1933 Football

Home

1933 Passing Game 

The passing game, introduced in 1906 to “open up” play after the violence of the season before, was still in metamorphosis during the 1930’s. A professional player could pass the ball without penalty from any point behind the line of scrimmage in 1933. 


Such was not the case for his college counterpart. The collegiate passer had to be at least five yards behind the line of scrimmage. 


There were a number of other restrictions on passing not familiar to the modern football fan.

• Players on the ends of the line of scrimmage and players at least one yard behind the line were eligible to receive a pass; however once an eligible receiver touched a pass, only that player was eligible to receive the pass.

• There were no tips or deflecting balls from one receiver to another in 1933. If the pass fell incomplete in the defense’s end zone, the play resulted in a touchback and the opponents took possession on their 20 yard line.
   
• A forward pass falling incomplete in the offense’s end zone resulted in a safety.
   
• If a pass was touched by an originally ineligible player or by a player who became ineligible by going out of bounds, the penalty was loss of possession.  
  Note: The penalty could not be declined, though the team benefitting from the penalty could opt for a touchback if the foul occurred between their own 10 yard line and goal. 
  
   
• If a team made a second, third or fourth incomplete pass, or illegal forward pass, in any series of downs the offense was penalized by five yards in addition to the down. 
  
   
• Rules regarding pass interference were substantially similar to modern rules.
   
• An intentionally grounded pass resulted in a loss of down and a 15 yard penalty which could not be declined.