bdsamm I just call it the Football with the pointy ball. Then no confusion.
Welcome JackieD and sorry for the confusion.
From what I've read American football was a derivation of rugby which was often called rugby football and so American football was called gridiron football to distinguish from the rugby game and at some point people dropped the word gridiron.
I am fond of rugby players as the second time I was assaulted there was a rugby game in progress nearby which I ran to. Rugby is a club sport at my school, not a full division 1 program but people can now get some scholarship aid to play. Both men's and women's teams.