American football player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage
Also known as offensive lineman · defense lineman
10 statements · 30% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations
4 identifiers linking lineman across the web's reference databases
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line (DL). A number of National Football League (NFL) rules specifically address restrictions and requirements for the offensive line, whose job is to help protect the quarterback from getting sacked for a loss or fumbling. The defensive line is covered by the same rules that apply to all defensive players. Linemen are usually the largest players on the field in both height and weight, since their positions usually require less running and more strength than skill positions.