{{More citations needed|date=March 2026}} In arena football, a '''specialist''' was a player, other than a quarterback or placekicker, who was exempt from the league's one-platoon system ("Iron Man"). Under the original Arena football system, six of the eight players on each team were required to play both offense and defense.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Rules of Arena Football |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-orlando-sentinel-arena-football/56605921/ |access-date=5 March 2026 |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=17 May 1987}}</ref>
One of the two offensive positions was required to be a quarterback or, in the event of a kick, a placekicker. The other was known as an ''offensive specialist'' (OS). Offensive specialists usually played wide receiver, either as a flanker or a slotback. The defense was allowed two ''defensive specialists'' (DS), who almost universally played in the secondary. Players were referred to as "specialists" instead of their more traditional positional designations (example, a player would be called a defensive specialist and be designated as "DS" on a position chart, instead of a cornerback or CB).
Specialists were usually required to participate on special teams, a requirement that was not extended to quarterbacks.
The specialist designation was eliminated after both the Arena Football League and af2 abandoned the one-platoon system prior to the 2007 season. Most other indoor football leagues have used free substitution since their inception.
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Arena Football League terminology Category:American football positions
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