London that on April 13, 1314 he issued a proclamation banning it: "Forasmuch as there is great noise in the city caused by hustling over large balls from which many evils may arise which God forbid; we command and forbid, on behalf of the King, on pain of imprisonment, such game to be used in the city in the future."

The reasons for the ban by Edward III, on June 12, 1349, were explicit: football and other recreations distracted the populace from practicing archery, which was necessary for war. In 1424, the Parliament of Scotland passed a Football Act that stated ''it is statut and the king forbiddis that na man play at the fut ball under the payne of iiij d'' – in other words, playing football was made illegal, and punishable by a fine of four pence.

By 1608, the local authorities in Manchester were complaining that: "With the ffotebale...[there] hath beene greate disorder in our towne of Manchester we are told, and glasse windowes broken yearlye and spoyled by a companie of lewd and disordered persons ..." That same year, the word "football" was used disapprovingly by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare's play ''King Lear'' contains the line: "Nor tripped neither, you base football player" (Act I, Scene 4). Shakespeare also mentions the game in ''A Comedy of Errors'' (Act II, Scene 1):

"Spurn" literally means ''to kick away'', thus implying that the game involved kicking a ball between players.

King James I of England's ''Book of Sports'' (1618) however, instructs Christians to play at football every Sunday afternoon after worship. The book's aim appears to be an attempt to offset the strictness of the Puritans regarding the keeping of the Sabbath.

Establishment of modern codes

English public schools

While football continued to be played in various forms throughout Britain, its "public" schools (known as private schools in other countries) are widely credited with four key achievements in the creation of modern football codes. First of all, the evidence suggests that they were important in taking football away from its "mob" form and turning it into an organised team sport. Second, many early descriptions of football and references to it were recorded by people who had studied at these schools. Third, it was teachers, students and former students from these schools who first codified football games, to enable matches to be played between schools. Finally, it was at English public schools that the division between "kicking" and "running" (or "carrying") games first became clear.

The earliest evidence that games resembling football were being played at English public schools — mainly attended by boys from the upper, upper-middle and professional classes — comes from the ''Vulgaria'' by William Herman in 1519. Herman had been headmaster at Eton and Winchester colleges and his Latin textbook includes a translation exercise with the phrase "We wyll playe with a ball full of wynde".

Richard Mulcaster, a student at Eton College in the early 16th century and later headmaster at other English schools, has been described as "the greatest sixteenth Century advocate of football". Among his contributions are the earliest evidence of organised team football. Mulcaster's writings refer to teams ("sides" and "parties"), positions ("standings"), a referee ("judge over the parties") and a coach "(trayning maister)". Mulcaster's "footeball" had evolved from the disordered and violent forms of traditional football:

In 1633, David Wedderburn, a teacher from Aberdeen, mentioned elements of modern football games in a short Latin textbook called ''Vocabula.'' Wedderburn refers to what has been translated into modern English as "keeping goal" and makes an allusion to passing the ball ("strike it here"). There is a reference to "get hold of the ball", suggesting that some handling was allowed. It is clear that the tackles allowed included the charging and holding of opposing players ("drive that man back").

A more detailed description of football is given in Francis Willughby's ''Book of Games'', written in about 1660. Willughby, who had studied at Bishop Vesey's Grammar School, Sutton Coldfield, is the first to describe goals and a distinct playing field: "a close that has a gate at either end. The gates are called Goals." His book includes a diagram illustrating a football field. He also mentions tactics ("leaving some of their best players to guard the goal"); scoring ("they that can strike the ball through their opponents' goal first win") and the way teams were selected ("the players being equally divided according to their strength and nimbleness"). He is the first to describe a "law" of football: "they must not strike [an opponent's leg] higher than the ball".

English public schools were the first to codify football games. In particular, they devised the first ''offside'' rules, during the late 18th century. In the earliest manifestations of these rules, players were "off their side" if they simply stood between the ball and the goal which was their objective. Players were not allowed to pass the ball forward, either by foot or by hand. They could only dribble with their feet, or advance the ball in a ''scrum'' or similar ''formation''. However, offside laws began to diverge and develop differently at the each school, as is shown by the rules of football from Winchester, Rugby, Harrow and Cheltenham, during between 1810 and 1850. The first known codes — in the sense of a set of rules — were those of Eton in 1815 and Aldenham in 1825.)

During the early 19th century, most working class people in Britain had to work six days a week, often for over twelve hours a day. They had neither the time nor the inclination to engage in sport for recreation and, at the time, many children were part of the labour force. Feast day football played on the streets was in decline. Public school boys, who enjoyed some freedom from work, became the inventors of organised football games with formal codes of rules.

Football was adopted by a number of public schools as a way of encouraging competitiveness and keeping youths fit. Each school drafted its own rules, which varied widely between different schools and were changed over time with each new intake of pupils. Two schools of thought developed regarding rules. Some schools favoured a game in which the ball could be carried (as at Rugby, Marlborough and Cheltenham), while others preferred a game where kicking and dribbling the ball was promoted (as at Eton, Harrow, Westminster and Charterhouse). The division into these two camps was partly the result of circumstances in which the games were played. For example, Charterhouse and Westminster at the time had restricted playing areas; the boys were confined to playing their ball game within the school cloisters, making it difficult for them to adopt rough and tumble running games.

thumb|left|300px|Rugby School William Webb Ellis, a pupil at Rugby School, is said to have "with a fine disregard for the rules of football, ''as played in his time'' [emphasis added], first took the ball in his arms and ran with it, thus creating the distinctive feature of the rugby game." in 1823. This act is usually said to be the beginning of Rugby football, but there is little evidence that it occurred, and most sports historians believe the story to be apocryphal. The act of 'taking the ball in his arms' is often misinterpreted as 'picking the ball up' as it is widely believed that Webb Ellis' 'crime' was handling the ball, as in modern soccer, however handling the ball at the time was often permitted and in some cases compulsory, the rule for which Webb Ellis showed disregard was ''running forward with it'' as the rules of his time only allowed a player to retreat backwards or kick forwards.

The boom in rail transport in Britain during the 1840s meant that people were able to travel further and with less inconvenience than they ever had before. Inter-school sporting competitions became possible. However, it was difficult for schools to play each other at football, as each school played by its own rules. The solution to this problem was usually that the match be divided into two halves, one half played by the rules of the host "home" school, and the other half by the visiting "away" school.

The ''modern'' rules of many football codes were formulated during the mid- or late- 19th century. This also applies to other sports such as lawn bowls, lawn tennis, etc. The major impetus for this was the patenting of the world's first lawnmower in 1830. This allowed for the preparation of modern ovals, playing fields, pitches, grass courts, etc.

Apart from Rugby football, the public school codes have barely been played beyond the confines of each school's playing fields. However, many of them are still played at the schools which created them (see Surviving UK school games below).

Public schools' dominance of sports in the UK began to wane after the ''Factory Act'' of 1850, which significantly increased the recreation time available to working class children. Before 1850, many British children had to work six days a week, for more than twelve hours a day. From 1850, they could not work before 6 a.m. (7 a.m. in winter) or after 6 p.m. on weekdays (7 p.m. in winter); on Saturdays they had to cease work at 2 p.m. These changes mean that working class children had more time for games, including various forms of football.

Firsts

Clubs

Sports clubs dedicated to playing football began in the 18th century, for example London's Gymnastic Society which was founded in the mid-18th century and ceased playing matches in 1796. The first documented club to bear the title "football club" is one in Edinburgh, Scotland, during the period 1824–41. The club forbade tripping but allowed pushing and holding and the picking up of the ball.

Two clubs which claim to be the world's oldest existing football club, in the sense of a club which is not part of a school or university, are strongholds of rugby football: the Barnes Club, said to have been founded in 1839, and Guy's Hospital Football Club, in 1843. Neither date nor the variety of football played is well documented, but such claims nevertheless allude to the popularity of rugby before other modern codes emerged.

In 1845, three boys at Rugby school were tasked with codifying the rules then being used at the school. These were the first set of written rules (or code) for any form of football. This further assisted the spread of the Rugby game. For instance, Dublin University Football Club—founded at Trinity College, Dublin in 1854 and later famous as a bastion of the Rugby School game—is the world's oldest documented football club in any code.

Competitions

One of the longest running football fixture is the Cordner-Eggleston Cup, contested between Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College, Melbourne every year since 1858. It is believed by many to also be the first match of Australian rules football, although it was played under experimental rules in its first year. The first football trophy tournament was the Caledonian Challenge Cup, donated by the Royal Caledonian Society of Melbourne, played in 1861 under the Melbourne Rules. The oldest football league is a rugby football competition, the United Hospitals Challenge Cup (1874), while the oldest rugby trophy is the Yorkshire Cup, contested since 1878. The South Australian Football Association (30 April 1877) is the oldest surviving Australian rules football competition. The oldest surviving soccer trophy is the Youdan Cup (1867) and the oldest national soccer competition is the English FA Cup (1871). The Football League (1888) is recognised as the longest running Association Football league. The first ''ever'' international football match took place between sides representing England and Scotland on March 5, 1870 at the Oval under the authority of the FA. The first Rugby international took place in 1871.

Modern balls

190px|thumb|Richard Lindon (seen in 1880) is believed to have invented the first footballs with rubber bladders. In Europe, early footballs were made out of animal bladders, more specifically pig's bladders, which were inflated. Later leather coverings were introduced to allow the ball to keep their shape. However, in 1851, Richard Lindon and William Gilbert, both shoemakers from the town of Rugby (near the school), exhibited both round and oval-shaped balls at the Great Exhibition in London. Richard Lindon's wife is said to have died of lung disease caused by blowing up pig's bladders. Lindon also won medals for the invention of the "Rubber inflatable Bladder" and the "Brass Hand Pump".

In 1855, the U.S. inventor Charles Goodyear — who had patented vulcanized rubber — exhibited a spherical football, with an exterior of vulcanized rubber panels, at the Paris ''Exhibition Universelle''. The ball was to prove popular in early forms of football in the U.S.A.

Modern ball passing tactics

"Scientific" football is first recorded in 1839 from Lancashire and in the modern game in Rugby football from 1862 and from Sheffield FC as early as 1865. The first side to play a passing combination game was the Royal Engineers AFC in 1869/70 By 1869 they were "work[ing] well together", "backing up" and benefiting from "cooperation". By 1870 the Engineers were passing the ball: "Lieut. Creswell, who having brought the ball up the side then kicked it into the middle to another of his side, who kicked it through the posts the minute before time was called" Passing was a regular feature of their style By early 1872 the Engineers were the first football team renowned for "play[ing] beautifully together" A double pass is first reported from Derby school against Nottingham Forest in March 1872, the first of which is irrefutably a ''short'' pass: "Mr Absey dribbling the ball half the length of the field delivered it to Wallis, who kicking it cleverly in front of the goal, sent it to the captain who drove it at once between the Nottingham posts" The first side to have perfected the modern formation was Cambridge University AFC and introduced the 2–3–5 "pyramid" formation.

Cambridge rules

In 1848, at Cambridge University, Mr. H. de Winton and Mr. J.C. Thring, who were both formerly at Shrewsbury School, called a meeting at Trinity College, Cambridge with 12 other representatives from Eton, Harrow, Rugby, Winchester and Shrewsbury. An eight-hour meeting produced what amounted to the first set of modern rules, known as the ''Cambridge rules''. No copy of these rules now exists, but a revised version from circa 1856 is held in the library of Shrewsbury School. The rules clearly favour the kicking game. Handling was only allowed ''when a player catches the ball directly from the foot'' entitling them to a free kick and there was a primitive offside rule, disallowing players from "loitering" around the opponents' goal. The Cambridge rules were not widely adopted outside English public schools and universities (but it was arguably the most significant influence on the Football Association committee members responsible for formulating the rules of Association football).

Sheffield rules

By the late 1850s, many football clubs had been formed throughout the English-speaking world, to play various codes of football. Sheffield Football Club, founded in 1857 in the English city of Sheffield by Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest, was later recognised as the world's oldest club playing association football. However, the club initially played its own code of football: the ''Sheffield rules''. The code was largely independent of the public school rules, the most significant difference being the lack of an ''offside'' rule.

The code was responsible for many innovations that later spread to association football. These included free kicks, corner kicks, handball, throw-ins and the crossbar. By the 1870s they became the dominant code in the north and midlands of England. At this time a series of rule changes by both the London and Sheffield FAs gradually eroded the differences between the two games until the adoption of a common code in 1877.

Australian rules

Various forms of football were played in Australia during the Victorian gold rush, from which emerged a distinct and locally popular sport. While these origins are still the subject of much debate the popularisation of the code that is known today as Australian Rules Football is currently attributed to Tom Wills.

Wills wrote a letter to Bell's Life in Victoria & Sporting Chronicle, on July 10, 1858, calling for a "foot-ball club" with a "code of laws" to keep cricketers fit during winter. This is considered by historians to be a defining moment in the creation of the new sport. Through publicity and personal contacts Wills was able to co-ordinate football matches in Melbourne that experimented with various rules, the first recorded of which occurred on July 31, 1858. On 7 August 1858, Wills umpired a relatively well documented schoolboys match between Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College. Following these matches, organised football matches rapidly increased in popularity.

Wills and others involved in these early matches formed the Melbourne Football Club (the oldest surviving Australian football club) on May 14, 1859. The first members included Wills, William Hammersley, J.B. Thompson and Thomas H. Smith. They met with the intention of forming a set of rules that would be widely adopted by other clubs.

The backgrounds of the original rule makers makes for interesting speculation as to the influences on the rules. Wills, an Australian of convict heritage was educated in England. He was a rugby footballer, a cricketer and had strong links to indigenous Australians. At first he desired to introduce rugby school rules. Hammersley was a cricketer and journalist who emigrated from England. Thomas Smith was a school teacher who emigrated from Ireland. The committee members debated several rules including those of English public school games. Despite including aspects similar to other forms of football there is no conclusive evidence to point to any single influence. Instead the committee decided on a game that was more suited to Australian conditions and Wills is documented to have made the declaration "No, we shall have a game of our own". The code was distinctive in the prevalence of the mark, free kick, tackling, lack of an offside rule and that players were specifically penalised for throwing the ball.

The Melbourne football rules were widely distributed and gradually adopted by the other Victorian clubs. They were redrafting several times during the 1860s to accommodate the rules of other influential Victorian football clubs. A significant re-write in 1866 by H C A Harrison's committee to accommodate rules from the Geelong Football Club made the game, which had become known as "Victorian Rules", increasingly distinct from other codes. It used cricket fields, a rugby ball, specialised goal and behind posts, bouncing with the ball while running and later spectacular high marking. The form of football spread quickly to other other Australian colonies. Outside of its heartland in southern Australia the code experienced a significant period of decline following World War I but has since grown other parts of the world at an amateur level and the Australian Football League emerged as the dominant professional competition.

Football Association

During the early 1860s, there were increasing attempts in England to unify and reconcile the various public school games. In 1862, J. C. Thring, who had been one of the driving forces behind the original Cambridge Rules, was a master at Uppingham School and he issued his own rules of what he called "The Simplest Game" (these are also known as the Uppingham Rules). In early October 1863 another new revised version of the Cambridge Rules was drawn up by a seven member committee representing former pupils from Harrow, Shrewsbury, Eton, Rugby, Marlborough and Westminster.

At the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen Street, London on the evening of October 26, 1863, representatives of several football clubs in the London Metropolitan area met for the inaugural meeting of The Football Association (FA). The aim of the Association was to establish a single unifying code and regulate the playing of the game among its members. Following the first meeting, the public schools were invited to join the association. All of them declined, except Charterhouse and Uppingham. In total, six meetings of the FA were held between October and December 1863. After the third meeting, a draft set of rules were published. However, at the beginning of the fourth meeting, attention was drawn to the recently published Cambridge Rules of 1863. The Cambridge rules differed from the draft FA rules in two significant areas; namely running with (carrying) the ball and hacking (kicking opposing players in the shins). The two contentious FA rules were as follows:

At the fifth meeting it was proposed that these two rules be removed. Most of the delegates supported this, but F. M. Campbell, the representative from Blackheath and the first FA treasurer, objected. He said: "hacking is the true football". However, the motion to ban running with the ball in hand and hacking was carried and Blackheath withdrew from the FA. After the final meeting on 8 December, the FA published the "Laws of Football", the first comprehensive set of rules for the game later known as Association Football. The term "soccer", in use since the the late 19th century, derives from an abbreviation of "Association".

The first FA rules still contained elements that are no longer part of association football, but which are still recognisable in other games (such as Australian football and rugby football): for instance, a player could make a fair catch and claim a ''mark'', which entitled him to a free kick; and if a player touched the ball behind the opponents' goal line, his side was entitled to a ''free kick'' at goal, from 15 yards (13.5 metres) in front of the goal line.

Rugby football

In Britain, by 1870, there were about 75 clubs playing variations of the Rugby school game. There were also "rugby" clubs in Ireland, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. However, there was no generally accepted set of rules for rugby until 1871, when 21 clubs from London came together to form the Rugby Football Union (RFU). The first official RFU rules were adopted in June 1871. These rules allowed passing the ball. They also included the try, where touching the ball over the line allowed an attempt at goal, though drop-goals from marks and general play, and penalty conversions were still the main form of contest.

Rugby league

In 1895, disputes amongst members of the RFU led to a breakaway faction creating its own rules and competitions. Over time this has developed into a distinct code of football known as rugby league.

North American football codes

As was the case in Britain, by the early 19th century, North American schools and universities played their own local games, between sides made up of students. Students at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire played a game called Old division football, a variant of the association football codes, as early as the 1820s.

The first game of rugby in Canada is generally said to have taken place in Montreal, in 1865, when British Army officers played local civilians. The game gradually gained a following, and the Montreal Football Club was formed in 1868, the first recorded football club in Canada.

In 1869, the first game played in the United States under rules based on the FA code occurred, between Princeton and Rutgers. This is also often considered to be the first U.S. game of college football, in the sense of a game between colleges (although the eventual form of American football would come from rugby, not association football).

Modern American football grew out of a match between McGill University of Montreal, and Harvard University in 1874. At the time, Harvard students are reported to have played the Boston Game — a ''running'' code — rather than the FA-based ''kicking'' games favoured by U.S. universities. This made it easy for Harvard to adapt to the rugby-based game played by McGill and the two teams alternated between their respective sets of rules. Within a few years, however, Harvard had both adopted McGill's rugby rules and had persuaded other U.S. university teams to do the same. In 1876, at the Massasoit Convention, it was agreed by these universities to adopt most of the Rugby Football Union rules, with some variations. Princeton, Rutgers and others continued to compete using soccer-based rules for a few years before switching to the rugby-based rules of Harvard and its competitors. U.S. colleges did not generally return to soccer until the early 20th century.

thumb|270px|left|Rutgers College Football Team, 1882In 1880, Yale coach Walter Camp, devised a number of major changes to the American game. Camp's two most important rule innovations in establishing American football as distinct from the rugby football games on which it is based are ''scrimmage'' and ''down-and-distance'' rules.

Scrimmage refers to the practice of starting action by delivering the ball from the ground to another player's hand. Camp's original rule allowed this delivery to be done only with the feet; the rule was soon changed to allow the ball to be passed by hand. The rule also established a distinct line of scrimmage which separates the two teams from each other. When a player is tackled, he is ruled down and play stops, while the teams reset on either side of the line of scrimmage. Play then resumes with the delivery of the ball. Teams are given a limited number of downs to achieve a certain distance (always measured in yards). In American football, teams are given four downs to advance the ball ten yards, after which possession of the ball changes. In Canadian football, teams are allowed three downs to advance ten yards. These rules created a fundamental distinction between the North American codes and rugby codes. Rugby is still fundamentally a continuous-action game, while North American codes are organized around running discrete "plays", as defined as starting with the delivery from "scrimmage" and ending with the "down".

American football, in its early years, was an excessively violent game, plagued with several deaths and life-changing injuries every year. The violence became so drastic that President Theodore Roosevelt threatened to shut down the game in 1905, should rules not be changed to minimize this violence. Several rule changes were put into place that year, but the most enduring has been the introduction of the legal forward pass, which, like Camp's rule changes of the 1880s, fundamentally changed the nature of the sport. When it became legal to throw the ball forward, an entire new method of advancing the ball emerged. As a result, players became more specialized in their roles, as the different positions on the team required different skill sets. Thus, some players are primarily involved in running with the ball (the running back) while others specialize in throwing (the quarterback), catching (the wide receiver), or blocking (the offensive line). With the advent of free substitution rules in the 1940s and 1950s, teams could deploy separate offensive and defensive "platoons" which led to even greater specialization.

Over the years, Canadian football absorbed some developments in American football, but also retained many unique characteristics. One of these was that Canadian football, for many years, did not officially distinguish itself from rugby. For example, the Canadian Rugby Football Union, founded in 1884 was the forerunner of the Canadian Football League, rather than a rugby union body. (The Canadian Rugby Union, today known as Rugby Canada, was not formed until 1965.) American football was also frequently described as "rugby" in the 1880s.

Gaelic football

In the mid-19th century, various traditional football games, referred to collectively as ''caid'', remained popular in Ireland, especially in County Kerry. One observer, Father W. Ferris, described two main forms of ''caid'' during this period: the "field game" in which the object was to put the ball through arch-like goals, formed from the boughs of two trees; and the epic "cross-country game" which took up most of the daylight hours of a Sunday on which it was played, and was won by one team taking the ball across a parish boundary. "Wrestling", "holding" opposing players, and carrying the ball were all allowed.

By the 1870s, Rugby and Association football had started to become popular in Ireland. Trinity College, Dublin was an early stronghold of Rugby (see the Developments in the 1850s section, above). The rules of the English FA were being distributed widely. Traditional forms of ''caid'' had begun to give way to a "rough-and-tumble game" which allowed tripping.

There was no serious attempt to unify and codify Irish varieties of football, until the establishment of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in 1884. The GAA sought to promote traditional Irish sports, such as hurling and to reject imported games like Rugby and Association football. The first Gaelic football rules were drawn up by Maurice Davin and published in the ''United Ireland'' magazine on February 7, 1887. Davin's rules showed the influence of games such as hurling and a desire to formalise a distinctly Irish code of football. The prime example of this differentiation was the lack of an offside rule (an attribute which, for many years, was shared only by other Irish games like hurling, and by Australian rules football).

Split in Rugby football

[[File:Reverend marshall.jpg|thumb|200px|An English cartoon from the 1890s lampooning the divide in rugby football which led to the formation of rugby league. The caricatures are of Rev. Frank Marshall, an arch-opponent of player payments, and James Miller, a long-time opponent of Marshall. The caption reads:

Marshall: "Oh, fie, go away naughty boy, I don't play with boys who can’t afford to take a holiday for football any day they like!"

Miller: "Yes, that's just you to a T; you’d make it so that no lad whose father wasn’t a millionaire could play at all in a really good team. For my part I see no reason why the men who make the money shouldn’t have a share in the spending of it."]] The International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) was founded in 1886, but rifts were beginning to emerge in the code. Professionalism was beginning to creep into the various codes of football.

In England, by the 1890s, a long-standing Rugby Football Union ban on ''professional'' players was causing regional tensions within rugby football, as many players in northern England were working class and could not afford to take time off to train, travel, play and recover from injuries. This was not very different from what had occurred ten years earlier in soccer in Northern England but the authorities reacted very differently in the RFU, attempting to alienate the working class support in Northern England. In 1895, following a dispute about a player being paid broken time payments, which replaced wages lost as a result of playing rugby, representatives of the northern clubs met in Huddersfield to form the Northern Rugby Football Union (NRFU). The new body initially permitted only various types of player wage replacements. However, within two years, NRFU players could be paid, but they were required to have a job outside sport.

The demands of a professional league dictated that rugby had to become a better "spectator" sport. Within a few years the NRFU rules had started to diverge from the RFU, most notably with the abolition of the ''line-out''. This was followed by the replacement of the ''ruck'' with the "play-the-ball ruck", which allowed a two-player ruck contest between the tackler at marker and the player tackled. ''Mauls'' were stopped once the ball carrier was held, being replaced by a play-the ball-ruck. The separate Lancashire and Yorkshire competitions of the NRFU merged in 1901, forming the ''Northern Rugby League'', the first time the name rugby league was used officially in England.

Over time, the RFU form of rugby, played by clubs which remained members of national federations affiliated to the IRFB, became known as rugby union.

Globalisation of association football

The need for a single body to oversee association football had become apparent by the beginning of the 20th century, with the increasing popularity of international fixtures. The English Football Association had chaired many discussions on setting up an international body, but was perceived as making no progress. It fell to associations from seven other European countries: France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, to form an international association. The ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' (FIFA) was founded in Paris on May 21, 1904. Its first president was Robert Guérin. The French name and acronym has remained, even outside French-speaking countries.

Reform of American football

Both forms of rugby and American football were noted at the time for serious injuries, as well as the deaths of a significant number of players. By the early 20th century in the U.S.A., this had resulted in national controversy and American football was banned by a number of colleges. Consequently, a series of meetings was held by 19 colleges in 1905–06. This occurred reputedly at the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt. He was considered a fancier of the game, but he threatened to ban it unless the rules were modified to reduce the numbers of deaths and disabilities. The meetings are now considered to be the origin of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

One proposed change was a widening of the playing field. However, Harvard University had just built a concrete stadium and therefore objected to widening, instead proposing legalisation of the ''forward pass''. The report of the meetings introduced many restrictions on tackling and two more divergences from rugby: the forward pass and the banning of ''mass formation plays''. The changes did not immediately have the desired effect, and 33 American football players were killed during 1908 alone. However, the number of deaths and injuries did gradually decline.

Further divergence of the two rugby codes

Rugby league rules diverged significantly from rugby union in 1906, with the reduction of the team from 15 to 13 players. In 1907, a New Zealand professional rugby team toured Australia and Britain, receiving an enthusiastic response, and professional rugby leagues were launched in Australia the following year. However, the rules of professional games varied from one country to another, and negotiations between various national bodies were required to fix the exact rules for each international match. This situation endured until 1948, when at the instigation of the French league, the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) was formed at a meeting in Bordeaux.

During the second half of 20th century, the rules changed further. In 1966, rugby league officials borrowed the American football concept of ''downs'': a team could retain possession of the ball for no more than four tackles. The maximum number of tackles was later increased to six (in 1971), and in rugby league this became known as the ''six tackle rule''.

With the advent of full-time professionals in the early 1990s, and the consequent speeding up of the game, the five metre off-side distance between the two teams became 10 metres, and the replacement rule was superseded by various interchange rules, among other changes.

The laws of rugby union also changed significantly during the 20th century. In particular, goals from ''marks'' were abolished, kicks directly ''into touch'' from outside the ''22 metre'' line were penalised, new laws were put in place to determine who had possession following an inconclusive ''ruck'' or ''maul'', and the lifting of players in ''line-outs'' was legalised.

In 1995, rugby union became an "open" game, that is one which allowed professional players. Although the original dispute between the two codes has now disappeared — and despite the fact that officials from both forms of rugby football have sometimes mentioned the possibility of re-unification — the rules of both codes and their culture have diverged to such an extent that such an event is unlikely in the foreseeable future.

Use of the word "football"

The word "''football''", when used in reference to a specific game can mean any one of those described above. Because of this, much friendly controversy has occurred over the term ''football'', primarily because it is used in different ways in different parts of the English-speaking world. Most often, the word "football" is used to refer to the code of football that is considered dominant within a particular region. So, effectively, what the word "football" means usually depends on where one says it.

Association football is known generally as ''soccer'' where other codes of football are dominant, including: the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. American football is always ''football'' in the United States. In francophone Quebec, where Canadian football is more popular, the Canadian code is known as ''football'' and association football is known as ''.'' Of the 45 national FIFA affiliates in which English is an official or primary language, most currently use ''Football'' in their organizations' official names. The FIFA affiliates in Canada and the United States use ''Soccer'' in their names.

A few FIFA affiliates have recently "normalized" to using "Football", including: Australia's association football governing body changed its name in 2007 from using "soccer" to "football" New Zealand also changed in 2007, saying "the international game is called football." Samoa changed from "Samoa Football (Soccer) Federation" to "Football Federation Samoa" in 2009.

Present day codes and families

Association football and descendants

Association football, also known as ''football'', ''soccer'', ''footy'' and ''footie''

Indoor/basketball court varieties of Football:

* Five-a-side football — played throughout the world under various rules including:

** Futsal — the FIFA-approved five-a-side indoor game

** ''Minivoetbal'' — the five-a-side indoor game played in East and West Flanders where it is hugely popular

** Papi fut — the five-a-side game played in outdoor basketball courts (built with goals) in Central America.

* Indoor soccer — the six-a-side indoor game, known in Latin America, where it is often played in open air venues, as ''fútbol rápido'' ("fast football")

*Masters Football — six-a-side played in Europe by mature professionals (35 years and older)

Paralympic football — modified Football for athletes with a disability. Includes:

* Football 5-a-side — for visually impaired athletes

* Football 7-a-side — for athletes with cerebral palsy

* Amputee football — for athletes with amputations

* Deaf football — for athletes with hearing impairments

* Electric wheelchair soccer

Beach soccer — football played on sand], also known as beach football and sand soccer

[[Street football — encompasses a number of informal varieties of football

Rush goalie — is a variation of football in which the role of the goalkeeper is more flexible than normal

Headers and Volleys — where the aim is to score goals against a goalkeeper using only headers and volleys

Crab football — players stand on their hands and feet and move around on their backs whilst playing football as normal

Swamp soccer — the game is played on a swamp or bog field

Rugby school football and descendants

Rugby football

* Rugby league — often referred to simply as "league", and usually known simply as "football" or "footy" in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland.

**Rugby league nines (or sevens)

**Touch football (rugby league) — a non-contact version of rugby league. Often called simply "touch", in South Africa it is known as "six down"

* Rugby union

** Mini rugby a variety for children.

* Rugby sevens

** Rugby tens

* Beach rugby — rugby played on sand

* Touch rugby — generic name for forms of rugby football which do not feature tackles

**Tag Rugby — a non-contact version of rugby, in which a velcro tag is removed to indicate a tackle

Gridiron football

* American football — called "football" in the United States and Canada, and "gridiron" in Australia and New Zealand. Sometimes called "tackle football" to distinguish it from the touch versions

* Indoor football, arena football — an indoor version of American football

* Nine-man football, eight-man football, six-man football — versions of tackle football, played primarily by smaller high schools that lack enough players to field full 11-man teams

* Touch football (American) — non-tackle American football

** Flag football — non-tackle American football, like touch football, in which a flag that is held by velcro on a belt tied around the waist is pulled by defenders to indicate a tackle

*Street football (American) — American football played in backyards without equipment and with simplified rules

* Canadian football — called simply "football" in Canada; "football" in Canada can mean either Canadian or American football depending on context

** Canadian flag football — non-tackle Canadian football

** Nine-man football — similar to nine-man American football, but using Canadian rules; played by smaller schools in Saskatchewan that lack enough players to field full 12-man teams

Irish and Australian varieties

thumb|right|350px|International rules football test match from the 2005 International Rules Series between Australia and Ireland at Telstra Dome, Melbourne, Australia. ''These codes have in common the absence of an offside rule, the requirement to bounce or solo (toe-kick) the ball while running, handpassing by punching or tapping the ball rather than throwing it, and other traditions.''

Australian rules football — officially known as "Australian football", and informally as "football", "footy" or "Aussie rules". In some areas (erroneously) referred to as "AFL", which is the name of the main organising body and competition

* Auskick — a version of Australian rules designed by the AFL for young children

* Metro footy (or Metro rules footy) — a modified version invented by the USAFL, for use on gridiron fields in North American cities (which often lack grounds large enough for conventional Australian rules matches)

* Kick-to-kick – informal versions of the game

* 9-a-side footy — a more open, running variety of Australian rules, requiring 18 players in total and a proportionally smaller playing area (includes contact and non-contact varieties)

* Rec footy — "Recreational Football", a modified non-contact touch variation of Australian rules, created by the AFL, which replaces tackles with tags

* Touch Aussie Rules — a non-contact variation of Australian Rules played only in the United Kingdom

* Samoa rules — localised version adapted to Samoan conditions, such as the use of rugby football fields

* Masters Australian football (a.k.a. ''Superules'') — reduced contact version introduced for competitions limited to players over 30 years of age

* Women's Australian rules football — played with a smaller ball and (sometimes) reduced contact version introduced for women's competition

Gaelic football — Played predominantly in Ireland. Sometimes referred to as "football" or "gah"

*Ladies Gaelic football

International rules football — a compromise code used for games between Gaelic and Australian Rules players

Surviving medieval ball games

Inside the UK

The Haxey Hood, played on Epiphany in Haxey, Lincolnshire

Shrove Tuesday games

* Scoring the Hales in Alnwick, Northumberland

* Royal Shrovetide Football in Ashbourne, Derbyshire

* The Shrovetide Ball Game in Atherstone, Warwickshire

* The Shrove Tuesday Football Ceremony of the Purbeck Marblers in Corfe Castle, Dorset

* Hurling the Silver Ball at St Columb Major in Cornwall

* The Ball Game in Sedgefield, County Durham

In Scotland the Ba game ("Ball Game") is still popular around Christmas and Hogmanay at:

* Duns, Berwickshire

* Scone, Perthshire

* Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands

Outside the UK

''Calcio Fiorentino'' — a modern revival of Renaissance football from 16th century Florence.

Surviving UK school games

Games still played at UK public (independent) schools:

Eton field game

Eton wall game

Harrow football

Winchester College football

Recent inventions and hybrid games

Keepie uppie (keep up)

:is the art of juggling with a football using feet, knees, chest, shoulders, and head.

* Footbag

*:is a small bean bag or sand bag used as a ball in a number of keepie uppie variations, including hacky sack (which is a trade mark).

Freestyle football

:a modern take on keepie uppie where freestylers are graded for their entertainment value and expression of skill.

Based on FA rules

Cubbies

Three sided football

Triskelion

Based on rugby

Force ’em backs a.k.a. forcing back, forcemanback

Hybrid games

Austus

:a compromise between Australian rules and American football, invented in Melbourne during World War II.

Bossaball

:mixes Association football and volleyball and gymnastics; played on inflatables and trampolines.

Footvolley

:mixes Association football and beach volleyball; played on sand

Note: although similar with football and volleyball in some aspects, Sepak takraw has ancient origins and cannot be considered an hybrid game.

Football tennis

:mixes Association football and tennis

Kickball

:a hybrid of Association football and baseball, invented in the United States in about 1942.

Speedball (American)

:a combination of American football, soccer, and basketball, devised in the United States in 1912.

Universal football

:a hybrid of Australian rules and rugby league, trialled in Sydney in 1933.

Volata

:a game resembling Association football and European handball, devised by Italian fascist leader, Augusto Turati, in the 1920s.

Wheelchair rugby

:also known as Murderball, invented in Canada in 1977. Based on ice hockey and basketball rather than rugby.

Tabletop games and other recreations

Based on Football (soccer)

Subbuteo

Blow football

Table football — also known as foosball, table soccer, babyfoot, bar football or gettone)

Fantasy football (soccer)

Button football — also known as Futebol de Mesa, Jogo de Botões

Penny football

FIFA Video Games Series

Pro Evolution Soccer

Based on rugby

Penny rugby

Based on American football

Paper football

Blood Bowl

Fantasy football (American)

Madden NFL

Based on Australian football

List of Australian rules football computer games

* AFL Premiership 2005

Based on Rugby League football

Sidhe's Rugby League series

*Rugby League 3

Australian Rugby League

See also

Names for association football

Players who have converted from one football code to another

Football field (unit of length)

Football in the 1300s

Notes

References

Mandelbaum, Michael (2004); ''The Meaning of Sports''; Public Affairs, ISBN 1-58648-252-1

Green, Geoffrey (1953); ''The History of the Football Association''; Naldrett Press, London

Williams, Graham (1994); ''The Code War''; Yore Publications, ISBN 1-874427-65-8

External links

Category:Ball games Category:Football

af:Voetbal cs:Fotbal (rozcestník) de:Football (Sportart) es:Fútbol (homonimia) eo:Piedpilkado fa:فوتبالیست fr:Football (homonymie) ga:Peil ko:풋볼 it:Football ja:フットボール no:Football oc:Fotbòl (omonimia) pl:Futbol simple:Football sh:Fudbal (razvrstavanje) fi:Jalkapallo (täsmennyssivu) uk:Різновиди футболу ur:گیندِ پا

name	Rashad Evans
birth name	Rashad Anton Evans
birth date	September 25, 1979
birth place	Niagara Falls, New York, United States
other names	Suga, Sugar
nationality	American
height
weight lb	205
weight class	Light Heavyweight (205 lb) Heavyweight (265 lb) (The Ultimate Fighter)
reach in	75
style	Collegiate Wrestling, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Gaidojutsu
stance	Orthodox
fighting out of	Boca Raton, FL
team	Imperial Athletics
rank	''NCAA Division I Wrestling'' ''Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu'' ''Black belt in Gaidojutsu''
years active	2004–present
mma win	16
mma kowin	7
mma subwin	2
mma decwin	8
mma loss	1
mma draw	1
am win	2
am subwin	1
am decwin	1
occupation	Professional Mixed martial arts Fighter
university	Michigan State University Niagara County C.C.
spouse	LaToya
children	3
relatives	Lance Evans, ''brother''
school	Niagara-Wheatfield High School
url	http://www.rashadevans.tv/
sherdog	10200
updated	July 22, 2011 }}

Rashad Anton Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist from Niagara Falls, New York, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Evans won the heavyweight division of ''The Ultimate Fighter 2''. Evans lost the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship to then undefeated Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. Evans is currently ranked as the #3 Light Heavyweight fighter in the world by Sherdog, MMAWeekly. and Yahoo! Sports. He holds notable victories over Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Thiago Silva, Tito Ortiz, Forrest Griffin, Michael Bisping and Chuck Liddell.

Early life

One of eight children, Evans was a two-time All-State wrestler at Niagara Wheatfield High School (Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District) in Sanborn, New York. He was also a two-way player on the school's football team, playing running back when on offense and safety on defense.

After graduating from high school in the year 1998, Evans went on to attend Niagara County Community College, where he entered the wrestling program and won the National Junior College championship in 2000. He then transferred to Michigan State University, competing in the weight class. He started at Michigan State for three years and amassed a 48–34 record during that time. Evans was also one of only three people to ever defeat wrestling legend Greg Jones. Since graduating from Michigan State and earning a degree in psychology, he has remained a resident of Lansing, Michigan. In 2005, he became an assistant coach for the Michigan State wrestling program.

Mixed martial arts

Early career

In 2004, under the tutelage of veteran wrestler and MMA fighter Dan Severn, Evans competed in five professional mixed martial arts fights, winning all five. This led to his selection as one of the nine heavyweights to compete on ''The Ultimate Fighter 2'', a reality TV series on Spike. The season began airing on August 22, 2005, culminating in a live finale between the final two fighters of each weight division, held in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 5, 2005.

The Ultimate Fighter

At and , Evans was the shortest and the second-lightest of the nine heavyweight competitors. He was considered the underdog in each of his fights, but made it to the finals by defeating Tom Murphy, Mike Whitehead, and Keith Jardine all by decision. During his tenure on the show, Evans was criticized by opposing coach Matt Hughes for his showboating during fights, but the two eventually settled their differences, and Hughes even cornered Evans for his semifinal bout. In the finale, Evans defeated Brad Imes by split decision, thus winning a three-year, six-figure contract with the UFC and a brand new car. After ''The Ultimate Fighter'', Evans joined Greg Jackson's Submission Fighting camp along with fellow competitor Keith Jardine, who would eventually become his training partner and good friend.

After the show

Evans dropped down to light heavyweight after the show, deciding he would have a better chance of success in a lower weight class. His first fight under the contract took place on April 6, 2006 against Sam Hoger, who had been a semi-finalist on ''The Ultimate Fighter 1''. Evans defeated Hoger via split decision despite nearly falling victim to a kimura submission at the end of the second round.

Evans followed with a victory by majority decision over ''The Ultimate Fighter 1'' finalist Stephan Bonnar on June 28, 2006. Evans maintained control throughout the fight with repeated take downs, including a number of slams in the center of the cage and went on to secure the victory. Three months later, Evans faced Jason Lambert at ''UFC 63''. Lambert, riding an eight-fight win streak, was seen as Evans's first real test at 205 pounds. Evans controlled the fight from early on, and knocked Lambert out with punches from the mount in the second round. It was his first stoppage victory in over two years.

Evans next headlined ''UFC Fight Night: Evans vs Salmon'' against UFC newcomer Sean Salmon, a highly decorated collegiate wrestler who held a 9–1 professional record. Though Salmon had won the first round by scoring two takedowns, Evans came back with a head kick knockout early in the second round. Salmon remained motionless for several minutes after the fight and was eventually carried out on a stretcher to a local hospital. The kick came to the surprise of many fans who had previously considered Evans a one-dimensional wrestler.

At ''UFC 73'', Evans squared off against former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz. The two competitors fought to a draw as all three judges scored the bout 28–28. Ortiz had won two out of three rounds on all scorecards, but was deducted a point for holding the cage fence to defend against a takedown by Evans. Immediately after the fight, Ortiz asked for a rematch. At a press conference following ''UFC 73'', UFC President Dana White promised a rematch, but it never materialized. Instead, Evans made his debut as a headliner on a pay-per-view event at ''UFC 78'' against fellow undefeated fighter and ''The Ultimate Fighter 3'' winner Michael Bisping. After three close rounds, Evans came out on top on two of the judgess' scorecards, winning by controversial split decision. This fight marked Bisping's first loss and his final bout in the light heavyweight division. After his win over Bisping, Evans drastically changed his fighting style, which he kept secret until his fight against UFC Legend Chuck Liddell.

Evans vs. Liddell

Entering the fight as a very heavy underdog, Evans shocked the world by knocking out former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell in brutal fashion at ''UFC 88''. Liddell threw an uppercut that Evans countered with an overhand right, landing flush. Liddell remained unconscious for several minutes before finally walking out of the cage under his own power. The knockout was awarded knockout of the year by Sherdog for 2008. Evans had previously been scheduled to face Liddell at ''UFC 85'' as a replacement for the injured Mauricio Rua. When Liddell pulled out of the event due to an injured hamstring, Evans was matched with James Irvin. When Irvin pulled out after breaking his foot, the fight was removed from the card altogether. After the fight, UFC President Dana White confirmed in the post-event press conference that Evans's next fight would be a title shot against newly crowned light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin at ''UFC 92''.

Light heavyweight champion

On December 27, 2008 at ''UFC 92'', Evans faced champion Forrest Griffin for the UFC light heavyweight belt. Griffin controlled most of the first two rounds with effective striking and low kicks. In the third round, however, Evans caught a low kick and countered with a straight right hand that dropped Griffin. Evans followed Griffin to the ground and eventually managed to finish the stunned champion with punches inside Griffin's guard. With the victory, Evans became the new UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion. It capped off a year in which Evans won Fighter of the Year honors from Sherdog.com.

Losing the title

Evans' first defense of the UFC Light-Heavyweight title against challenger Lyoto Machida ended in a knockout. During a flurry of punches from Machida, Rashad started trash talking Machida telling him 'his hands were made of pillows'. Machida continued his onslaught, knocking Rashad out. This was the first loss of his career and the 15th straight win of Lyoto Machida's career. Then, Evans went on to coach against Rampage Jackson in ''The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights''. Evans was scheduled to fight Jackson on December 12, 2009, at UFC 107, but this was cancelled due to Jackson being cast for the A-Team movie.

Back to title contention

Evans fought Thiago Silva in the main event of UFC 108 on January 2, 2010. Dana White was quoted as saying that if Evans could defeat Thiago Silva at UFC 108, then he would go on to face Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. During the Spike TV broadcast of the UFC 108 preliminary card, Evans confirmed that he received his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Rolles Gracie that morning. Evans would go on to defeat Thiago Silva – another BJJ black belt – by unanimous decision. Deviating from his usual standing and striking, Evans displayed his grappling skills with numerous takedowns that frustrated Silva throughout the match, but Evans failed to damage Silva substantially while on the ground. In the third round, after severely mocking his opponent's fighting style with various taunts, Silva connected with a right hook to Evans' jaw, rocking him. Silva hesitated in finishing Evans off in order to return the taunting, however, and Evans was able to recover leading to a UD win.

Rashad Evans faced Rampage Jackson at UFC 114. Evans caught Rampage with a right hand early in the first round and throughout the rest of the fight took Rampage down at will. In the third round Rashad was hurt by Rampage but recovered quickly and survived the final round. The judges scored the bout 30–27, 30–27, 29–28 giving Rashad the unanimous decision. Afterwards UFC President Dana White then officially confirmed that Rashad Evans would square off against Maurício Rua for the UFC Light Heavyweight title, but not until mid-Spring or early-Summer of 2011 as Rua recovered from knee surgery. The fight was then booked for the main event of UFC 128 when the UFC returned to Newark, New Jersey.

Following Rashad's training partner Jon Jones' victory over Ryan Bader at UFC 126, it was announced that Evans injured his knee during training. Jones was then told in his post-fight interview that the UFC wanted him to replace Evans in his fight against Mauricio Rua for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Jones accepted and the fight was set for UFC 128. Evans will now face Jon Jones.

During a UFC 128 post-fight interview with Ariel Helwani, Evans stated that he was done training at Jackson's Submission Fighting in preparation for his fight with Jon Jones. He then commenced training at Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Florida, at a new camp co-founded by Evans and several Brazilian fighters who had concomitantly left American Top Team due to a dispute over management services; these were later joined by some African-American fighters, and as a result the camp's members became known colloquially as the "Blackzilians," especially on twitter. Evans gave further insight to MMAWeekly about his leaving Jackson's Submission Fighting, “When you get to a certain point, you really need a lot of time (with the coaches)… make sure you get the one-on-one, and you just need different things,” he explained. “After being at Jackson’s for a while, with so many people at the gym, it just got harder and harder for me to get that time."

Evans/Jones was expected to take place on August 6, 2011 at UFC 133, but Jones was sidelined with a hand injury. Evans was expected to face rising prospect Phil Davis at the event instead. A title fight between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes was delayed, so the UFC promoted Evans vs. Davis to serve as the main event. However, with less than four weeks until the event, Davis pulled out of the bout citing a knee injury. A rematch with Tito Ortiz was scheduled to headline the event. Evans defeated Ortiz at UFC 133 via TKO in the second round. The victory has secured Evans a title shot against the winner of Jones/Rampage at UFC 135.

Personal life

Evans and his wife have one son, Rashad Jr, and a daughter, Nia. He also has a daughter, Tahja, from a previous relationship. Evans's brother Lance made a brief appearance on ''The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs Team Mir'', but was eliminated by Vinicius Magalhaes due to a rib injury and did not join the cast.

Evans has appeared in a Microsoft commercial, where he says the lines, "You got a problem with that!" and "I'm a PC!", while sparring with an unidentified opponent.

Evans is also a frequent commentator on the ESPN show MMA Live

Evans enjoys going to Caribbean resorts and relaxing on beaches when not competing. Evans also enjoys video gaming; his favorite games being NBA 2k and Madden. Evans also made an appearance on Spike TV's show, Deadliest Warrior. In this episode, Evans easily pierces a pig carcass with the xyston similar to one used by Alexander the Great, and crushed a gel torso's throat with an elbow.

Championships and awards

Mixed martial arts

Gladiator Challenge

*GC Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner

Ultimate Fighting Championship

*UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)

*The Ultimate Fighter 2 Heavyweight Tournament Winner

*Knockout of the Night Honors (Two times)

*Fight of the Night Honors (Two times)

Sherdog

2008 Fighter of the Year

2008 Knockout of the Year against Chuck Liddell

FIGHT! Magazine

2008 Knockout of the Year against Chuck Liddell

World MMA Awards

*Best Knockout (2008)

Sponsorships

MusclePharm signs Rashad Evans to their team of elite althetes

Amateur wrestling

National Junior College Athletic Association

Junior College National Champion 165 1b – out of Niagara County Community College (2000)

Mixed martial arts record

The UFC counts two amateur bouts in the The Dangerzone MMA promotion, as well as Evans' three victories in ''The Ultimate Fighter 2'', resulting in a record of 21–1–1 for Evans according to the UFC; however, the N.S.A.C. has instructed record keepers that all fights on ''The Ultimate Fighter'' are considered exhibition matches; therefore, Evans' official professional MMA record is currently 16–1–1.

|- | Win | align="center" | 16-1-1 | Tito Ortiz | TKO (knee & punches) | UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz | | align="center" | 2 | align="center" | 4:48 |Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | Fight of the night |- | Win | align="center" | 15–1–1 | Quinton Jackson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans | | align="center" | 3 | align="center" | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |- | Win | align="center" | 14–1–1 | Thiago Silva | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 108 | | align="center" | 3 | align="center" | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |- |Loss | align="center" | 13–1–1 | Lyoto Machida | KO (punches) | UFC 98 | | align="center" | 2 | align="center" | 3:57 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Lost the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship |- | Win | align="center" | 13–0–1 | Forrest Griffin | TKO (punches) | UFC 92 | | align="center" | 3 | align="center" | 2:46 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship; Fight of the Night |- | Win | align="center" | 12–0–1 | Chuck Liddell | KO (punch) | UFC 88 | | align="center" | 2 | align="center" | 1:51 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Knockout of the Night; Knockout of the Year |- | Win | align="center" | 11–0–1 | Michael Bisping | Decision (split) | UFC 78 | | align="center" | 3 | align="center" | 5:00 | Newark, New Jersey, United States |- | Draw | align="center" | 10–0–1 | Tito Ortiz | Draw | UFC 73 | | align="center" | 3 | align="center" | 5:00 | Sacramento, California, United States | Tito Ortiz was deducted a point for grabbing the fence |- | Win | align="center" | 10–0 | Sean Salmon | KO (head kick) | UFC Fight Night: Evans vs Salmon | | align="center" | 2 | align="center" | 1:06 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | Knockout of the Night |- | Win | align="center" | 9–0 | Jason Lambert | KO (punches) | UFC 63 | | align="center" | 2 | align="center" | 2:22 | Anaheim, California, United States |- | Win | align="center" | 8–0 | Stephan Bonnar | Decision (majority) | UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5 | | align="center" | 3 | align="center" | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |- | Win | align="center" | 7–0 | Sam Hoger | Decision (split) | UFC Ultimate Fight Night 4 | | align="center" | 3 | align="center" | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Light Heavyweight |- | Win | align="center" | 6–0 | Brad Imes | Decision (split) | The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale | | align="center" | 3 | align="center" | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Wins The Ultimate Fighter 2 Heavyweight contest |- | Win | align="center" | 5–0 | Jaime Jara | Decision (unanimous) | GC 27: FightFest 2 | | align="center" | 3 | align="center" | 5:00 | Colusa, California, United States | Wins Gladiator Challenge Light Heavyweight Tournament |- | Win | align="center" | 4–0 | Hector Ramirez | Decision (unanimous) | GC 27: FightFest 2 | | align="center" | 2 | align="center" | 5:00 | Colusa, California, United States |- | Win | align="center" | 3–0 | Bryan Pardoe | TKO (punches) | GC 26: FightFest 1 | | align="center" | 1 | align="center" | 3:24 | Colusa, California, United States |- | Win | align="center" | 2–0 | Danny Anderson | Submission (punches) | Dangerzone: Cage Fighting | | align="center" | 1 | align="center" | 3:09 | Osceola, Iowa, United States |- | Win | align="center" | 1–0 | Dennis Reed | Submission | Dangerzone: Cage Fighting | | align="center" | 1 | align="center" | 0:50 | Osceola, Iowa, United States |

See also

List of current UFC fighters

References

External links

Official UFC Profile

Rashad Evans profile at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame

MMATrailers.com

Category:The Ultimate Fighter winners Category:1979 births Category:American mixed martial artists Category:Light heavyweight mixed martial artists Category:Living people Category:American practitioners of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Category:African-American mixed martial artists Category:Michigan State Spartans athletes Category:People from Lansing, Michigan Category:Mixed martial artists from Michigan Category:Mixed martial artists from New York Category:Ultimate Fighting Championship champions Category:American sport wrestlers

de:Rashad Evans fr:Rashad Evans it:Rashad Evans ja:ラシャド・エヴァンス no:Rashad Evans pl:Rashad Evans pt:Rashad Evans simple:Rashad Evans fi:Rashad Evans sv:Rashad Evans uk:Рашад Еванс

Name	DeSean Jackson
Width	280px
Currentteam	Philadelphia Eagles
Currentnumber	10
Currentposition	Wide receiver
Birth date	December 01, 1986
Birth place	Los Angeles, California
Heightft	5
Heightin	10
Weight	175
College	California
Draftyear	2008
Draftround	2
Draftpick	49
Debutyear	2008
Debutteam	Philadelphia Eagles
Pastteams	Philadelphia Eagles (–Present)
Status	Active
Highlights	2× Pro Bowl selection (2009, 2010) 1× All-Pro selection (2009) 2× All-Pac-10 (2006, 2007) 2× All-American (2006, 2007) Randy Moss Award (2006) Pete Dawkins Trophy (2005)
Statweek	17
Statseason	2010
Statlabel1	Receptions
Statvalue1	171
Statlabel2	Receiving Yards
Statvalue2	3,124
Statlabel3	Receiving TDs
Statvalue3	17
Nfl	JAC127681 }}

DeSean William Jackson (born December 1, 1986) is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of California, Berkeley.

Jackson is the first player to be selected to the Pro Bowl at two different positions at once when he was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl as a wide receiver and return specialist. He was also named to the 2011 Pro Bowl.

Early years

Jackson attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, the same high school as future Eagles teammate Winston Justice and many other current NFL players. He became one of the top wide receiver recruits in the nation, with many collegiate football programs pursuing his services. He was named the 2004 Glenn Davis Award winner by the ''Los Angeles Times'' as Southern California's player of the year. He also played baseball and was scouted by both the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies in his senior year.

Jackson caught 60 passes for 1,075 yards for 15 touchdowns his senior year, leading the Jackrabbits to a CIF Southern Section championship. He was pressed into service last minute as a defensive back in the section title game against Los Alamitos High School, responding with two interceptions, one which he returned 68 yards for a touchdown to help fuel Long Beach Poly's 21–6 victory.

To cap off his high school career, Jackson was voted the Most Valuable Player at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, where he caught seven passes for 141 yards and passed for a 45-yard touchdown in leading the West to a 35–3 victory in a game that featured 80 of the nation's top players. However, he was also involved in an embarrassing play when he attempted to somersault from the five-yard line for a touchdown, but landed on the one-yard line, leaving the ball there. ''ESPN.com'''s Tom Lemming rated him as the number four wide receiver in the country, ''PrepStar Magazine'' named him an All-American and a member of its Dream Team Top 100 players, and Calhisports.com voted him the 2004 Mr. Football State Player of the Year. He committed to the football program at the University of California, Berkeley under Coach Jeff Tedford, making his announcement on Southern California's FSN West. Jackson waited until the deadline to choose between scholarship offers for California and the University of Southern California.

College career

Wearing the number 1, in his first collegiate game against Sacramento State in 2005, Jackson scored both an offensive and special teams touchdown, returning a punt 49 yards for a score. Throughout his freshman season, Jackson picked up 38 receptions for 601 yards along with seven touchdowns, eclipsing the 100-yard mark three times. In the 2005 Las Vegas Bowl game against BYU, Jackson tallied 130 yards and two scores.

Coming into his sophomore year with high expectations, Jackson displayed more of his talent and playmaking ability, tallying 1,060 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Jackson also returned four punts for touchdowns. He earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors as both a punt returner and a wide receiver. Jackson garnered national recognition with selections to first-team All-America by the ''Associated Press'', Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Football Writers Association of America, the ''Sporting News'' and ''Rivals.com'' as a punt returner. Jackson also captured the inaugural Randy Moss Award as the top return man in the nation. In one of only two California losses in Pac-10 play, Jackson had a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown against Arizona.

Jackson entered his junior season being considered a Heisman Trophy candidate. His season began promisingly, with a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown against Tennessee in the opening game of the season. Against eleventh-ranked Oregon, he caught 11 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Bears to their first victory in Autzen Stadium since 1987. Jackson finished the 2007 season with 65 catches for 762 yards, and scored six touchdowns as a receiver. Jackson was named an All-American as a return specialist. Jackson suffered several minor injuries that limited his effectiveness at times during the season, along with a right thigh injury that forced him to miss most of the game against Washington and the Big Game against Stanford. He also missed the first quarter of the 2007 Armed Forces Bowl for violating undisclosed team rules.

Jackson left Cal following the 2007 season, declaring for the 2008 NFL Draft. He departed holding Pac-10 records for punts returned for a touchdown both in a season (four), and in a career (six). Jackson ranks third all-time at California for receiving yards with 2,423 and receiving touchdowns with 22. He is sixth in receptions (162). Jackson finished with 52 career plays of 20 yards or more, making up 23 percent of his 226 touches.

Professional career

Pre-draft

{{nfl predraft | height ft = 5 | height in = 9¾ | weight = 169 | dash = 4.35 | ten split = 1.53 | twenty split = 2.52 | shuttle = 4.19 | cone drill = 6.82 | vertical = 34½ | broad ft = 10 | broad in = 2 | bench = | wonderlic = | arm span = | hand span = | note = Height, weight and 40-yard dash from 2008 NFL Combine, all other values from Pro Day workout }}

Going to the 2008 NFL Draft Jackson was considered one of the top ten wide receivers available in a draft class littered with talented wide outs. The only knock on Jackson was his small frame, being measured at 5'9¾ " and just over 170 pounds. During the pre-draft period, Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice was quoted saying that Jackson "has all the talent in the world. There's no reason he can't be everything he wants to be at the next level." At the 2008 NFL Combine, Jackson had an impressive showing, running an official 4.35 40-yard dash. He performed well in positional drills, running routes fluidly and catching passes very well displaying his well-known agility and quickness. He also posted a standing broad jump of 10 feet.

Philadelphia Eagles

2008 season

On April 26, 2008, Jackson was drafted in the second round (49th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the seventh wide receiver taken in the draft which saw for the first time ever no wide receivers drafted in the first round. On July 20, he agreed to terms on a four-year contract with the team.

Jackson had a good preseason performance, which included a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown against the New England Patriots in week 3. After the Eagles' roster was cut to its maximum 53-man limit for the season, he was listed as the starting punt returner and as a second-string wide receiver.

Due to injuries sustained by Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown, Jackson was the first rookie to start opening day for head coach Andy Reid. On September 7, Jackson collected six catches for 106 yards in a 38–3 win over the St. Louis Rams. He also returned eight punts for a total of 97 yards, including a 60-yard punt return to set up a field goal. He had over 200 all-purpose yards, a record for a rookie wide receiver. During a ''Monday Night Football'' game against the Dallas Cowboys on September 15, Jackson celebrated prematurely before running into the end zone by flipping the football behind him at the one-yard line. This led to what would have otherwise been his first NFL touchdown to be challenged and overturned, with Brian Westbrook running in for a touchdown from the one-yard line on the next play. Jackson finished the game with 110 yards on six receptions, becoming only the second receiver in NFL history to have over 100 yards receiving in each of his first two games since the Eagles' Don Looney in 1940.

On September 28, Jackson recorded his first offensive touchdown against the Chicago Bears. During this game, he also fumbled a punt return that set up the Bears' go ahead score. The following week against the Washington Redskins on October 5, Jackson returned his first punt return for a touchdown with a 68-yard return. Jackson scored his first rushing touchdown on November 9 on a direct snap in the wildcat formation with a nine-yard run against the New York Giants. A rematch against the Giants on December 7 which resulted in a 20-14 upset of the defending Super Bowl champions marked the first time in the season that Jackson did not have a reception. The following week, Jackson rebounded, recording 77 yards on five catches in a 30–10 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Jackson's final touchdown of the season came in the NFC Championship game on January 18, 2009 against the Arizona Cardinals, when he managed to haul in a 62-yard touchdown. Jackson narrowly finished second to Curtis in postseason receiving yards with 207 to Curtis' 211.

Jackson finished a successful rookie season equaling and surpassing the feats of two other Eagles rookies, Keith Jackson and Don Looney. His 912 receiving yards set a new Eagles rookie record and surpassed the previous mark of 869 set by Keith Jackson in 1988. He was the first rookie to lead the team in receptions, another feat accomplished by Keith Jackson. DeSean Jackson also set the team record for receptions with 62.

2009 season

In week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, Jackson had his second punt return for an 85-yard touchdown, the second longest in Eagles history. The following week Kevin Kolb threw his first career touchdown pass to Jackson against the New Orleans Saints for 71 yards. Jackson had 149 receiving yards against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 27 which included a 64-yard touchdown reception. Against the Oakland Raiders on October 17 he caught six receptions for 94 yards, including a 51-yard diving fingertips catch, in a 13–9 loss.

Jackson caught a 57-yard touchdown pass from Donovan McNabb that gave McNabb his 200th career touchdown and 30,000th career passing yards on October 26 against the Washington Redskins on ''Monday Night Football''. He also scored his first rushing touchdown of the season on a 67-yard reverse. Jackson injured his right foot during the game and had an x-ray during halftime, but returned to play during the third quarter. He was later named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts.

In a week 11 matchup on ''Sunday Night Football'' against the Chicago Bears, Jackson caught eight passes for 107 yards and a touchdown as the Eagles won a close game, 24-20. On November 29 against the Redskins, Jackson had to leave the game after sustaining a concussion after a helmet-to-helmet hit by linebacker London Fletcher. Jackson recorded two receptions, including a 35-yard touchdown. Jackson missed the next game due to his concussion, but returned on December 13 against the New York Giants. Jackson had a career day, as he caught six passes for 178 yards including a 60-yard touchdown pass from McNabb and a 72 yard punt return for a touchdown (combined for 261 all purpose yards). The game would also put him at eight touchdowns of over 50 yards in a single season, tying an NFL record shared only by Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch and Devin Hester. For his performance against the Giants, Jackson was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

The following week against the San Francisco 49ers, Jackson went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season with 140 receiving yards, including a 19-yard touchdown reception as the Eagles clinched a playoff berth. On December 27, he had four catches for 33 yards and a two-yard touchdown, his shortest touchdown of the season, in a win against the Denver Broncos.

Jackson was nearly shut down by the Dallas Cowboys in the regular season finale, with only two passes for 36 yards in a 24–0 rout of the Eagles. In a rematch the following week on January 3, 2010 against the Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card Game, he was held by Dallas to three catches for 14 yards, including a six-yard touchdown pass in the 34–14 loss.

Jackson ended the season as the Eagles' leading receiver with 1,167 yards. He was selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl as a starting wide receiver and a kick returner, the first time in Pro Bowl history that a player was selected at two different positions. At the Pro Bowl, Jackson caught six passes for a team-high 101 yards and two touchdowns, including a 58-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass from McNabb. He was selected to the ''Sporting News''' All-Pro team as a punt returner for the 2009 season, averaging 15.2 yards per punt return in 2009 as the league leader.

2010 season

After skipping voluntary camp in the spring, Jackson reported to training camp earlier than most veterans. However he was not speaking to the media and was said to be frustrated about how the Eagles are unwilling to negotiate a contract extension with him. Jackson was carted off the field after he suffered a back injury during the second full team workout of training camp on July 31, but the injury was not serious.

In a 35–32 victory over the Detroit Lions, Jackson had 135 receiving yards and a 45-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass. The following week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jackson caught a 61-yard touchdown and finished the game with five receptions for 153 yards. On October 3 and 10 however, Jackson only caught five passes for 43 total yards. He scored a pair of touchdowns on October 17 against the Atlanta Falcons, one on a 31-yard run and the second on a 34-yard reception from Kevin Kolb. During the game he sustained a severe concussion after a collision with Atlanta cornerback Dunta Robinson, with both players assisted from the field. Jackson returned to play on November 7 against the Indianapolis Colts.

On November 15, after a altercation with Laron Laundry, Jackson caught a then career best 88-yard touchdown pass from Michael Vick on the first play from scrimmage while Laundry was covering him in 59-28 a Monday Night Football victory against the Washington Redskins. He surpassed this on December 12 when he had a 91-yard touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys and also finished the game with a personal best 210 receiving yards. Jackson again ended the regular season as the team's leading receiver with 1,056 yards.

The Miracle at the New Meadowlands

On December 19, Jackson returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown to lead the Eagles to a win against the New York Giants in the final 14 seconds of the game. The Eagles had trailed 31-10 with under 8 minutes to play but had come back with three unanswered touchdowns. With 14 seconds left, the game was tied at 31-31 and Jackson received the punt. He fumbled at first, but then picked it up and ran 65 yards for the score, running across the goal line when he reached it in order to wind out the time. This punt return is the first and only game-winning punt return on the final play from scrimmage in the history of the NFL.

2011 season

On July 28, 2011 Jackson failed to report to Eagles' training camp at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania as required in his contract. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, offered no immediate explanation for his absence. Jackson faced fines of $30,000-a-day until he reported to camp. His deadline to report was August 9 or he would have lost a year of service time toward free agency. Jackson's holdout ended on August 8 when he reported to training camp.

Personal

Jackson is the son of Bill and Gayle Jackson and his oldest brother Byron is a former San Jose State wide receiver who spent two seasons on the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad. DeSean intended to pursue a degree in social welfare at Cal. His father was hospitalized with pancreatic cancer during the Eagles run in the 2009 playoffs, and died on May 14, 2009. Jackson currently resides in Moorestown, New Jersey.

Jackson was featured on the cover of the PlayStation 2 version of ''NCAA Football 09''. Jackson took part and won a competition of ''Hole in the Wall'' in April 2011.

References

External links

Philadelphia Eagles bio

California Golden Bears bio

Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:African American players of American football Category:American football return specialists Category:American football wide receivers Category:California Golden Bears football players Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players Category:People from Long Beach, California Category:Philadelphia Eagles players Category:Players of American football from California Category:U.S. Army All-American football players

da:DeSean Jackson de:DeSean Jackson fr:DeSean Jackson ja:デショーン・ジャクソン pt:DeSean Jackson tl:DeSean Jackson

Currentteam	Pittsburgh Steelers
Currentnumber	43
Currentpositionplain	Strong safety
Birth date	April 19, 1981
Birth place	Garden Grove, California
Country	United States
Heightft	5
Heightin	10
Weight	215
Debutyear	2003
Debutteam	Pittsburgh Steelers
College	Southern California
Draftyear	2003
Draftround	1
Draftpick	16
Highlights	6× Pro Bowl selection (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010) 4× All-Pro selection (2004, 2005, 2008, 2010) 2× Super Bowl champion (XL, XLIII) 3× AFC Champion (2005, 2008, 2010) “Joe Greene Great Performance Award” (2003) NFL 2000s All-Decade Team Steelers Most Valuable Player Award (2010) 2010 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year 2010 NFL Alumni Player of the Year Ranked #6 on NFL's top 100 players of 2011
Statweek	17
Statseason	2010
Statlabel1	Tackles
Statvalue1	515
Statlabel2	Sacks
Statvalue2	8.0
Statlabel3	INTs
Statvalue3	27
Nfl	POL041872 }}

Troy Aumua Polamalu () (born Troy Aumua on April 19, 1981) is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round (sixteenth overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.

College career

Polamalu spent his first year at USC as a backup where he became a hybrid player, playing at both safety positions. While he was only a backup player at the time, Polamalu still made his mark in the eight games he played in, collecting two sacks, two forced fumbles and blocking a punt. He would become a full-time starter at the strong safety position the following year. He added three blocked punts and two forced fumbles in the season and saw time on punt return duty. In 2002, his last year at USC, Polamalu would start in all but one game against Pac-10 rival California, giving him 36 total starts in his college career. He made 68 tackles for the season, 9 for losses, as well as 4 pass deflections and one of his college career. Walter Camp and ESPN while earning second-team honors from The Sporting News. This would make him the first two-time All-American selection for USC since offensive lineman Tony Boselli. He became a two-time All-Pac-10 first teamer and was awarded the Most Inspirational Player Award by his teammates. Polamalu was named as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's best defensive back, with then-Ohio State safety Mike Doss and the eventual winner then-Kansas State cornerback Terence Newman.

Polamalu finished his career at USC as a 3-year starter. In all, he made 278 total tackles with 29 of them being behind the line scrimmage, 6 interceptions, 13 pass deflections and 4 blocked punts.

Professional career

2003 NFL Draft

Troy Polamalu was drafted 16th overall in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Polamalu was actually the team's second option at safety, as they had planned on signing Dexter Jackson that offseason. Jackson, the reigning Super Bowl MVP with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, even had a verbal agreement to sign with the Steelers, only for him to back out at the last minute and sign with the Arizona Cardinals instead. The Steelers then went to "Plan B" and drafted Polamalu instead.

The Chargers, who had the 15th overall pick, had a major need at safety to replace Rodney Harrison but instead chose to go with quantity over quality forgoing the opportunity to select Polamalu by trading down and getting Sammy Davis and Terrence Kiel. The Steelers, ecstatic that Polamalu slid past the Chargers, quickly made a move to bring Polamalu to their team. The Steelers believed so much that Polamalu could have a positive impact on their defense that they traded up from the twenty-seventh spot to the sixteenth spot, originally held by the Chiefs. The Steelers traded away the ninety-second and two hundredth overall pick for the rights to switch first round picks and select Troy Polamalu. Essentially, the trade was Polamalu for Larry Johnson, Julian Battle, and Brooks Bollinger (the Bollinger pick was subsequently traded to the Jets in the same draft). He has the distinction of being the only safety ever drafted by the Steelers in the first round.

In the last game of his college career against Iowa in the Orange Bowl, Polamalu injured his hamstring in pre-game warm-ups and had very limited action in the game that day. Subsequently, the hamstring caused Polamalu to miss the Senior Bowl and 2003 NFL Combine as well. Polamalu was able to perform for scouts at his USC pro day. He was then drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round and signed a five-year, $8,275,000 contract.

!Wt	40 yard dash>40y	20-yard shuttle>20ss	3 cone drill>3-cone	Vertical jump>Vert	Bench Press>BP	!Wonderlic

(''* represents NFL Combine'')

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers use Polamalu in a high percentage of defensive plays, in a wide variety of defensive roles. In only his third season (2005), he tied the NFL record for most sacks, 3, in a single game by a safety. The 2007 Pro Bowl was his third consecutive Pro Bowl appearance; he started at strong safety for the AFC, playing next to the Baltimore Ravens starting free safety Ed Reed. The rivalry they share based on their teams' divisional rivalry was evident, as the two battled for possession of an overthrown halfback pass from former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber; Reed came down with the interception. He made the AP NFL All-Pro Second Team in 2005, followed by being named to the First Team in 2006.

His first Super Bowl appearance was in Super Bowl XL in 2006, when the Pittsburgh Steelers gained the franchise's fifth Super Bowl (against a former USC teammate Lofa Tatupu) with a 21–10 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

On July 23, 2007, before training camp, the Steelers gave Polamalu the biggest contract in team history extending him through 2011. In an article on ESPN.com, Polamalu said, "I did not want to be a player who is jumping from team to team." Polamalu has repeatedly expressed his intent on staying with the Steelers. The four-year contract extension, worth just over $30 million with about $15 million in guarantees, made Polamalu one of the highest paid defensive backs in the league and the highest paid safety in the league (though this distinction was taken by Bob Sanders on December 28, 2007 when he signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract with $20 million in guarantees).

Polamalu was named a reserve to the 2008 Pro Bowl despite having no interceptions and only playing in eleven games during the 2007 season. Polamalu's injury-plagued 2007 season led him to partake in a California rehab program. He suffered a hamstring injury late in his off-season workout, causing him to miss Pittsburgh's 2008 training camp. He returned to practicing with the team days after the camp's conclusion, however. Polamalu was named to the 2009 Pro Bowl as the AFC's strong safety after being given a unanimous vote by five experts. He was joined by his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates James Harrison and James Farrior on the AFC Pro Bowl team. Polamalu's 4th quarter interception return for a touchdown in the 2008 AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens helped the Steelers clinch a victory en route to another Super Bowl appearance. At Super Bowl XLIII, he only got two assisted tackles in the Steelers victory over the Cardinals, 27–23.

In the spring of 2008, NFLShop.com reported that Polamalu's #43 jersey was the 15th-highest-selling jersey in the NFL. The only Pittsburgh Steeler to sell more was Ben Roethlisberger's #7 jersey, at the 10th spot.

In the 2009 AFC Championship Game, Polamalu was key in helping the Steelers win the game and reach the Super Bowl that they would ultimately win when he intercepted a pass in the final minutes of the game and ran it back for a touchdown, thereby sealing victory for his team.

2009 Season

In the 2009 season opener against the Tennessee Titans, Polamalu recorded six tackles and one interception before getting injured while trying to recover a blocked field goal. He sustained a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, and missed the next four games. He returned to play in the sixth week of the season in a match-up against the Cleveland Browns. He later reinjured himself against the Bengals.

2010 Season

In the 2010 season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, Polamalu made a possible game saving interception with 1:45 left in the game. The Steelers went on to win in overtime. In week 13 of 2010, Polamalu made a game changing play against the Baltimore Ravens forcing a fumble with a sack to set up a 9-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Redman with 2:51 left to give the Pittsburgh Steelers a 13-10 victory. In week 14 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Polamalu cut in front of intended receiver Terrell Owens to intercept Palmer's pass and return it 45 yards for a touchdown. Polamalu re injured an ankle on this interception, but stayed in the game. He would record another interception later in the game. He missed the next 2 games with an ankle injury but returned for the last game of the season against the Cleveland Browns. In that game, he intercepted Colt McCoy before being pulled from the game (the Steelers were leading by over 30 points by then). It gave him his 7th Interception of the year.

In the spring of 2010, NFLShop.com reported that Polamalu's #43 jersey was the highest-selling jersey in the NFL among men and women.

On January 31, 2011, Polamalu was named the AP Defensive Player of the Year after receiving 17 votes, beating out fellow USC Trojan and Packers linebacker Clay Matthews for the award (who received 15 votes). He also won the NFL Alumni Player of the Year award, despite being beaten out for Defensive Back of the Year by Aqib Talib of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Personal life

Polamalu is of American Samoan descent and was raised by his mother's family. Born Troy Aumua, he petitioned in 2007 to change his legal name to his mother's maiden name of Polamalu, which he had been using for the previous fifteen years. Polamalu's uncle Kennedy Pola was the Jacksonville Jaguars Running backs coach for five years (during which time the Jaguars defeated Polamalu's Steelers in four of their five meetings) and currently the offensive coordinator for the University of Southern California Trojans. Another uncle, Aoatoa Polamalu, played nose tackle at Penn State from 1984–1988.

Polamalu is married to Theodora Holmes and has two sons: Paisios, born on October 31, 2008, and Ephraim, born September 16, 2010. His wife Theodora is the sister of NFL player and USC Trojans alumnus Alex Holmes. He resides with his family in Pittsburgh during the football season and San Diego, California during the off-season.

Polamalu's favorite pastimes include surfing, growing flowers, making furniture and playing the piano. Despite Polamalu's hard-hitting style on the gridiron, he is known off the field as a soft-spoken family man.

Polamalu is also well read in the history and theology of early Christianity, which ultimately led him and his wife Theodora to convert to Orthodox Christianity in 2007. He makes the Sign of the Cross after every play. Among his spiritual activities is a pilgrimage to Orthodox Christian sites in Greece and Turkey, taken in 2007. He seldom gives interviews, but when he does, he often speaks of the role his spirituality plays in his life. Polamalu has said that he tries to separate himself from his profession as much as possible, including not watching football games at home. He prays after each play and on the sidelines. His children, Paisios, and Ephraim, are both named after well-known Greek Orthodox Christian saints.

Polamalu and his wife Theodora founded the Harry Panos Fund to honor Theodora's grandfather, who served in World War II.

In 2011, during the NFL lockout, Polamalu utilized his time away from the field to return to the University of Southern California to complete his college education. On May 13, 2011, he graduated from USC with a bachelor's degree in history. On his personal website he explained, "I decided to finish what I started and walked that stage today not only because it was very important to me personally, but because I want to emphasize the importance of education, and that nothing should supersede it."

Hair

Polamalu's hair is one of his most distinguishing characteristics, allowing him to be easily spotted on the field. In the ''CBS Playoffs Pre-game Show,'' Polamalu said the last time he had gotten a haircut was in 2000 at USC when a coach told him he needed one. On November 9, 2010, while appearing on Mike and Mike in the Morning, Polamalu said he had his most recent haircut seven or eight years prior.

In an October 15, 2006 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Chiefs running back Larry Johnson pulled Polamalu down by the hair in order to tackle him. Although tackling a player by his hair is legal and does not alone constitute unnecessary roughness, Johnson was penalized for rising to his feet while retaining grasp of Polamalu's hair (pulling him up in the process).

Polamalu has a contract with Procter & Gamble to endorse Head & Shoulders shampoo. In August 2010, P&G paid for a million-dollar insurance policy from Lloyd's of London for Polamalu's hair.

In the media

In 2005, Pittsburgh-area band Mr. Devious wrote and recorded the novelty song "Puhlahmahlu", a parody of the song "Mah Nà Mah Nà". Guitarist Glenn Shirey said that the song was inspired by Fox Sports announcer Dick Stockton's mispronunciation of Polamalu's name.

Polamalu is featured on the cover of the Scholastic children's book ''National Football League Megastars'' which profiles Polamalu and 14 other NFL stars.

During Super Bowl XLIII, a commercial of Polamalu aired that had him do a remake of the famous "Mean Joe" Greene Coca-Cola commercial, except it was advertising for Coca-Cola Zero instead. Two Coke "brand managers" take the Coke Zero bottle away right when the kid was to give it to Polamalu, with Polamalu subsequently tackling one of the managers. Then, instead of giving the kid his own jersey, he rips the shirt off the brand manager he had tackled and tossed it to the kid. Greene, who like Polamalu lives a very quiet life off the field in contrast to his on-field play, liked the commercial and gave his stamp of approval.

He is on the cover of Madden NFL 10 with Larry Fitzgerald.

Troy did a commercial with the shampoo Head & Shoulders where he was asked by a teammate in the locker room if he had borrowed the player's shampoo. Troy continues to deny these accusations, but his hair gets bigger and bigger until he finally admits to using the shampoo for men who want thicker hair.

On Eminem's new album, ''Recovery'', Track 17 references Troy and his hair.

References

External links

Troy43.com Official Website

Steelers Player Bio

Career Statistics

Category:American football safeties Category:People from the Greater Los Angeles Area Category:American people of Samoan descent Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players Category:USC Trojans football players Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players Category:Greek Orthodox Christians Category:Converts to Eastern Orthodoxy Category:Eastern Orthodox Christians from the United States Category:Players of American football from California Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:People from Garden Grove, California Category:Sportspeople from Orange County, California

da:Troy Polamalu de:Troy Polamalu es:Troy Polamalu fr:Troy Polamalu ja:トロイ・ポラマル no:Troy Polamalu pt:Troy Polamalu