What are the rules around who can throw the ball in football?

[AnswerWizard]

Usually it is the quarterback, but during an option play it can be someone else. Can anyone throw the ball if they are behind the line of scrimmage? Or are there just a few players who are allowed to?

[Yumes]

Yes, it can be any player as long as its behind the line of scrimmage. But there are rules regarding eligible receivers. Not everyone can be receivers.<br />
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Copied from Wikipedia --<br />
In both forms of football, the offensive team must have at least seven players lined up on the line of scrimmage. Of the players on the line of scrimmage, only the two players on the ends of the line of scrimmage are eligible receivers. The four remaining players in the backfield (five in Canadian football), including the quarterback, are also eligible receivers—except in the National Football League, where a quarterback who takes the snap directly from the center is never eligible. However, a quarterback who receives a longer snap from the center, such as in a shotgun formation, is eligible even in the NFL

[p3_08_23_05]

As long as a player is behind the line of scrimmage , they can throw the ball. So to answer your question, anyone can throw the ball.