SportsAugust 19, 2026

bellcow

BELL-kow

Definition

A primary, workhorse running back who receives the majority of carries and touches in a team's offense.

Etymology

Derived from the literal bell cow, a cow wearing a bell that leads the rest of the herd. In sports, it figuratively identifies the 'leader' or 'star' of a specific position group.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, indicating that these two players are the primary, go-to runners expected to lead the Titans' backfield.

Titans sign veteran RB D’Ernest Johnson

Read the full article ↗

NBC Sports

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