End (gridiron football)

In gridiron football, an end is a player who lines up at either end of the line of scrimmage, usually beside the tackles. Rules state that a legal offensive formation must always consist of seven players on the line of scrimmage and that the player on each end of the line is an eligible receiver who can catch forward passes. There are two types on offense: the split end, or wide out, and the tight end. On defense, the position name survives in the name of the defensive end; in function, this position no longer corresponds to its offensive counterparts, which are defended more commonly by the edge rusher (which is sometimes a defensive end depending on formation) against the tight end and the cornerback against the split end.

It is also used in terminology such as an end run.