When two opposing American football teams meet on the gridiron (playing field), the player positions depend on whether the football team is playing offense or defense. Football pits the offense, the team with the ball, against the defense, which tries to prevent the offense from scoring. Each side lines up facing the other with the football in the middle.
Football player positions on the offense[]
| Positions | Details | |
| Quarterback (QB) |
The leader of the team. He calls the plays in the huddle, yells the signals at the line of scrimmage, and receives the ball from the center. Then he hands off the ball to a running back, throws it to a receiver, or runs with it. Quarterbacks need to be good passers, be able to see the field, read the defense, and make good decisions quickly. | |
| Hiruma Yoichi • Karin Koizumi • Kaoru Hatsujo • Homer Fitzgerald • Shien Mushanokoji (The Kid) • Ichiro Takami • Reiji "Marco" Maruko • Clifford D. Louis • Kiminari Harao • Unsui Kongo • Osamu Kobanzame • Rui Habashira • Sasuke Kanagushi | ||
| Center | The player who snaps the ball to the quarterback. He handles the ball on every play. | |
| Ryokan Kurita • Mamoru Banba • Gondayū Yamabushi • Rikiya Gaou | ||
| Running Back (RB) | A player who runs with the football. Running backs are also referred to as tailbacks, halfbacks, and rushers. | |
| Kobayakawa Sena • Riku Kaitani | ||
| Fullback | A player who's responsible for blocking for the running back and also for pass-blocking to protect the quarterback. Fullbacks, who are generally bigger than running backs, are short-yardage runners. | |
| Wide Receiver (WR) | A player who uses his speed and quickness to elude defenders and catch the football. Teams use as many as two to four wide receivers on every play. | |
| Tarō Raimon • Haruto Sakuraba • Ikkyu Hosokawa • Taka Honjo • Jo Tetsuma | ||
| Tight End (TE) | A player who serves as a receiver and also as a blocker. This player lines up beside the offensive tackle to the right or the left of the quarterback. | |
| Natsuhiko Taki • Hayato Akaba | ||
| Guard | The inner two members of the offensive line, whose jobs are to block for and protect the quarterback and ball carriers. | |
| Tackle | The outer two members of the offensive line. | |
Football player positions on the defense[]
| Positions | Details | |
| Nose Guard | A defensive lineman that plays at the center of the D-line right at the ball. The nose guard is a big, strong player who can clog up the middle and make it hard for the offensive team to run the ball. | |
| Defensive Tackle | The inner two members of the defensive line, whose jobs are to maintain their positions in order to stop a running play or run through a gap in the offensive line to pressure the quarterback or disrupt the backfield formation. | |
| Defensive End | The outer two members of the defensive line. Generally, their jobs are to overcome offensive blocking and meet in the backfield, where they combine to tackle the quarterback or ball carrier. On running plays to the outside, they're responsible for forcing the ball carrier either out of bounds or toward (into) the pursuit of their defensive teammates. | |
| Linebacker (LB) | These players line up behind the defensive linemen and generally are regarded as the team's best tacklers. Depending on the formation, most teams employ either three or four linebackers on every play. Linebackers often have the dual role of defending the run and the pass. | |
| Shin Seijuro • Rui Habashira | ||
| Cornerback (CB) | The players who line up on the wide parts of the field, generally opposite the offensive receivers. | |
| Ikkyu Hosokawa | ||
| Safety | The players who line up the deepest in the secondary — the last line of defense. There are free safeties and strong safeties, and they must defend the deep pass and the run. | |
Football player positions on the special teams[]
Special teams is often overlooked, but very important part of winning football games. Special teams play on kick-offs, punts, extra points, and field goals.
| Positions | Details | |
| Punter | The punter is the kicker who kicks punts. A good punt will be long and high to allow for the tacklers to get downfield. A good punter will also be able to control his distance and to stop the ball inside the 20 yard line. | |
| Kicker | This player kicks field goals and extra points. Accuracy is key here. This football player usually kicks the kick-off as well where distance is the main goal. | |
| Gen "Musashi" Takekura | ||
| Place Holder | The player that holds the ball for the field goal kicker. | |
| Yoichi Hiruma | ||
| Long Snapper | The center who snaps the ball to the punter. This is a special skill and is often not the same player as the center. | |