Before specialization, the long snapper often was a player who primarily played another position, mostly assumed to be backup centers because they perform regular snap duties to quarterbacks, and also to quarterbacks positioned further out in a shotgun formation. However, a recent example would be Allen Aldridge, who started at linebacker for the Detroit Lions and also served as the team's long snapper. This allowed the team to dress another non-specialist player. Now, every team in the NFL has a specialized long snapper, a trend born on the Washington Football Team in 1971, where head coach and general manager George Allen made George Burman the first modern long snapper — someone whose roster spot was based on the long snap, and not other positions.