# Olden times American football question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olden-times-american-football-question/799877>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [October 26, 2017, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olden-times-american-football-question/799877 "2017-10-26T08:45:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shinna_Minna_Ma)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olden-times-american-football-question/799877/1 "2017-10-26T08:45:12Z")

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I remember way back when the goalposts were in the front of the end-zones. I even remember going to Baltimore Colt games when the goalposts were like that. I’m just curious - was there a rule about the ball if a kickoff hit the goalpost or cross bar? Was the ball dead at that point?

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**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olden-times-american-football-question/799877/2 "2017-10-26T11:43:37Z")

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How long ago did you go to the game?  
The NFL has the goalposts at the back of the end zone but in the CFL they are in the front. The Baltimore Stallions played in the CFL for 2 seasons 1994 and 1995.

The NFL had the old H-shaped goal posts on the goal line until the 1974 season.

Basically, the ball is dead if it hits the goalposts, crossbar and/or successfully goes through and it cannot be played by any player. Just to clarify, if the ball hits the uprights or crossbar and still goes through, the field goal is good.

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**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olden-times-american-football-question/799877/3 "2017-10-26T11:52:00Z")

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Missed edit window… apparently the NFL has moved them back and forth over the years but it has not changed since the 1974 season.

There a great article here. [https://www.si.com/mmqb/2017/06/21/history-nfl-goal-posts](https://www.si.com/mmqb/2017/06/21/history-nfl-goal-posts)

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**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olden-times-american-football-question/799877/4 "2017-10-26T13:09:22Z")

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The OP is asking about kickoffs. If the ball hits the posts, it’s dead and a touchback. There is no bonus for a kickoff going between the uprights. I don’t think that’s ever been different.

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**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olden-times-american-football-question/799877/5 "2017-10-26T13:19:18Z")

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> [@ElvisL1ves](#):
>
> The OP is asking about kickoffs. If the ball hits the posts, it’s dead and a touchback. There is no bonus for a kickoff going between the uprights. I don’t think that’s ever been different.

yep, missed that on first read…

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**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olden-times-american-football-question/799877/6 "2017-10-26T19:53:10Z")

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Every once in a while, those old goal line goal posts made for interesting plays, where defenders could get rubbed off running into them. :eek:

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**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olden-times-american-football-question/799877/7 "2017-10-26T21:56:34Z")

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You could do cool set plays [like this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-3Ebri7JY0).