Today's Tidbit... Coaching One Player During Timeouts

American football originated as a college club sport controlled by the players. Initially, the game did not have coaches, especially professional ones, so it developed a tradition against coaches, players on the sidelines, or fans instructing players during the game. Prohibitions against coaching from the sideline made their way into the rulebook in 1892, accompanied by a 15-yard penalty.

For many years, coaches and players had to remain seated along the sideline, or one or two coaches might roam the bench area. (1915 Kansas yearbook)

Of course, sometimes coaches could not help themselves and violated the rule. A story often told on the banquet circuit described a coach whose team had problems on offense, turning over the ball or committing a penalty for every successful play. Frustrated, the coach yelled instructions to his quarterback.