‘We’re the decathletes of NFL’: Is cornerback the toughest position in football?

Many believe that the no position can equal the burden placed on the quarterback. But the other side of the ball presents its own problems

The NFL kicked off on Thursday night and the first full weekend of action starts on Sunday. As usual, attention will be heaped on star quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady. Indeed, quarterback is often described as the toughest position in sports. But are we being unfair to cornerbacks? While quarterbacks know exactly which play is coming, cornerbacks don't - and they also need the athletic chops to go step for step with wide receivers and the robustness to tackle opponents moving at high speed.

We spoke to three former cornerbacks - who, between them, account for almost 400 NFL games, two Pro Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl rings - to determine whether theirs is, in fact, the most difficult and demanding position in football.