Definition of the word field goal

The term "field goal" in football refers to a score made by kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts. The origin of this phrase can be traced back to the early 1900s when American football, then known as rugby football, was still in its infancy. At the time, whoever gained control of the ball could attempt to cross the goal line by carrying it or passing it among his teammates. However, this often led to chaos and congestion in the end zone, which made the game difficult to manage and monitor. To resolve this issue, Walter Camp, a prominent coach and rules committee member, proposed adding a new scoring opportunity called a "field goal" that required fewer players and less time to execute. In his 1897 rules proposal, he suggested that a player, from anywhere on the field, could earn four points by kicking the ball through the goalposts. The name "field goal" was chosen to highlight the contrast between this new type of score and the traditional method, which involved carrying the ball into the end zone for a touchdown. The concept was accepted, and the field goal has since become an integral part of American football scoring. In summary, the phrase "field goal" was coined over a century ago by Walter Camp as a solution to address the on-field congestion in rugby football's end zone, which led to the creation of a new scoring opportunity that required less players and less time to execute.