Blocking dummies first hit practice fields in 1889 when captains Arthur Cumnock at Harvard and Amos Alonzo Stagg introduced them to reduce injuries in tackling drills. While tackling dummies successfully reduced injuries, even the slowest freshman ran faster and moved better than the fastest dummy, so dummies could not provide a realistic look for the varsity.

By the 1930s, inventive football coaches devised several types of pads for players to wear while scrimmaging. Some protected only the torso, while others covered the thighs or entire legs. Generically called blocking aprons, they saw use into the 1960s at all levels, with Vince Lombardi using them with the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers.

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