| 1894 |
No one wearing projecting nails or iron plates on his shoes, or any metal substance, is allowed to play. No greasy or sticky substance shall be used on players. |
| 1903 |
If head protectors are worn, there can be no sole leather or other hard or unyielding substances in their construction. Leather cleats on shoes allowed. |
| 1908 |
First documented jersey numbers used by Washington & Jefferson. |
| 1915 |
Numbers added to jerseys. |
| 1927 |
Rubber cleats allowed, but under no conditions are cleats to be dangerously sharp. |
| 1930 |
No player shall wear equipment that endangers players. Head protectors or jerseys so similar in color to the ball as to give an unfair advantage are forbidden. |
| 1933 |
Head protectors or helmets recommended to be worn by all players. |
| 1937 |
All players must wear minimum 6-inch numerals on front and minimum 8-inch numerals on back of jerseys. |
| 1939 |
All players must wear helmets. |
| 1946 |
Minimum 8-inch numerals on front and minimum 10-inch numerals on back of jerseys, of a single color in sharp contrast with the jersey color. |
| 1948 |
One-inch kicking tees permitted. |
| 1951 |
Any circular or ring cleat prohibited unless it has rounded edges and a wall at least 3/16-inch thick. Face masks added to helmet; must be nonbreakable molded plastic with rounded edges. |
| 1962 |
All players recommended to wear properly fitted mouth protectors. |
| 1965 |
Two-inch kicking tees permitted. |
| 1966 |
Players prohibited from wearing equipment with electronic, mechanical or other signal devices for communicating with any source. |
| 1968 |
Metal face masks having surfaces with material as resilient as rubber are allowed. |
| 1970 |
Shoe cleats more than one-half inch in length (changed from three-quarters inch) prohibited. |
| 1972 |
All players must wear mouth protectors, beginning with 1973 season. |
| 1973 |
All players shall wear head protectors with a secured chin strap. |
| 1974 |
All players shall wear shoulder pads. |
| 1976 |
All players shall wear hip pads and thigh guards. |
| 1979 |
Beginning in 1981, one team shall wear white jerseys. |
| 1982 |
Tearaway jersey eliminated by charging a timeout. |
| 1983 |
Mandatory white jersey for visiting teams. |
| 1986 |
Therapeutic or preventive knee braces must be worn under the pants. |
| 1989 |
Kicking tees eliminated for field goals and extra-point attempts. |
| 1991 |
Rib and back pad covering mandatory. |
| 1994 |
Standards established to limit glove stickiness. Jerseys that extend below the top of the pants must be tucked into the pants. |
| 1995 |
Home team may wear white jerseys if both teams agree before the season. |
| 1996 |
Cleats limited to one-half inch in length; violators disqualified for remainder of game and entire next game. Rule a dead ball when a ball carrier's helmet comes completely off. Jerseys must extend to top of pants and must be tucked in if longer. |
| 1997 |
All players on same team must wear white or team-colored socks of same design and length. Leg coverings, such as tights, must be in team colors and of uniform design for all players. |
| 1998 |
All eye shields must be clear (transparent) and made from molded and rigid material. Institutions may memorialize a player with a patch or decal not greater than 1½ inches in diameter. |
| 1999 |
Visible bandanas are ruled an illegal uniform attachment. Eye shields that are not clear are permitted only with proper documentation and medical approval. |
| 2000 |
A maximum of two defensive players are allowed to wear 4-by-12-inch white towels without markings attached to the front belt. |
| 2004 |
A glove cannot include any additional material that connects any of the fingers and/or thumb. Updated towel rules for offensive and defensive players. |
| 2006 |
Length of the kicking tee shortened to one inch. Use of eye shields that are not clear during games eliminated. |
| 2013 |
Two players playing the same position may not wear the same number during the game. |
| 2018 |
Knee pads required to cover the knees. |
| 2020 |
No more than two teammates are allowed to wear the same number during a game. Number 0 is a legal jersey number. |