American football to many has taken over baseball as the new favorite American past time. Whether it be Monday night, Thursday night or any day of the weekend, a football can be found on the television. This great game recently came under heavy criticism due to media focus on concussions and safety. These topics are taking precedence with young Americans and their families, so people are growing weary of the game. With films like “Concussion,” starring Will Smith, and numerous studies of deceased football players, many people believe that football is too dangerous of a sport to play. However, I find it necessary for people to take a historical view of this game of football. Football was once a fatal sport where people died on the field. Understanding where football started and where it is now is necessary for people to see the growth of the game and how safe it is compared to 1905. While football has been under constant scrutiny for health and injury-related issues, the concerns the game faced prior to 1905 threatened what is now a national pastime. The comparisons between the modern football crisis and the 1905 crisis that threatened football have similarities and differences that are keys to why the game is the primary sports pastime in the United States today.