Football's line of succession: Most important persons in football since the game began

Tim Stephens | Sentinel Staff Writer

August 24, 2007

One must be more than just a great coach or player to lay claim to the gridiron throne.

To make our list of football titans, a legacy that has shaped and transformed the game we watch each fall is required. Note that the "reigns" do not cover a figure's entire career, but represent an era as "king" before being surpassed in importance by another innovator.

Walter Camp
Reign: 1888-1895

Royal pedigree: The first official game of football came in 1869, but it wasn't until Camp emerged that the game began to take the shape it has today. As the coach at Yale, Camp generally is regarded as the "Father of American Football," creating rules and structure that evolved the sport from its rugby origins.

John Heisman
Reign:1895-1915
Royal pedigree: Heisman was one of the first coaching giants. His stints at Auburn, Clemson and Georgia Tech produced multiple undefeated seasons and his 1916 Georgia Tech squad defeated Cumberland 222-0 in the most lopsided game in history.

Glenn `Pop' Warner
Reign: 1915-1924
Royal pedigree: As a college coach, he helped elevate football in the South at Georgia and in the West at Stanford and won three national titles with Pittsburgh in the East. His innovations included the spiral punt, the screen play, the three-point stance, jersey numerals and the use of pads. His coaching record was 312-104-32.

Harold `Red' Grange
Reign: 1924-1933
Royal pedigree: He was the first "superstar" player. He filled stadiums and helped make pro football popular after signing with the Chicago Bears following a standout career at the University of Illinois. His five-touchdown performance against Michigan in 1924 still ranks as one of the greatest individual performances in college football history and cemented the legend of the "Galloping Ghost."

Amos Alonzo Stagg
Reign:1933-1946
Royal pedigree: His many innovations as a coach included the huddle, the tackling dummy and the helmet. Legendary sports writer Grantland Rice described Stagg as one of the three most influential people in the history of the game. The Division III national title game is named after Stagg, who lived to be 102.

George Halas
Reign: 1922-1949
Royal pedigree: As a player/coach/owner, Halas was one of the pioneers in creating and building the NFL. He won 324 games as a coach and eight NFL titles as coach or owner of the Chicago Bears. His innovations included putting games on radio, placing coaches in the press box, analyzing game films and signing the NFL's first black quarterback.