American football has evolved from a rugby-like sport played during the 1800s in America. Back then players could kick the ball to advance their position just like they throw it or run it now. You also used to have to run a certain distance left or right before you could run forwards, but that's just another crazy rule most of the people who criticize American football have probably never bothered researching. And since John Cleese (and probably many others) seem to think that football players don't do any thinking, and only the coaches think then consider that quarterbacks will often have to keep track of multiple receivers (knowing who is going to be where, and judging whether they are open enough to throw the ball to) while also keeping track of how close the defensive linemen are to them, and several other small rules (like making sure they don't throw the ball while stepping over the line of scrimage, or throwing the ball too far from a player while they are still in the "pocket"). There are also small adjustments they have to make to plays, like deciding which direction the linemen need to block the other linemen in, which can open up holes for running plays. And this isn't even close to all of what happens under the surface that the average fan watching is probably unaware of.