Fullback (gridiron football)

[1] Many great runners in the history of American football have been fullbacks, including Jim Brown, Marion Motley, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Taylor, Franco Harris, Larry Csonka, John Riggins, Christian Okoye, and Levi Jackson.

Examples of players who have excelled at the hybrid running–blocking–pass catching role include Vonta Leach, Mike Alstott, William Henderson, Daryl Johnston, Kyle Juszczyk, John Kuhn, Le'Ron McClain, Lorenzo Neal, Marcel Reece, Larry Centers and Tom Rathman.

This is likely due to teams beginning to focus more on passing, as well as the increased popularity of personnel groupings and formations that omit the position.

Reggie Gilliam, CJ Ham, Derek Watt, and hybrid linebacker/fullback Nick Bellore are all examples of contemporary fullbacks who have been standout special teams contributors throughout their careers.

Examples of players often used as fullbacks despite it not being their primary or official position because of their talents as a blocker include Drew Sample, Harrison Bryant, and Daniel Bellinger.

Ben Skowronek, a wide receiver, and Carson Steele, a hybrid running back/fullback are examples of these kinds of players.

As the game evolved and alternate formations came in and went out of fashion, halfbacks (reduced to typically just one rather than two) emerged as the offensive backs most likely to run the ball.

In the contemporary NFL, the role of fullbacks as ball-carriers is incredibly rare and most are limited to running the ball in select short-yardage situations.

Although technically running backs, generally the primary role of fullbacks in most modern offenses are as blockers.

Players who have been frequently used as situational fullbacks include Haloti Ngata, Dontari Poe, Jared Allen while with the Kansas City Chiefs, Richard Seymour while with the New England Patriots, and Isaac Sopoaga while with the San Francisco 49ers, while Dan Klecko and Nikita Whitlock have played both as a defensive tackle and fullback.

Defensive tackle William "The Refrigerator" Perry scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XX from the fullback position.