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Why was the forward pass legalized in college football?

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Jalen Hurts, wearing number 1 for the Philadelphia Eagles, winds up to throw a football during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII against the Kansas City Chiefs. — American football Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts during Super Bowl LVII, 2023; the team lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The forward pass was legalized in college football primarily as a safety measure to reduce the extreme brutality of "mass play" formations, which had led to numerous deaths and serious injuries during the 1905 season.12

Following a period of intense public and political concern—during which 18 to 19 players died and many more were injured—President Theodore Roosevelt intervened to save the sport from being abolished. In response to this crisis, representatives from 62 colleges formed the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (the precursor to the NCAA) in 1906.12

To decrease the reliance on dangerous, high-impact mass formations, the committee implemented several reforms, including increasing the yardage required for a first down and legalizing the forward pass. By encouraging a more open style of play, these changes aimed to reduce the concentration of force and violence on the field, thereby improving player safety.12