Football Before End Zones

Many elements of modern football were not part of the early game. One such feature was the end zone. As strange as it may seem, end zones were not marked on football fields for more than forty years of play, entering the game in 1912 as the rule-makers loosened restrictions on the forward pass.

To understand how football could operate without end zones requires looking at differences in the game and rules between then and now. From 1882 through the 1902 season, the football field had sidelines (known as "touch lines" at the time), goal lines, and yard lines spaced every five yards between the goal lines and the 55-yard line. Some fields extended the sideline for ten yards beyond the goal line, but none had end lines since they did not need them. Touchdowns could only be scored by carrying the ball across the goal line and into the "in goal" area. With the forward pass being illegal, there was no need to mark the areas beyond the goal lines.

The football field between 1882 and 1902 lacked end lines, hash marks, and Lockney Lines. (Illustration by Mary Jewel Brown)

An attempt to open up the game in 1903 allowed the first person receiving the snap to run the ball upfield as long as they were five or more yards to the right or left of the center. (Previously, the ball had to be possessed by a teammate before the ball could be run upfield.) The 1903 checkerboard applied only between the 25-yard lines and did not change the fact that the field did not have an end zone.

Penn's Franklin Field in 1903 had a checkerboard between the 25-yard lines, goal posts on the goal line, and no markings beyond the goal line. (1904 Penn Yearbook)

The 1903 rule requiring the field to be marked with the checkerboard only between the 25-yard lines changed in 1904 when the five yards left or right of center rule was applied to the entire field.

The full checkerboard field existed from 1904 through 1909. This illustration shows the sideline extended past the goal line. (illustration by Mary Jewel Brown)