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tailback

tailback

15 8.3
A player at the back who usually carries the ball in American football
  • noun
  • /ˈteɪlˌbæk/
  • Jargon
translation icon : corredor (fútbol americano)
  • During the game, the tailback ran the ball for over 150 yards and scored two touchdowns.
  • the starting tailback
  • the senior tailback
  • the junior tailback

And I believe he was Hedgecock at fullback and Jacobs was the tailback.

Examples

  • Put the fullback in front of the tailback.

    We Are Marshall (2006)

  • Eddie is a sophomore tailback at Abington High School.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Here comes the senior tailback in his first game of the year.

    Woodlawn (2015)

  • Watch number 31, the tailback.

    Pride and Glory (2008)

  • At the top of the screen, tailback Nick Griffin is also open on a wheel route.

    Blog text (28)

  • Hey, you're starting at tailback tonight.

    Woodlawn (2015)

  • I'm Eddie George, the school's next starting tailback.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Robinson, to turf-rattling cheers, got the ball at tailback on the opening two plays of the game.

    Blog text (22)

  • Penn State's offense has missed the talents of starting tailback Bill Belton the last two games.

    Blog text (11)

  • The number-one team in the state is being single-handedly dismantled by this young junior tailback from Woodlawn.

    Woodlawn (2015)

Synonyms

running back
vstailback
  • Jargon
60 2.8

A player in American football who runs with the ball to gain yards for the team

is the player who lines up farthest and usually carries most plays
rusher
vstailback
  • Jargon
19 6.5

An American football player who moves the ball by running

is defined by a specific lineup position rather than only the running action
runner
vstailback
  • US
11 2.3

An offensive player who carries the ball to move it forward

refers to a specific position who lines up farthest and carries most plays
halfback
vstailback
  • US
10 4.3

A player who usually runs with the ball in American football

lines up farther from the line and often carries the main plays
scatback
vstailback
  • Jargon
1 8.8

A small, fast running back who uses quick moves to avoid tackles

is the player who lines up farthest and usually carries most plays

Surface Forms

tailback singular
tailbacks plural

Morphology

tailback = tail + back (semi-transparent) = tail + back

Formed as tail + back (a back in the tail position), but the specific American football role 'main ball-carrier' is domain-specific and not directly inferable by all learners.

Etymology

Tailback comes from the simple words tail and back, with the idea of 'rear' or 'at the back' of the team's formation. So a tailback is the player who stands furthest back and often carries the ball.