quarterback

The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually considered the leader of the offense, and is often responsible for calling the play in the huddle. The quarterback also touches the ball on almost every offensive play, and is the offensive player that almost always throws forward passes. When the QB is tackled behind the line of scrimmage, it is called a Quarterback sack, sack.

Overview

In modern American football, the starting quarterback is usually the leader of the offense, and their successes and failures can have a significant impact on the fortunes of their team. Accordingly, the quarterback is among the most glorified, scrutinized, and highest-paid positions in team sports. ''Bleacher Report'' describes the signing of a starting quarterback as a Catch-22, where "NFL teams cannot maintain success without excellent quarterback play. But excellent quarterback play is usually so expensive that it prevents NFL teams from maintaining success"; a star quarterback's high salary may prevent the signing of other expensive star players as the team has to stay under the hard salary cap. The majority of the highest-paid players in the NFL are quarterbacks. Teams consistently use their top draft picks to select a quarterback.

The quarterback touches the ball on almost every offensive play. Depending on the play calling system, prior to each play the quarterback will usually gather the rest of his team together in a huddle to tell them which play the team will run. However, when there isn't much time left, teams forgo the huddle and the quarterback may call plays on the run. After the team is lined up, the center will pass the ball back to the quarterback (a process called the snap). Usually on a running play, the quarterback will then hand or pitch the ball backwards to a halfback or fullback. On a passing play, the quarterback is almost always the player responsible for trying to throw the ball downfield to an eligible receiver. Additionally, the quarterback may run with the football himself, as part of a designed play like the option run or quarterback sneak, or the quarterback could make an impromptu run on his own (called a "scramble") to avoid being sacked by the defense.

Depending on the offensive scheme used by their team, the quarterback's role can vary. In systems like the triple option, the quarterback will only pass the ball a few times per game, if at all, while the pass-heavy spread offense, as run by schools like Texas Tech, requires quarterbacks to throw the ball on most plays. The passing game is emphasized heavily in the Canadian Football League (CFL), where there are only three downs (as opposed to the four downs used in American football), a larger field of play and an extra eligible receiver. Different skillsets are required of the quarterback depending upon the offensive system. Quarterbacks that perform well in a pass-heavy spread offense system, a popular offensive scheme in the NCAA and NFHS, rarely perform well in the National Football League (NFL), as the fundamentals of the pro-style offense used in the NFL are very different from those in the spread system, while quarterbacks in Canadian football need to be able to throw the ball often and accurately. In general, quarterbacks need to have physical skills such as arm strength, mobility and a quick throwing motion, in addition to intangibles such as competitiveness, leadership, intelligence and downfield vision.

In the NFL, quarterbacks are required to wear a uniform number between 1 and 19.NFL Rules 2012, p. 21. In the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), quarterbacks are required to wear a uniform number between 1 and 49; in the NFHS, the quarterback can also wear a number between 80 and 89.NCAA Rules 2011–2012, p. 21–22.NFHS Rules 2012, p. 16–17. In the CFL, the quarterback can wear any number from 0 to 49 and 70 to 99.CFL Rules 2011, p. 35. Because of their numbering, quarterbacks are eligible receivers in the NCAA, NFHS and CFL;NCAA Rules 2011–2012, p. 73.NFHS Rules 2012, p. 61. in the NFL, quarterbacks are eligible receivers if they are not lined up directly under center.

Leadership

Often compared to captains of other team sports, before the implementation of NFL team captains in 2007, the starting quarterback is usually the ''de facto'' team leader and a well-respected player on and off the field. Since 2007, when the NFL allowed teams to designate several captains to serve as on-field leaders, the starting quarterback has usually been one of the team captains as the leader of the team's offense.

In the NFL, while the starting quarterback has no other responsibility or authority, he may, depending on the league or individual team, have various informal duties, such as participation in pre-game ceremonies, the coin toss or other events outside the game. For instance, the starting quarterback is the first player (and third person after the team owner and head coach) to be presented with the Lamar Hunt Trophy/ George Halas Trophy (after winning the AFC/NFC Conference title) and the Vince Lombardi Trophy (after a Super Bowl victory). The starting quarterback of the victorious Super Bowl team is often chosen for the " I'm going to Disney World!" campaign (which includes a trip to Walt Disney World for them and their families), whether they are the

Super Bowl MVP

or not; examples include Joe Montana ( XXIII), Trent Dilfer ( XXXV),

Peyton Manning

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