What does ATH stand for in football?

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While it’s rare in past college football, at times you will encounter players who have a position of “ATH” as their position description. What does ATH stand for in Football?

ATH stands for Athlete. It means that they do not particularly fall into one position. An example of this would be a player that plays: tight end, quarterback, and fullback in the same season.

These players typically have exceptional athletic ability and are very valuable to football teams.

We break down what the ATH acronym really means in each level of football. Why the players are given this label, some of the best players with the ATH designation in NFL history, and the possible benefits of being listed as ATH as a recruit.

Best ATH’s in Football History:

Player Positions Played Achievements
Jim Thorpe Running Back, Defensive Back, Kicker Considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, Thorpe won Olympic gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon before turning to football. He played for multiple professional teams and was known for his speed, agility, and versatility.
Deion Sanders Cornerback, Wide Receiver Sanders was a standout cornerback for several NFL teams. But he also played wide receiver and returned kicks. He was known for his speed and athleticism, and he was a two-time Super Bowl champion and eight-time Pro Bowler.
Brian Mitchell Running Back, Kick Returner Mitchell was primarily a running back during his NFL career. But he was also one of the league’s top kick returners. He holds the NFL record for most career kickoff return yards and was a three-time Pro Bowler.
Charles Woodson Cornerback, Safety Woodson played both cornerback and safety during his NFL career. He was known for his versatility and playmaking ability. He won the Heisman Trophy in college and was a nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion in the NFL.
Sammy Baugh Quarterback, Punter, Defensive Back Baugh played multiple positions during his NFL career, including quarterback, punter, and defensive back. He was known for his strong arm and accuracy as a passer, as well as his ability to kick and play defense. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL champion.

Where do you see the most ATHs in football?

High School

High school is where you will see players listed as ATH the most. Due to the small rosters that some schools have, some players are forced to play multiple positions on both offense and defense.

This all depends on what situation the team finds itself in.

Along with this, there can be an enormous gap in talent from player to player in high school. As a result of this, coaches will have their most talented players playing all over the field on both sides of the ball.

College

College is the middle ground for players listed as athletes. While there are fewer players listed as ATH in college football programs than there are in high school football.

There are still a lot more “athletes” at the collegiate level than the NFL.

Once again, some colleges are very small and have to have any star player they can get their hands on play both sides of the ball and multiple positions.

However, this does not only happen at smaller schools. Some of the top programs in college football still have athletes on their roster.

When a football player is listed as an athlete at an upper echelon program, they typically possess otherworldly athleticism.

College coaches are known to recruit players that are extremely athletically gifted in high school at one position but recruit them for a completely different role.

However, the coaching staff has not figured out which position would both suit their team the best and suit the player the best for their future in football.

NFL

NFL is where football player listed as ATH are found the least. By the time a player has made his way to the NFL, he has figured out which position will suit him best.

The athletic ability of most NFL players is at such a high level they typically are experts at one specific position.

Along with this, the NFL is the best of the best. With roster sizes being as small as they are, teams are looking for specialized players who can accomplish the task of a given position.

Despite this, there are a handful of cases of players who come into the NFL still listed as athletes. Typically, they have generational athleticism or are making a transition from quarterback to another position in the NFL. 

Why are players labeled as ATH?

With players being listed as ATH as rare as they are, the question stands as to what makes a player earn that position title.

Typically, players are given the ATH position if their talent and athleticism make it to where they are capable of or already do play almost any position on the football field.

While this can at times mean that the coaching staff is in for a project player, if they are developed in the right way, these players can end up being incredibly versatile and perfect weapons for any offense.

Who are some of the best ATHs in NFL?

There are some incredible players in the NFL who have been listed as ATH throughout their careers. We will break down some of the best currently in the league.

Deebo Samuel

The first player to make this list is Deebo Samuel. Last season, Samuel took on much more responsibility than a typical wide receiver.

For some parts of the season, Deebo was lining up in the backfield and playing as the team’s running back in addition to playing WR.

He was the most dangerous weapon for the San Francisco 49ers and one of the most dangerous in the league in 2021,

He is poised to have another incredible season this year and many are expecting him to once again play a considerable number of snaps at running back.

Cordarrelle Patterson

Another player that fits the bill of ATH is Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson was forced to play a much bigger role for the Atlanta Falcons than he was typically accustomed to.

Along with being one of the best kick returners of all time, Patterson also has spent seasons being his team’s primary running back along with the wide receiver.

 

This is something that few players in the history of the league have been capable of doing, and Patterson is still doing it in his 30s. Last season was a breakout year for him at the running back position.

Although the Atlanta Falcons will likely begin to phase him out of the backfield, he will still get a considerable number of snaps.

Taysom Hill

The final ATH that we will cover is Taysom Hill. During his time with the New Orleans Saints, Hill has played almost every position possible. He has spent time being the team’s quarterback, running back, fullback, wide receiver, fielded punt returns, and tight end, and he was a part of the kickoff, punt, and field goal block teams.

 

Although there is not a particular position that Hill is elite at, his versatility and ability fill in for almost any injured player making him an extremely valuable player for the Saints.

Can being an ATH help you as a college recruit?

Depending on the situation, declaring as an ATH can help in college recruiting. However, there are certain qualifications that players have to meet to truly be considered for an ATH position.

The player must be versatile enough to play multiple positions, or they must be able to play both sides of the ball.

Along with this,players must possess elite athleticism and versatility to be an ATH. Taysom Hill is a perfect example of how being an ATH can help you as a recruit and even help you get from college to the NFL in the right scenario.

At times, coaches will look over players being average or even below average at one position if they are able to play multiple positions. This allows them to be very creative in their game plan.

How are recruiting stars determined?

Each major recruiting website will have its own ratings for high school recruits in the form of stars.

These stars scale from 1-5. Despite this ranking system, many players end up being unranked with no stars.

Some factors that go into determining a star ranking for a player are talent, size, skill, and how websites think the player’s game will translate to the college level.

Summary

Being an Ath is football indicates an above-average athletic ability that is translatable across many different positions on a football team.

In the age of position specialization at early ages, I still think being able to play multiple positions is a great way to make yourself stand out on a football team and give you the best chances to play.

If you play both offense and defense, you will learn different tactics that will help you and your teammates when game time comes around.