What Are the 11 Positions in Football? Every Role and Number

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In American football each team has 11 players on the field at a time. The offense sends out 11, the defense sends out 11, and a special teams unit takes the field for kicks. One common offense is a quarterback, running back, fullback, two wide receivers, a tight end and five linemen. A four-three defense lines up four linemen and three linebackers, with two cornerbacks and two safeties behind them.

So the answer to “what are the 11 positions in football” depends on which side of the ball you mean, and on the formation the coach calls. Below is every tackle football position, what each player does, the jersey numbers each one wears, and how many players (and uniforms) a team really needs. Playing flag? See flag football positions.

How we made this guide: we used the NFL 2026 Rulebook (Rule 5), the NCAA 2026 Football Rules, the NFHS 2026 Jersey and Pant Rules, USA Football’s game types page and our own price list (as of November 2026). NFL rules, USA Football and prices checked November 15, 2026; college and high school rules checked October 28, 2026.

The 11 positions on offense and defense at a glance

Each side of an American football team puts exactly 11 players on the field, and the NFL 2026 Rulebook (Rule 5-1-2, checked November 15, 2026) assigns every position a jersey number range. The table lists one common lineup for each side: a pro set offense and a four-three defense.

One common lineup; formations change who is on the field. Offense: 5 linemen + QB + RB + FB + 2 WR + TE = 11. Defense: 4 linemen + 3 linebackers + 2 cornerbacks + 2 safeties = 11. Number ranges: NFL 2026 Rulebook, Rule 5, Section 1, Article 2, checked November 15, 2026. Colleges and high schools use their own numbering rules (see the jersey numbers section below).

A team that drops the fullback for a third receiver still has 11 players. The count never changes, only the mix of positions does.

Offensive positions: what each player does

The offense has five linemen who block, with the center snapping the ball, and six players who can move it: the quarterback, the backs, the receivers and the tight end. Those five linemen form the offensive line on the line of scrimmage, the imaginary line where the ball sits before each play.

The center starts every play by snapping the ball between their legs to the quarterback. The two guards line up on either side of the center and the two tackles outside them. Their job is the same on every snap: keep defenders away from whoever has the ball. On a passing play that means a pocket around the quarterback; on a run it means a lane.

The quarterback takes the snap and decides what happens next. A quarterback can hand the ball to a back, run with it or throw it. The running back carries the ball on most runs and catches short passes. The fullback, when a team uses one, lines up in the backfield to block for the running back, and carries the ball when a team needs one or two yards.

Wide receivers line up near the sidelines and run set routes to get open for a pass. The tight end lines up next to a tackle and does both jobs: block like a lineman on one play and run a route like a receiver on the next.

Defensive positions: line, linebackers, secondary

A defense has three layers. Defensive linemen take on blockers, linebackers read run or pass and make tackles, and the secondary of cornerbacks and safeties covers receivers.

In a four-three defense, two defensive tackles line up across from the guards and two defensive ends line up outside the offensive tackles. The tackles hold the middle against runs, while the ends set the edge so a runner can’t get outside and rush the quarterback on passing plays.

A linebacker stands a few yards behind the defensive line and reacts to the play: fills a gap against a run, drops back to cover a pass, or rushes the quarterback. The middle linebacker usually calls the defensive play in the huddle. The two outside linebackers play on either side.

Cornerbacks cover the wide receivers, one on each side. The free safety plays deepest and stops long passes. The strong safety plays closer to the line, on the side where the tight end lines up, and helps against runs. The position shares its name with the two point safety, a scoring play, but the two have nothing to do with each other. Many defenses change this shape: a three-four uses three linemen and four linebackers, and a nickel defense swaps a linebacker for a fifth defensive back against passing teams.

Special teams: kicker, punter, long snapper and returners

Special teams take the field for kickoffs, punts, field goals and extra points. The kicker kicks off and kicks field goals and extra points, while the punter punts the ball away on fourth down.

The long snapper is a center for kicks, snapping the ball back to the holder on field goals and extra points, and to the punter on punts. The holder catches that snap and sets the ball down for the kicker. Kick and punt returners catch the other team’s kicks and run them back.

At the pro level, specialists rarely play anywhere else, but in high school and youth football the kicker may also be a receiver and the long snapper a lineman. That matters on order day: one player can need one number that fits two jobs.

Football jersey numbers by position

Football jersey numbers are assigned by position in the NFL and partly in college, and they decide who may catch a pass. Under the NFL 2026 Rulebook (Rule 5-1-2), offensive linemen wear 50 to 79, quarterbacks wear 0 to 19, and receivers, backs and tight ends wear 0 to 49 or 80 to 89. Any player outside 0 to 49 and 80 to 89 is an ineligible receiver unless they report a change of position to the referee (Rule 5-3-1).

College football is looser on numbers but strict on the line. The NCAA 2026 Football Rules (7-1-4-a-3) require at least five offensive linemen numbered 50 to 79 at the snap, with an exception for scrimmage kicks.

High school numbers run from 0 to 99 under the NFHS 2026 Jersey and Pant Rules (1-4-3), and a number may not start with a zero, so 00 and 07 are not legal. State associations adopt NFHS rules, so check yours before you assign numbers.

Sublimated names and numbers are included in the per-player price; tackle twill is $5 per name and $5 per number, per jersey. Check each player’s number against their position on your roster, then again on your free mockup within 12 hours, with unlimited changes, before you approve it. A lineman listed at 22 is easier to fix on a mockup than on a finished jersey.

Two-way players: when one player covers two positions

A two-way player plays on both offense and defense, for example running back on offense and linebacker on defense. No rule decides this: it’s a coaching choice that usually follows roster size.

Many smaller high school and youth programs play their best athletes both ways, because they don’t have 22 starters plus backups. Larger programs platoon: separate players for offense and defense, and often specialists on special teams.

Two-way players change your roster math: a two-way team needs fewer players, and so fewer uniforms, than a platoon team. Each two-way player still wears one number, so pick it for their offensive position, where the number decides who may catch a pass.

How many players are on a football team, and how many uniforms to order

Eleven players per side play at once in 11-player tackle football at every level, while roster size depends on your league. Plan your order from your own roster count.

Field sizes change with the level too: see how long a football field is at each level.

Before you price a roster, our guide to what football uniform packages include and cost per player covers every piece in the set and what a whole program spends.

There’s no minimum order, and shipping is free anywhere in the USA.

Count back from your first game. For a youth league opener on Saturday, August 21, 2027, approve your design by Monday, July 19, 2027. That leaves time for production, the longest shipping time and a week of margin.

Uniforms are only part of opening day. The youth football equipment checklist covers the helmets, pads and everything else a player needs.

Frequently asked questions

Sources for the answers above: NFL 2026 Rulebook Rules 5-1-2 and 5-3-1, NFHS 2026 Jersey and Pant Rules 1-4-3, USA Football game types. NFL and USA Football checked November 15, 2026; NFHS file checked October 28, 2026.