quarterback
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quarterback
The central playmaking position in American football or Canadian football, who directs the team's offensive plays.
Der Quarterback warf in letzter Sekunde einen perfekten Pass zum Touchdown.
The quarterback threw a perfect pass for a touchdown at the last second.
'Quarterback' is a word borrowed directly from English and refers to the playmaker position in American football. It is also pronounced this way in German.
Jeder Fan von American Football kennt den Namen des berühmten Quarterbacks.
Every fan of American football knows the name of the famous quarterback.
The context makes clear whether the literal or figurative meaning is intended. If people are talking about sports, it is the player. If they are talking about projects or companies, it is the strategic leader.
Der Quarterback führte sein Team zum Sieg im Super Bowl.
The quarterback led his team to victory in the Super Bowl.
The metaphor works because the quarterback in football calls the plays and leads the team. In the figurative meaning, it therefore refers to a person who takes on a similar strategic leadership role in another area.
Als Gründer des Start-ups war er von Anfang an der Quarterback.
As the founder of the start-up, he was the quarterback from the very beginning.
project manager
'der Projektleiter' and 'der Quarterback' can both refer to a person who steers a team or an undertaking. 'Projektleiter' is the normal term for someone who plans, leads, and is responsible for a project. 'Quarterback' originally comes from football. Figuratively, it is used for a person who leads strategically and makes important decisions. This sounds more figurative and often a bit sporty or modern. The words can be confused because both describe leadership roles. In a normal work context, 'Projektleiter' is clearer; 'Quarterback' fits more as a metaphor.
Bei der Arbeit gilt sie als Quarterback des Teams, weil sie alle wichtigen Entscheidungen vorbereitet.
At work, she is considered the quarterback of the team because she prepares all the important decisions.
Herr Richter ist der Projektleiter und bespricht jeden Montag die nächsten Schritte.
Mr. Richter is the project manager and discusses the next steps every Monday.