<P> Thus , in 1912 , the end zone was introduced in American football . In an era when professional football was still in its early years and college football dominated the game , the resulting enlargement of the field was constrained by fact that many college teams were already playing in well - developed stadiums , complete with stands and other structures at the ends of the fields , thereby making any substantial enlargement of the field unfeasible at many schools . Eventually , a compromise was reached : 12 yards of end zone were added to each end of the field , but in return , the playing field was shortened from 110 yards to 100 , resulting in the physical size of the field being only slightly longer than before . Goal posts were originally kept on the goal lines , but after they began to interfere with play , they moved back to the end lines in 1927 , where they have remained in college football ever since . The National Football League moved the goal posts up to the goal line again in 1933 , then back again to the end line in 1974 . </P>
<P> Thus , in 1912 , the end zone was introduced in American football . In an era when professional football was still in its early years and college football dominated the game , the resulting enlargement of the field was constrained by fact that many college teams were already playing in well - developed stadiums , complete with stands and other structures at the ends of the fields , thereby making any substantial enlargement of the field unfeasible at many schools . Eventually , a compromise was reached : 12 yards of end zone were added to each end of the field , but in return , the playing field was shortened from 110 yards to 100 , resulting in the physical size of the field being only slightly longer than before . Goal posts were originally kept on the goal lines , but after they began to interfere with play , they moved back to the end lines in 1927 , where they have remained in college football ever since . The National Football League moved the goal posts up to the goal line again in 1933 , then back again to the end line in 1974 . </P>
when was the goal post moved in the nfl
when was the goal post moved in the nfl
1933 1974
1933 1974