Editing Utility player (section)

==American football==
In [[gridiron football|American football]], the utility player is often capable of playing multiple positions, and often they may play both offense and defense. The concept was far more common in the early days of football, when pro teams used their best athletes in as many ways as possible, and substitutions were far more restricted, meaning players had to stay on the field for offense, defense, and "special teams". This was known as the [[one-platoon system]].

[[Image:RobinsonThrowing2.jpg|thumb|left|200px|1907 photograph of [[Bradbury Robinson]], who threw the first legal [[forward pass]] and was the sport's first triple threat]]

The [[triple threat man]], who could run, pass, and kick, was particularly popular during the early days of football from the time the forward pass was invented to the World War II era (see, for instance, [[Bradbury Robinson]], [[Tommy Hughitt]], [[Sammy Baugh]], and, during his college years, [[Johnny Unitas]]). Most levels of football lifted the substitution restrictions during the post-World War II era in the late 1940s, beginning with "platooning" (use of different offensive and defensive units) and eventually transitioning to complete free substitution. [[Chuck Bednarik]], a center and linebacker, was the last full-time two way player in the NFL, having retired in 1962. [[Travis Hunter]] will be the first to attempt to play offense and defense regularly since Bednarik after he was drafted as both a cornerback and wide receiver by the [[Jacksonville Jaguars]] in [[2025 NFL draft|2025]]. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-24 |title=Jaguars send shockwaves, trade up for Heisman winner, two-way player Travis Hunter |url=https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/sports/nfl/jacksonville-jaguars/travis-hunter-drafted-jaguars-trade/77-f56b0c39-0d10-4c4c-acc9-e52a40476562 |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=firstcoastnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[American Football League]] of the 1960s frequently used players at multiple positions, particularly kickers and punters (e.g. [[George Blanda]], [[Paul Maguire]], [[Cookie Gilchrist]], [[Gino Cappelletti]], and [[Gene Mingo]], a running back who became the first black placekicker in modern professional football, among others). Because of increased injury risk awareness, since the [[AFL-NFL merger]] these types of players are increasingly rare, and true utility players usually end up specializing in one position (for example, [[Lane Johnson]] played quarterback, tight end, defensive end and offensive tackle through college but was tagged specifically at offensive tackle when drafted into the NFL, and [[Lorenzo Alexander]], who earned a reputation as a "one-man gang" for his ability to play multiple positions, had settled in as a linebacker for most of his career in the NFL<ref>{{cite web|work=Redskins.com|url=http://www.redskins.com/news-and-events/article-1/Alexander-The-Face-Of-Roster-Versatility/ca9a28c3-008e-4d2e-9378-c859f386140b|title=Alexander The Face Of Roster Versatility|last=Tinsman|first=Brian|date=June 27, 2012|access-date=June 27, 2012|archive-date=June 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120630232058/http://www.redskins.com/news-and-events/article-1/Alexander-The-Face-Of-Roster-Versatility/ca9a28c3-008e-4d2e-9378-c859f386140b|url-status=dead}}</ref>). Those that do play multiple positions for any extended period of time are mostly backups (e.g. [[Guido Merkens]] and [[Brad Smith (American football, born 1983)|Brad Smith]]) or career minor-league players (e.g. [[Don Jonas]], [[Eric Crouch]], and [[Charles Puleri]]). It is still very common in smaller high schools to see top players play two or even three ways (offense, defense, and special teams), in multiple positions, but in college and pro ball, where rosters are larger and the talent pool is more elite, the injury risk outweighs potential benefits.

In the [[National Football League]], former coach [[Bill Belichick]] frequently used utility players during his time with the [[New England Patriots]]. Belichick had used his linebackers, including [[Bryan Cox]] and [[Mike Vrabel]], as [[H-back]]s on offense, and Belichick doubled his wide receivers (e.g. [[Troy Brown]] and [[Randy Moss]]) as cornerbacks and safeties. Former [[Arizona Cardinals]] and [[Houston Texans]] defensive end [[J. J. Watt]] had also been utilized in multiple positions. Watt lined up at tight end in special goal-line packages in 2014, catching three touchdown passes. The 6' 5" Watt played tight end in high school and his first year of college at [[Central Michigan Chippewas football|Central Michigan]] before becoming a full-time defensive player. Likewise, [[Buffalo Bills]] defensive tackle [[Kyle Williams (defensive tackle)|Kyle Williams]] played sparingly as a fullback in the last two years of his career, catching a pass, rushing for a touchdown, and blocking for another. [[William Perry (American football)|William "The Refrigerator" Perry]], a defensive tackle for the [[Chicago Bears]], famously played as a fullback to score a touchdown in [[Super Bowl XX]].

The [[tackle-eligible play|tackle eligible]] is a special form of utility player. Examples of those who used this play notably include [[Jason Peters]], [[Warren Sapp]], [[Jumbo Elliott (American football)|Jumbo Elliott]], [[Mitch Frerotte]], [[Anthony Muñoz]], [[Joe Staley]], and [[Donald Penn]]. In such a situation, a player who is lined up in the offensive tackle position is eligible to catch a forward pass. Another example of a type of utility player is the [[halfback option play]], in which a [[running back]] performs the passing duties of a [[quarterback]]. [[Walter Payton]], [[LaDainian Tomlinson]], and, most recently, [[Derrick Henry]] have used this play multiple times, and this type of play has spawned an entire [[Wildcat offense|offensive scheme]]. Note that generally, a player who plays one regular position as well as special teams is ''usually'' not considered a utility player, nor are hybrid running back/wide receivers such as [[Reggie Bush]]; only those who play two distinct offensive and/or defensive positions are considered such, as are those who play an offensive or defensive position and in addition kick or punt.

The "offense/offensive weapon" (also known as OW) is an offensive player that can play multiple offensive positions. The OW role contains, but is not limited to, players that can play [[quarterback]], [[running back]], [[tight end]], and [[wide receiver]]. [[Kordell Stewart]] was the first player to be used in this role back in the 1990s, but it became popular in the early 2010s.  Back when Stewart played this role, it was known as the "Slash" role.  The Jacksonville Jaguars' OW [[Denard Robinson]] was the first to be officially an OW.  Recent examples of the OW position include former [[New York Giants]] quarterback [[Joe Webb]], [[Atlanta Falcons]] running back [[Cordarrelle Patterson]], and [[New Orleans Saints]] quarterback [[Taysom Hill]]. Webb has also played wide receiver throughout his career, while Hill has lined up at every offensive position with the exception of offensive lineman. Hill also plays special teams as a [[Gunner (American football)|gunner]] and kick returner.

The [[Arena Football League]], for many years, made almost all of its players, with the exception of two players on each side (always a quarterback, a kicker (the quarterback and kicker were never on the field at the same time) and usually a wide receiver and two defensive backs), play both sides of the ball; this was known as "ironman". The "ironman" concept was dropped in 2007.

With the exception of the now defunct NFL Europe, almost all European American Football leagues have players that play offense, defense, and special teams. Especially when the number of "American" players is limited, they are often on the field for as many snaps as possible, both on offense and defense.