tailback

[ teyl-bak ]

noun

, Football.

1. the offensive back who lines up farthest behind the line of scrimmage, as in a single wingback or double wingback formation.
2. the position played by this back.

tailback

/ ˈteɪlˌbæk /

noun

1. a queue of traffic stretching back from an obstruction

Word History and Origins

Origin of tailback¹

First recorded in 1935–40; tail ¹ + back ¹

Example Sentences

Having won UCLA’s starting tailback job before the end of his freshman season and scoring a touchdown on his first preseason NFL carry, Foster said he also expects early success as a head coach.

From Los Angeles Times

Our view of the Bears’ situation does not require much context or many sentences: Simply put, they managed to retain the one player they could not lose: tailback Jaydn Ott.

From Seattle Times

From our corner of the college football galaxy, Ott stands as the best tailback on his side of the Rockies.

From Seattle Times

The Trojans lost only two games and finished atop the AP Poll twice in his three years at tailback.

From Los Angeles Times

In the fall of 1967, the new USC tailback — a transfer from San Francisco City College — wasn’t quite a star yet.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fullback
• halfback