When Did the NFL Become a Passing League?

It’s been said that the NFL has become a passing league. But when did this happen? And why?

The History of the NFL

The National Football League has been around since 1920, but it wasn’t until the late 1960s that it became the pass-happy league it is today. Prior to that, the NFL was a run-first league, with teams relying on their ground game to move the ball down the field. So, what led to the sudden change? Let’s take a look at the history of the NFL.

The early years: running the ball

In the early years of the National Football League, teams relied heavily on running the ball to move the ball down the field and score points. This was especially true in cold weather games when the field was more likely to be muddy and slippery, making it harder to throw the ball. Even when teams did throw the ball, it was often just a short pass to a receiver who would then try to run for as many yards as possible.

The ’70s and ’80s: the rise of the passing game

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the NFL saw a dramatic increase in the popularity of the forward pass. This was due in large part to two innovations that took place during this time period. First, in 1968 the league implemented a rule change that allowed quarterbacks to throw from anywhere behind the line of scrimmage, rather than having to be at least five yards behind it. This change made it much easier for quarterbacks to complete passes, and as a result passing numbers increased dramatically.

In addition, during this time period several new passing offenses were developed that took advantage of the new rules. These offenses, known as the West Coast Offense and the Air Coryell Offense, emphasized short, quick passes rather than long bombs, and they quickly became very successful. As a result of these changes, passing became much more common in the NFL, and quarterbacks like Joe Namath, Roger Staubach, and Terry Bradshaw became household names.

The ’90s and 2000s: the rule changes that favored passing

In 1994, the NFL enacted a major change to its rules regarding pass interference, which had a dramatic impact on the game. Prior to 1994, pass interference was a spot foul, meaning that the penalty was assessed from the spot of the infraction. This made it very difficult for offenses to take advantage of pass interference because the penalty would often be too large for it to be worth it. In 1994, however, the NFL changed pass interference to a 15-yard penalty, making it much more enticing for offenses to try and take advantage of it.

In addition, the NFL made several other rule changes in the late ’90s and early 2000s that had a profound impact on the game and helped turn it into a passing league. In 1999, they created the ” Horsecollar Tackle Rule,” which prohibited defenders from grabbing the back or side of an offensive player’s jersey in order to stop them. This made it much easier for receivers to get open downfield, as they no longer had to worry about being pulled down from behind if they got past the defender.

In 2002, the NFL also changed its rules regarding overtime in playoff games. Prior to 2002, if a playoff game went into overtime, each team would get an equal number of possessions (usually three) regardless of whether they scored or not on their previous possessions. However, in 2002, the NFL instituted a ” sudden death ” overtime format wherein if one team scores on their first possession of overtime, then that team wins immediately without giving their opponents a chance to score. This change radically altered how teams approached overtime in playoff games, as now teams could focus on just scoring one touchdown rather than having to score multiple times like before.

All of these rule changes favor passing over running and helped turn the NFL into a passing league in the ’90s and 2000s.

The Modern NFL

The National Football League has seen a drastic change in the way that teams play offense over the past few decades. In the past, teams relied heavily on the run game to gain yards and score points. However, teams have increasingly begun to rely on the pass game to do both of those things. In this article, we will take a look at when this change began to occur.

The rise of the quarterback

In the early days of the NFL, quarterbacks were seen as more of a running threat than a passing one. This began to change in the late 1940s, when Sammy Baugh popularized the forward pass. From there, quarterbacks began to develop more as passers, and by the 1960s, the game had transformed into the modern version we know today.

Passing became even more important in the 1970s, as rules changes made it easier for offenses to move the ball down the field. These changes favorited quarterbacks who could make quick decisions and get the ball out of their hands quickly. As a result, we saw some of the greatest QBs in history come into their own in this decade, including Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and John Elway.

The trend has continued into the present day, with passing becoming an even more integral part of NFL offenses. In 2018, five of the top six QBs in terms of passing yards were first-round picks, and all six were taken in the first two rounds. It’s clear that if you want to compete in today’s NFL, you need a great quarterback leading your team.

The importance of the passing game

In the NFL today, the importance of the passing game cannot be understated. In fact, it could be argued that the passing game is more important than ever before.

There are a number of reasons for this. First, teams are now throwing the ball more often than they ever have. In 1978, teams averaged 28 pass attempts per game. In 2018, that number had jumped to 36.5 pass attempts per game, an increase of nearly 30%.

Second, the league has become much more offense-oriented in recent years. This is largely due to rule changes that have been implemented to make the game more exciting and increase scoring. For example, the “hands to the face” rule was created in 1999 to prevent defensive players from getting too physical with receivers, making it easier for them to get open and catch passes.

And third, quarterbacks have become much more accurate and efficient than they were in the past. In 1978, quarterbacks completed just 54% of their passes. In 2018, that number had jumped to 64%. Quarterbacks are also throwing for more yards and touchdowns than ever before.

So why has the passing game become so important in the NFL? There are a number of factors that have contributed to this trend, but one thing is clear: The modern NFL is a passing league.

The future of the NFL

In the past few years, the NFL has seen a dramatic shift towards a more pass-heavy game. This trend shows no signs of slowing down, and it’s having a major impact on the way the game is played.

In 2012, NFL teams averaged just shy of 27 passing attempts per game. By 2016, that number had jumped to almost 33 passes per game. And this season, teams are on pace to shatter that record, averaging nearly 36 passing attempts per game.

This dramatic increase in passing has led to some big changes in the way teams are built and how they operate on offense. Perhaps the most notable change has been the rise of specialized roles like the “slot receiver” and the “pass-catching running back.”

Slot receivers are typically smaller and quicker than traditional outside receivers, and they excel at running short routes over the middle of the field. This makes them a perfect target for quick passes in high-traffic areas, and they’re often used as “safety valves” for quarterbacks who are under pressure.

Pass-catching running backs, on the other hand, are typically used as part of a team’s passing attack rather than its ground game. They usually line up in the backfield or out wide, and their main job is to catch passes rather than run with the ball.

The rise of these specialized roles has made it easier for offenses to move the ball down the field through the air, and it’s one of the main reasons why we’re seeing so many more passing yards in today’s NFL.