The kickoff in football is one of the most exciting plays in a game because it marks the start of the game or transfer of possession after a score. Several basic rules are dedicated to organizing and regulating kickoffs, but every level and organization might have a variation in the rules.

Football shoulder pads are made of foam-like material that rests against the body. While some newer shoulder pads use materials that help disperse heat, it’s still important to wear a layer of clothing underneath the shoulder pads to make sure the padding doesn’t trap too much heat against your body.

Football is a dangerous game because of the high speed and collisions. Players regularly suffer knee, shoulder and ankle injuries and the possibility of catastrophic injury is one that players and their families must consider. Players prepare to play football by getting in excellent physical condition.

The football visor became popular in the early 1990s for practical reasons: it helped to protect a player's eyes from becoming injured on the field. However, football visors soon became a point of fashion with players using different facemasks to individualize themselves during the game.

When a quarterback drops back to throw, commentators and fans often analyze the pass and the quarterback's arm strength. Not many people talk about which muscles are used and influence the throwing motion in football.

Blocking a field goal can change the course of a game. And since there are so many ways to block a field goal, there have to be rules that govern every variation. Some football rules are tricky and luckily the NCAA has it covered.

Football players and other athletes have worn wristbands for many years to help keep their hands dry and to wipe sweat from their faces. But players no longer keep those bands down at their wrists.

A hockey puck can scorch across the ice at 110 mph, as measured by all-star contests in 2011 in the U.S. and Russia. The fastest pitchers can launch a baseball at 105 mph, as the Cincinnati Reds' Aroldis Chapman managed in September 2010.

Elbow pain when throwing a football is often simply diagnosed as elbow tendinitis. However, there are different types of elbow tendinitis. Pain that occurs when throwing a football is called "thrower's elbow."

Football is a game that requires players to get in the best physical condition possible, to learn the skills of the game and to prepare mentally by knowing your own team's game plan and what your opponent is going to do. Football also requires a supreme emotional commitment.

Football has earned a spot as the dominant sport on the American sporting scene, as Super Bowls broadcasts routinely crack 100 million viewers in the U.S. alone. The average football game is scheduled to last, in terms of broadcast time, three hours. The actual play in the game, though, is dramatically less than that.

You should always pay attention to a headache before, during or after a football practice, because it might signal something much more significant. Headaches can arise from something as simple as dehydration, but they can also signify a brain injury, such as a concussion.