The various player positions on the American football team (most players only play a single position for a team or for their entire career of American football).
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63 American football position topics matching:
Filter this Collection| x name | x image | x Players | x article |
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| x Quarterback |
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Bill Kenney |
Quarterback (QB, originally called blocking back) is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line. Quarterbacks are the leaders of the offensive team,...
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| Arnie Herber | |||
| Cleo Lemon | |||
| Randy Wright | |||
| Willie Thrower | |||
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| x Running back |
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Blair Thomas |
A running back (RB) is a gridiron football position who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield,...
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| Johnny Bright | |||
| James Allen | |||
| Edgar Bennett | |||
| Marquis Weeks | |||
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| x Wide receiver |
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Marty Booker |
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. The wide receiver position requires speed and agility. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible...
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| Lamar Thomas | |||
| Tai Streets | |||
| Darrell Jackson | |||
| Gary Ballman | |||
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| x Defensive end | Alvin McKinley |
Defensive end (DE) is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position...
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| Larry Eisenhauer | |||
| Gino Marchetti | |||
| Dave Ball | |||
| James Hall | |||
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| x Linebacker |
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Odell Thurman |
A linebacker (LB) is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards (4 m) behind the...
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| Tyrus McCloud | |||
| Ike Reese | |||
| Johnny Bright | |||
| Levon Kirkland | |||
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| x Tight end |
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Marv Cook |
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually...
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| Mark Anelli | |||
| Jay Novacek | |||
| Johnny Brewer | |||
| James Adkisson | |||
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| x Defensive back | Fred Smoot |
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs (DBs) are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take...
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| Brock Marion | |||
| Mike Brown | |||
| Andre Waters | |||
| Nick Collins | |||
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| x Safety | Tank Williams |
Safety (S) is a position in American and Canadian football, played by a member of the defense. The safeties are defensive backs who line up from ten to fifteen yards behind the line of scrimmage. There are two variations of the position in a typical...
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| Carlton Williamson | |||
| Vann McElroy | |||
| Brig Owens | |||
| Jerry Logan | |||
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| x Cornerback |
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Kelvin Hayden |
A cornerback (CB) (also referred to as a corner) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive...
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| Steve Gregory | |||
| Daylon McCutcheon | |||
| Skip Thomas | |||
| Ray Griffin | |||
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| x Center | Geoff Hangartner |
Center (C) is a position in American football and Canadian football. The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense. The center is also the player who passes (or "snaps") the ball between his legs to the...
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| Lou Palazzi | |||
| Dusty Zeigler | |||
| Nick Hardwick | |||
| Charley Brock | |||
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| x Defensive tackle | Jonathan Lewis |
Defensive tackle is a position on the field in American and Canadian football.
Defensive Tackles, or DTs, are typically the largest and strongest of the defensive players. The defensive tackle typically lines up opposite one of the offensive guards....
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| Michael Quarshie | |||
| Walter Johnson | |||
| Brad Culpepper | |||
| Marty Lyons | |||
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| x Offensive tackle | Jackie Slater |
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate...
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| Willie Anderson | |||
| Jon Stinchcomb | |||
| Troy Reddick | |||
| Jonathan Ogden | |||
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| x Placekicker |
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Raul Allegre |
Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist...
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| Tony Zendejas | |||
| Mike Cofer | |||
| Damon Duval | |||
| John Michael Carney | |||
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| x Middle guard |
A middle guard is a position of a defensive player in American football. This position is rare today and was more commonly used during the 1960s and 1970s. The closest related positions in today's American football would be nose guard or defensive...
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| x Guard |
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Tony Moll |
In American and Canadian football, a guard (G) is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team.
The guard's job is to protect the quarterback from the incoming defensive line and linebackers...
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| Mo Collins | |||
| Jake Kupp | |||
| Gene Upshaw | |||
| Will Shields | |||
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| x Holder |
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In American football the holder is the player who receives the snap during field goal and extra point attempts made by place kick. The holder is usually positioned between seven and eight yards behind the line of scrimmage. The holder kneels down...
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| x Nose guard | David Grant |
Nose guard is a defensive alignment position for a defensive lineman in American and Canadian football. The nose tackle aligns across the line of scrimmage from the offense's center before the play begins.. In five-lineman situations, such as a goal...
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| Greg Kragen | |||
| Ted Washington | |||
| Gilbert Brown | |||
| Jamal Williams | |||
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| x Punter |
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Lee Johnson |
A punter (P) in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts (kicks) the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This...
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| Rich Camarillo | |||
| Dave Mann | |||
| Mike Scifres | |||
| Charley Trippi | |||
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| x Gunner | Steve Tasker |
In American football, a gunner, also known as a shooter or kamikaze, is a player on kickoffs and punts who specializes in running down the sideline very quickly in an attempt to tackle the kick returner or the punt returner. Gunners must have...
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| Kassim Osgood | |||
| Jeff Ogden | |||
| x Dimeback | Dunta Robinson |
In American football, a dimeback is a cornerback who serves as the sixth defensive back (fourth cornerback) on defense. The third cornerback on defense is known as a nickelback. The dimeback position is essentially relegated to backup cornerbacks...
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| Marquice Cole | |||
| Chris Horton | |||
| x Nose tackle | Russell Maryland |
Nose tackle (NT) is a defensive alignment position for a defensive lineman in American and Canadian football. The nose tackle aligns across the line of scrimmage from the offense's center before the play begins.
In a traditional 4-3 defensive set,...
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| Mike Lodish | |||
| Tim Krumrie | |||
| Fred Smerlas | |||
| Ronald Fields | |||
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| x Long snapper | Jon Dorenbos |
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible.
During field...
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| Ken Amato | |||
| Patrick Mannelly | |||
| Greg Warren | |||
| Matt Katula | |||
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| x Quarterback (Defensive) |
The defensive quarterback is the seventh defensive back on the field. He is usually the fifth cornerback or a second or third safety. Since he will usually only be on the field when the defense is absolutely sure that the offense will pass, the...
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| x Punt returner | Charley Trippi |
Punt returner (PR) is a position on special teams in American football.
The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position (or a touchdown if possible) by returning it. Before catching the...
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| Mel Gray | |||
| Skyler Green | |||
| Billy Johnson | |||
| Roell Preston | |||
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| x Lineman |
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John Ward |
In American football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A number of...
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| Earl Faison | |||
| Houston Antwine | |||
| Bill Willis | |||
| Joe Klecko | |||
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| x End | Ron Kramer |
An end in American football is a player who lines up at either end of the line of scrimmage. Rules state that a legal offensive formation must always consist of seven players on the line of scrimmage. An end who lines up close to the offensive line...
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| Bob Allman | |||
| Malcolm Kutner | |||
| Art White | |||
| Joe Abbey | |||
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| x H-back | James Jenkins |
An H-Back is an offensive position in American football, and is also known as power back. The position is a hybrid of a fullback and a tight end. The position was made notable in the NFL by the Washington Redskins under head coach Joe Gibbs who ran...
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| Jack Banta | |||
| Eddie Saenz | |||
| John Paul Foschi | |||
| Merl Condit | |||
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| x Nickelback |
In American football, a nickelback is a cornerback who serves as the fifth (in addition to the typical four) defensive back on the defense. A base defense contains four defensive backs, consisting of two cornerbacks, and two safeties. Adding an...
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| x Kick returner |
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Dwight Stone |
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner (KR) is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess...
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| Chris Carr | |||
| Charley Trippi | |||
| Mel Gray | |||
| Skyler Green | |||
| more ▼ | |||
| x Defensive lineman | Joe Jackson |
A defensive lineman is any of the down positions on the defensive side of Canadian and American football. Although alignments vary, the most popular consist of either 3 or 4 down linemen. On a 3 lineman set, there are 2 Defensive Ends which bookend...
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| Bill Willis | |||
| Manny Fernandez | |||
| Gene Brito | |||
| Bruce Clark | |||
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| x Offensive Lineman | James Campen | ||
| Fred Thurston | |||
| Jeff Uhlenhake | |||
| Ron Stone | |||
| Keith Van Horne | |||
| more ▼ | |||
| x Return specialist |
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Willie Ponder |
A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The...
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| Chris Johnson | |||
| Donny Anderson | |||
| Yamon Figurs | |||
| Charley Trippi | |||
| more ▼ | |||
| x Halfback |
|
Wade Betschart |
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on running plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the...
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| Olie Cordill | |||
| Chuck Ortmann | |||
| Jim Thomason | |||
| Gene Derricotte | |||
| more ▼ | |||
| x Fullback | Marcel Reece |
A fullback (FB) is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback. Typically, fullbacks are larger in size than halfbacks and in most offensive schemes...
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| Mike Tolbert | |||
| Spencer Larsen | |||
| Jeff Cothran | |||
| Frank Mestnik | |||
| more ▼ | |||
| x Kickoff specialist |
A kickoff specialist (KOS) is a seldom-used position in American and Canadian football. Kickoff specialists are members of the special teams. They are responsible to kick the ball in the kickoff. These players tend to have a strong leg, often...
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| x Slotback |
|
Jason Clermont |
Slotback is a position in Gridiron football (primarily Canadian football but also in American football). The slotback is similar to the wide receiver but also has many of the same traits as a running back, lines up closer to the offensive line and...
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| Cory Rodgers | |||
| Terry Vaughn | |||
| David Azzi | |||
| Emanuel Tolbert | |||
| more ▼ | |||
| x Free Safety | Michael Huff | ||
| Chad Jones | |||
| Dean Cain | |||
| Colt Anderson | |||
| Dashon Goldson | |||
| more ▼ | |||
| x Left Cornerback | Ronald Bartell | ||
| x Left Defensive End | Ron W. Miller | ||
| Kenyon Coleman | |||
| x Left Defensive Tackle | |||
| x Left Guard | Mike Munchak | ||
| Andy Levitre | |||
| x Left Inside Linebacker | |||
| x Left Linebacker | |||
| x Left Outside Linebacker | |||
| x Left Safety | |||
| x Left Tackle | Chris Hairston | ||
| Demetrius Bell | |||
| x Middle Linebacker | Phil McGraw | ||
| Rey Maualuga | |||
| Jerry Glanville | |||
| Mason Foster | |||
| Ronnie Coleman | |||
| more ▼ | |||
| x Offensive Right Tackle | |||
| x Outside Linebacker | Mario Williams | ||
| Terrell Suggs | |||
| Mike Peterson | |||
| Clay Matthews III | |||
| Ben Leber | |||
| more ▼ | |||
| x Right Cornerback | |||
| x Right Defensive Back | |||
| x Right Defensive End | Kenyon Coleman | ||
| x Right Defensive Tackle | |||
| x Right Guard | Vince Lombardi | ||
| Greg Koch | |||
| x Right Inside Linebacker | |||
| x Right Linebacker | |||
| x Right Outside Linebacker | |||
| x Right Safety | Lardarius Webb | ||
| x Right Tackle | John Layfield | ||
| Erik Pears | |||
| Sam Young | |||
| x Strong Safety | Bob Sanders | ||
| Jeron Johnson | |||
| Troy Polamalu | |||
| Lawyer Milloy | |||
| Kam Chancellor | |||
| more ▼ | |||
