Quarterbacks Quarterback ( QB , originally called blocking back ) is a position in American and Canadian football . Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line . Quarterbacks are the leaders of the offensive team , responsible for calling the play in the huddle . Every play starts with a " snap " , an action where the offense ' s center gives the ball to the quarterback , or to another offensive player such as a punter or wide receiver . After receiving the ball , the quarterback either throws a pass or hands it to another offensive player ; in some cases , the quarterback keeps the ball in an attempt to run or " scramble " past the defense . At most levels , but especially at the college and professional level , the quarterback role is one of the most visible and important roles on the team . The quarterback touches the ball on nearly every offensive play and has a great deal of responsibility both in calling plays and making decisions during the play . While there is liberal substitution at most positions in football based on the play call and to minimize player fatigue , most quarterbacks are on the field for every offensive play leaving only for injury or when the game ' s outcome is no longer in doubt . Quarterbacks are frequently chosen early in the NFL Draft and often receive much more lucrative contracts than other positions . As of 2011 , players in this position have won more Super Bowl MVP awards ( 24 of 45 ) than players at all other positions combined . As the term " quarterback " gained acceptance in the 1930s , it originally referred to the player ' s position relative to other members of the offensive backfield . Before the emergence of the T - formation in the 1940s , all members of the offensive backfield were legitimate threats to run or pass the ball , and most teams used four offensive backs on every play : a quarterback , two halfbacks , and a fullback . The quarterback began each play a quarter of the way back , the halfbacks began each play side by side and halfway back , and the fullback began each play the farthest back . Now that most offensive formations have only one or two running backs , the original designations do not mean as much , as the fullback is now usually a lead blocker ( technically a halfback ) , while the halfback or tailback ( called such because he stands at the " tail " of the I ) lines up behind the fullback . Traditionally , quarterbacks have been responsible for calling the team ' s offensive plays based on the defense ' s formation , or game situation . To choose the proper play , quarterbacks often spend time rehearsing and studying prearranged plays during their team ' s practice sessions . In recent years , the rise of offensive coordinator s has led partiality toward a scripted game plan . The offensive coordinators and coaches usually give the quarterback information via a built - in headphone in the helmet as to what to do before the play . Quarterbacks are allowed to hear , but not talk to , their coaches until there are fifteen seconds left on the play clock . The quarterback then relays the information to teammates and executes the plays . When the players are set in a formation , the quarterback starts the play by calling out a code word , a number , or a combination of the two . Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry was an early advocate of taking play calling out of the quarterback ' s hands . Although this remained a common practice in the NFL through the 1970s , fewer QBs were doing it by the 1980s and even Hall - of - Famers like Joe Montana did not call their own plays . Buffalo Bills QB Jim Kelly was one of the last to regularly call plays . Among current NFL QBs , Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts and Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons call all , or nearly all , of their team ' s plays using a no - huddle offense , although they mostly just make adjustments to the plays given to him from the offensive coordinator . Special tactics . If quarterbacks are uncomfortable with the formation the defense is using , they may call an audible change to their play . For example , if a quarterback receives the call to execute a running play , but he notices that the defense is ready to blitz – that is , to send additional defensive backs across the line of scrimmage in an attempt to tackle the quarterback or thwart his ability to pass – the quarterback may want to change the play . To do this , the quarterback yells a special code , like " Blue 42 , " or " Texas 29 , " which tells the offense to switch to a specific play or formation . Also , quarterbacks can " spike " or throw the football at the ground to stop the official game clock . For example , if a team is down by a field goal with only seconds remaining , a quarterback may spike the ball to prevent the game clock from running out . This usually allows the field goal unit to come onto the field , or attempt a final " Hail Mary pass " . However , if a team is winning , a quarterback can keep the clock running by kneeling after the snap . This is normally done when the opposing team has no timeouts and there is little time left in the game , as it allows a team to burn up the remaining time on the clock without risking a turnover or injury . Receiving . While quarterbacks are mainly not a factor in terms of receiving forward passes , some trick plays , like the flea flicker , require quarterbacks to catch a lateral by a wide receiver or running back before delivering a forward pass . In the wildcat formation , a quarterback lines up as a flank receiver who can be used to catch a forward pass . Typically the quarterback is not thrown to in this formation , but serves as a decoy , as even the least mobile quarterbacks are capable of catching a ball for positive yardage . Occasionally , some backup quarterbacks may be used to receive long snaps as a holder for field goal or extra point attempts , as quarterbacks generally have good ball handling skills , and may have to become the passer in the event of a bad snap , an aborted kick attempt or a designed trick play . Under NFL rules , if a quarterback lines up under center , he is by definition ineligible and not allowed to receive a forward pass . However , in college and high school ball , quarterbacks are eligible receiver s ( by a special exemption in the high school rule books ) regardless of whether they are under center or in a shotgun formation . The NFL allows a quarterback in a shotgun formation to receive a forward pass . Dual - threat quarterbacks . With the rise of several blitz heavy defensive schemes and increasingly faster defensive players , the importance of a mobile quarterback has been redefined . While arm power , accuracy , and pocket presence – the ability to successfully operate from within the " pocket " formed by his blockers – are still the most important quarterback virtues , the ability to elude or run past defenders creates an additional threat that allows greater flexibility in the team ' s passing and running game . This is generally more successful at the college level . Typically , a quarterback with exceptional quickness is used in an option offense , which allows the quarterback to either hand the ball off , run it himself , or pitch it to the running back following him at a distance of three yards outside and one yard behind . This type of offense forces defenders to commit to either the running back up the middle , the quarterback around the end , or the running back trailing the quarterback . It is then that the quarterback has the " option " to identify which match up is most favorable to the offense as the play unfolds and exploit that defensive weakness . In the college game , many schools employ several plays that are designed for the quarterback to run with the ball . This is much less common in professional football , except for a quarterback sneak , but there is still an emphasis on being mobile enough to escape a heavy pass rush . Two quarterback system . Sometimes a team is undecided on which quarterback should start a game . In that case , the team may employ alternating quarterbacks . This could have negative effects on the cohesion and consistency of the offensive team , but could also serve to confuse the defense . A rare successful example of a two - quarterback system can be seen in the " WoodStrock " combination of Don Strock and David Woodley , which took the Miami Dolphins to the Epic in Miami and Super Bowl XVII the following year .