A halfback is a player position in American football who lines up in the backfield, usually a few yards behind the offensive line and next to or slightly behind the quarterback. The halfback's main job is to run with the football after receiving a handoff, though they also catch passes and block for other players.

The position got its name from where the player stands: roughly halfway between the quarterback and the fullback in traditional formations. Halfbacks need speed, agility, and the ability to dodge tacklers. They look for gaps in the defense, change direction quickly, and accelerate through open spaces. Some of football's most exciting plays happen when a talented halfback breaks through the defensive line and sprints downfield.

In modern football, halfbacks are usually called running backs, though the terms mean essentially the same thing. Famous halfbacks like Jim Brown and Walter Payton became legends by combining strength with incredible speed and vision on the field.

The word also appears in soccer and rugby, where halfbacks play in the midfield area, connecting defense and offense. But in America, when someone mentions a halfback, they're almost always talking about football.