Positions and roles
H-back
A tight end / fullback hybrid who lines up off the line of scrimmage and moves before the snap.
An H-back is a tight end-sized player who lines up off the line of scrimmage — behind a tackle, in the backfield or in the slot — instead of with his hand in the dirt. That off-ball alignment lets him shift, motion across the formation and arrive at the point of attack with momentum.
He is the glue piece in wide zone and gap/power offenses: he kicks out an edge defender, wraps around as an extra puller, or leaks into the flat off play action. Because he is officially a tight end or fullback, his receiving usage is usually low but his snap share can be very high.
Related terms
- Tight end (TE)A hybrid who blocks like a lineman and catches passes like a receiver.
- Fullback (FB)A heavier back who lines up in front of the running back and blocks.
- Gap / Power run schemePulling guards and down blocks that create a numbers advantage at one point of attack.
- MotionMoving a player before the snap to reveal coverage and create leverage.
More in Positions and roles
- Head coach (HC)
- Offensive coordinator
- Defensive coordinator
- Quarterback (QB)
- Running back (RB)
- Fullback (FB)
- Wide receiver (WR)
- X receiver
- Z receiver (flanker)
- Slot receiver
- Tight end (TE)
- Offensive line (OL)
- Center (C)
- Guard (G)
- Left tackle and right tackle
- Defensive lineman (DL)
- EDGE
- Linebacker (LB)
- Cornerback (CB)
- Slot corner (nickel)
- Safety (SAF)
- Kicker (K)