The History and Function of the Chain Gang in American Football

Well now, y’all might wonder what this whole “chain gang football” thing’s about. Ain’t no big mystery, it’s just a way they do things on the field to measure where the ball is and figure out if the team’s got themselves a first down or not. Let me tell you, it’s a whole lot simpler than it sounds, though it’s something you just gotta watch to really get the hang of.

Now, you’ve seen them folks on the sidelines, right? They’re the ones holdin’ them long poles with the chains attached. Some folks call ‘em the “chain gang,” though that name ain’t got nothing to do with prison work or anything like that no more. Back in the old days, a “chain gang” was a group of prisoners, chained up together and made to do hard labor. But in football, it’s a lot less harsh, I can promise you that!

So, let me break it down for ya. There’s a bunch of them folks, usually three, that stand on the sideline, right where the game’s happening. You got the one holdin’ the rear pole, the one with the front pole, and then there’s the box man who marks where the ball’s got to go to make a first down. It’s real simple, but real important, too.

What do they do?

The rear pole, well, that marks where the last set of downs started. It tells ya where the team was last time they tried to move the ball.
The front pole, that marks the spot where the team’s gotta get to for a first down. So, if the ball don’t make it past that, well, they’re gonna be tryin’ again next time.
And then there’s the box. It’s a little marker that helps keep track of how far the team has moved and how much further they gotta go. Sometimes they gotta bring the whole chain onto the field, especially if the ref’s not sure if the ball’s made it that far.

Now, a lot of people might not think about these folks too much while the game’s going on, but let me tell you, if them chain crew workers ain’t there, then nobody knows where that ball’s supposed to be! That’s why they’re so important, though they do their work mostly in the background, like a good ol’ country cook who don’t want no praise for makin’ dinner but does it every day just the same.

How does it work?

Alright, let’s get into the nitty gritty. At the start of each set of downs, you’ll see a linesman standin’ there, right? Well, they put one foot down where the ball’s gonna start, and the box man comes along to set the little marker thing to show where it is. After that, it’s up to the chain crew to keep the poles in place so the refs can check if the team got their first down.

If the team needs to measure, they bring them chains right out there on the field. This happens mostly when there’s a big question about whether or not the team made it past the first down marker. They line them chains up between the two poles, and if the ball don’t quite reach the mark, well, then it’s time for the team to try again.

It’s like when you’re plowin’ a field, right? You gotta make sure your lines are straight, or you’ll be goin’ around in circles. Same with football. Them chains are the straight line, and if the team doesn’t get across it, they ain’t done their job just yet.

What’s the history of it all?

Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t reckon most folks give much thought to the history of how the chain gang came to be. But let me tell you, back in the day, they didn’t have these fancy poles and chains like we got now. No sir! They used to just stick a rod or somethin’ in the ground to mark the yardage, and it wasn’t even as accurate as the chain crew is now.

Back in the 1970s, things started to get a bit more official. That’s when the World Football League started usin’ a proper chain system. And you know what? It worked so well that even the big ol’ NFL had to start doin’ the same thing. So, them folks with the chains? They’ve been around for a long time, just like good ol’ fashioned hard workin’ folks.

Do they get paid?

Now, you might be wonderin’ how much these folks make for standin’ around with chains all day. Well, I’ll tell you, they don’t do it for nothin’. As of this year, a chain crew member can make a pretty penny—about $187,673 a year! Ain’t that somethin’! So, they get paid decent for makin’ sure the game stays on track. Guess it ain’t such an easy job after all, huh?

Conclusion

So, next time you’re watchin’ a football game, you keep an eye on them chain gang folks. They might not be runnin’ and catchin’ balls or throwin’ touchdowns, but they’re just as important as anyone on that field. Without ‘em, we’d be lost out there, not knowin’ if a team made their first down or not! And that’s the truth, plain and simple.