When Were Football Gloves Invented? (Unexpected History)

Football gloves are arguably one of the most important equipment in the sport because of the various benefits they provide. When it comes to all interesting and useful things, it’s fascinating to know when they became a thing and why and that’s the case with football gloves. In this article, those questions are answered in-depth.

Football gloves were invented before the 1980s; however, they were thick and large, not contributing to easier catching. That’s why they were used mostly by defensive linemen. The sticky football glove used today was invented in 1999 by a Canadian wide receiver and chemist.

The origin of football gloves isn’t as clear as many things, so it’s difficult to say when exactly the first prototype of football gloves was used.

However, the New York Times suggests that the modern sticky glove was invented in a Pakistani laboratory by a Canadian receiver in 1999. The glove was thin and 20% stickier than human skin, making throwing, catching, and ball control easier, revolutionizing football forever.

That said, what was the earlier version of football gloves and why was it invented? Let’s find out.

Why Were Football Gloves Invented?

Football gloves were invented because the players needed protection and warmth against cold temperatures. Thus, the first type of football glove varies drastically from today’s sticky glove, as it was thick, bulky, styleless, and warm.

Nowadays, football gloves need to be as thin as possible to provide an optimal feel to the football. The older football gloves were also very hot on the hand, regardless of how cold they were. This isn’t good because sweat in freezing temperatures can create extremely chilly conditions.

Imagine how uncomfortable hot, thick, and sweaty gloves are. I can imagine that washing them was more complicated than washing modern sticky football gloves.

Speaking of modern football gloves that were invented in 1999, there are three reasons why they are used today;

1. Stickiness: Football gloves’ most important feature is stickiness. Helps with throwing, receiving, and controlling the ball.
2. Protection: Football gloves protect the athlete from cold, chilly wind, wounds, and other people’s equipment.
3. Style: Football gloves allow you to express yourself. You can order custom-made gloves, include team colors, logo, or your player number on them. They are art.

To learn more about each of the three reasons football gloves are used and why they are beneficial, I encourage you to read my article! There are other golden pieces of information too!

When Did Football Gloves Start Being Used In the NFL?

NFL players started to wear football gloves the same year the modern sticky glove was introduced in 1999. The gloves were 20% stickier than human skin, helping the NFL athletes tremendously.

Recreational football could still be played relatively easily without gloves, as the throws and catches aren’t as difficult. However, the NFL competition is so fierce that gloves are a must to compete well.

Despite that, some NFL players that doesen’t wear gloves. Although, these are often kickers or defensive players. Nearly all quarterbacks and receivers wear gloves because the benefits are too big to ignore.

It’s highly important to improve the stickiness of football gloves from time to time because slippery pairs of gloves do more harm than good. Luckily, it’s a routine all football players do!