Home › Sports › American Football › Running back

What is Running back in American Football?

The back who takes handoffs and carries the ball, also used as a receiver and pass-blocker. Halfback and tailback are near-synonyms; a fullback is a blocking-first variant now rare in the NFL.

Example: The running back cut back against the grain for 40 yards.

Related terms

TouchdownField goalExtra pointTwo-point conversionSafetyDownFirst downLine of scrimmage
Full American Football guide