The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word LINEMEN
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More clues leading to the result LINEMEN
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Football players" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case football players = linemen.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does LINEMEN mean?
LINEMEN noun- A person who installs and repairs overhead cables (either power or telephone); a linesman
- A player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage