Quarterback

The quarterback is a position in the offensive backfield of American and Canadian football, directly behind players of the "line". He is generally the leader of the offensive team when it is on the field, responsible for initiating play by receiving the snap of the ball from the center.

Related Topics:
Position - Offensive - American - Canadian football - Snap - Center

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After snapping the ball, the quarterback typically attempts to pass the ball or hand it to another player, or attempt to advance it himself. If the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage, it is known as a sack.

Related Topics:
Tackled - Line of scrimmage - Sack

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That description covers the so-called "T" quarterback, meaning the quarterback in the T and formations derived from it. This is far and away the most common usage; however, not all formations have a quarterback, and that in those that do, the quarterback is not necessarily positioned to take snaps.

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The term quarterback has its origin in Scottish rugby, wherein backfield players, according to their customary distance behind the forwards, were designated "quarter back" (i.e. 1/4 of the way back), "half back", and "full back". Eventually in rugby the English-Irish nomenclature prevailed, with halfback, three-quarters back, and fullback; in some places the term "five-eighths back" is used as well.

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