Where did the name Quarterback come from? Just curious

The term “quarterback” comes from the early days of American football in the late 1800s, when the sport was evolving from rugby.

In those early formations, teams lined up their players in “backs” based on how far they stood behind the line of scrimmage:
• The fullback stood the farthest back.
• The halfback stood halfway between the line and the fullback.
• The quarterback stood about a quarter of the way back from the line — closest to the center.

So the name literally described his position on the field — one quarter of the distance back from the line of scrimmage.

Over time, as football strategy evolved, the quarterback became the team’s primary ball handler and leader, calling plays and passing — but the original term simply came from field position, not the modern role.

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