war daddy

English

Etymology

The phrase may have originated with Harold T. White, a coach at Mississippi's Perkinston Junior College in the 1950s.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Noun

war daddy (plural war daddies)

1. (slang, American football, US) A player with extraordinary ability and exceptional toughness.

Usage notes

Used for example to refer to Reggie White, Lawrence Taylor, Richard Seymour, and Chartric "Chuck" Terrell Darby, as well as Jacob Hester and Jake Locker. More commonly applied to defensive players, especially linemen. Some football teams use the title for the best player on the team.

References

• Article on this term by Slate