The gridiron is a term used in American football to refer to the playing field. In some instances, the word is used to refer to the game as well. In the context of football, the term has been in use since 1897, although the word itself is much older. The gridiron has become an iconic symbol in American sports, where football is particularly popular. The term “gridiron” is also used in many football related contexts, including football themed sports bars, fan clubs, and informational sites.

The playing field for football is marked in parallel lines which form a grid. Astute football fans probably noticed that this pattern resembled a gridiron, which is a rigid array of metal bars. The gridiron is used in cooking, where it is utilized to grill or broil foods. The word is also used to refer to many grid-like patterns, including flooring and rigging for theatrical lighting.

The gridiron has a series of parallel lines spaced five yards (4.5 meters) apart, and is enclosed by sidelines to clearly define the field of play. At either end of the field are 10 yard (nine meter) end zones which the ball must reach for points to be awarded. The gridiron also includes two rows of hash marks in the middle of the playing field. Hash marks are placed at one yard intervals, and are used to mark the exact position of the ball in relation to the field.

Gridiron football has its origins in soccer and rugby, other sports played on a large field with a ball. The game appears to have developed in colleges and universities on the Eastern seaboard of the United States. Football has been played since the early 1800s, although the rules have undergone some refinements since the game was first introduced. Initially, football was an extremely violent game, and severe injury was not unusual. More regulation of the sport resulted in increased player safety.

In the late 1800s, the gridiron was first introduced. As the rules of the game were refined, referees and players realized that a grid system to track progress across the playing field would be highly useful. The gridiron would also standardize the field to easily mark 110 yards (100 meters). The gridiron helped to bring a state of order to the somewhat chaotic sport, and is now an easily recognized visual feature of football games.

Gridiron football is primarily played in the United States, although other nations such as Australia and Canada field a small number of teams. In America, the sport is beloved by a wide variety of individuals, with a National Football League of professional players as well as numerous college teams.