Ranking the most difficult positions to play in each major sport.
Point guard (NBA)
Playing point guard in the NBA where every player is an amazing athlete is kind of like playing quarterback in the NFL at warp speed. The main difference is that the point guard doesn't have quite as much of an effect on the game as the NFL quarterback does and thus has less pressure on his shoulders. He also doesn't take as many hits with the same severity that an NFL quarterback does.
But that doesn't mean this position isn't extremely tough in its own right. The point guard has to make sure he keeps the other 4 players on the floor involved or else their games will suffer and they will lose confidence. Point guards have to be jet-quick but at the same time they have to be big enough so that the larger ones like Chauncey Billups and Baron Davis don't post them up all game. It's a tough way to make a living, that's for sure.
Shortstop (MLB)
Typically, the best fielder on the team plays shortstop in MLB and for good reason: most of the balls are hit his way. The shortstop has to constantly be on top of the action and can't relax. A screaming line drive could hit him in the face at any time if he's not ready to react with lightning-fast reflexes.
Other difficulties include having to avoid being taken out by hard slides at second base and the pressure of having to produce big-time on the offensive end as well.
The shortstop gets a slight nod over the starting pitcher because he has to play every day.
Catcher (MLB)
The catcher takes a lot of abuse under a 162-game season that many people don't realize. If someone hits a foul ball backwards it usually will glance off the catcher. Over time these hits add up to major bumps and bruises.
He also has to stay crouched in a squatting position throughout the entire game which is hard on the knees and back, and he has to be ready to leap up and make tough throws down to 2nd base at the drop of a hat.
Goalie (NHL)
These guys have it rough in the NHL because of all the pressure that's placed on them. They are the last line of defense and the guy who can win or lose a game all on his own.
Goalies are well-padded but that doesn't mean they don't take their own fair share of hits both by players and the puck. The reflexes required for this position are off-the-charts and life is never easy for an NHL goalie, especially in the playoffs when one slip-up can equal a series defeat.
Quarterback (NFL)
Sure, quarterbacks don't take the abuse that many other NFL players do on a consistent basis, but their job is by far the hardest on the field when you take all aspects of the position into account.
The quarterback has to process an incredible amount of information in a very short amount of time with the rush closing in on him each play. The penalty for a mistake is either a chorus of boos and shouts for the backup quarterback or perhaps worse, like getting flatted by a 245-pound linebacker running at full speed.
This is the big-money, high-stakes position; the most high-profile position sports to be exact, and the pressure that comes with that combined with the difficulties of the position are what makes NFL quarterback the toughest position in sports.
