| IKENNA IKE | THE PAST OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL EQUIPMENT: HOW IT STARTED (PART 1) (@IKENNAIKE)br The history of football equipment can be traced back to the late 19th century, when the game was first played on college campuses as a variation of rugby. The equipment that players used back then was very different from what they use today, and some of it can be considered as antique or vintage.